Governor hails ‘great progress’ at JAXPORT

Gov. Ron DeSantis returned to JAXPORT Friday, hailing new “great progress” at the Northeast Florida port.

DeSantis has emphasized Florida ports as a solution to supply chain complications in recent months. Friday saw him trumpet an Asian company, Sea-Lead Shipping, moving some operations to “the wonderfully efficient and less congested” port in Jacksonville.

The company is based in Singapore and wants an alternative to Long Beach congestion, DeSantis said. Jacksonville will be the last port of call for these ships.

“We identified many, many months ago the supply chain was causing problems for our economy,” DeSantis said, pointing out inflationary pressures driven by federal currency expansion.

“Basically, you’re printing trillions of dollars,” the Governor explained.

That and “bad COVID policy,” explained DeSantis, have created issues that Florida has been compelled to address, including through port investments.

“Florida is part of the solution,” DeSantis said, noting that numerous Florida ports — such as JAXPORT, Port Everglades, Port Manatee, the Port of Miami and the Port of Tampa — got inquiries and subsequent business from companies with offload issues in other parts of the country.

“Florida ports are stepping up,” DeSantis enthused.

The Governor was accompanied by eager local support while making his case.

JAXPORT CEO Eric Green credited “support from our state leaders” with helping the port grow without the “growing pains” that can come with expansion.

Green, who just returned from more California meetings with companies looking to expand, said “all eyes are on Florida” and described JAXPORT as a “major player on Florida’s east coast” and an “alternative gateway” to some more established ports.

“Jacksonville is the solution to the nation’s port congestion problem,” Green said.

Expect more announcements along these lines, Green suggested.