The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) welcomed the Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) next-generation car carrier Orca Ace during the vessel’s maiden call to Jacksonville, Fla., this week.
Orca Ace is one of MOL’s new FLEXIE series vessels, featuring a larger number of flexible interior decks than traditional car carriers. These decks can be raised or lowered to accommodate roll-on/roll-off (ro/ro) cargo in a variety of sizes. The vessel also features a gradual, sloped ramp that the company says helps to reduce the number of turns that drivers make during loading and discharge, increasing efficiency.
The 6,800-car-capacity Orca Ace passed through the Panama Canal before delivering Mazda passenger vehicles to JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal.
JAXPORT is home to three auto processors: AMPORTS, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics and Southeast Toyota Distributors. A multi-year project to expand JAXPORT’s vehicle-handling capacity by 25 percent is currently under way.
A record 693,000 vehicles moved through JAXPORT last year, making Jacksonville the nation’s second-busiest vehicle-handling port.