Jones Act service gets new 10-year port deal

Jacksonville-based carrier Trailer Bridge and terminal operator Ports America have signed a 10-year agreement to handle stevedoring and deploy terminal technology for Trailer Bridge’s Jones Act barge service between Jacksonville and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The deal gives Ports America responsibility for cargo handling at Trailer Bridge’s Blount Island terminal at Jaxport and calls for implementation of Ports America’s Dockworks terminal operating system to improve cargo tracking and supply-chain visibility for customers. The agreement includes two optional five-year extensions, creating a potential 20-year operating horizon. Under the partnership, Ports America will provide stevedoring labor and terminal expertise for Trailer Bridge’s Jacksonville operation, consolidating cargo-handling functions under a single North American terminal operator with experience in ro-ro, breakbulk, and Jones Act trades. Ports America will also roll out its Dockworks TOS at the Jacksonville terminal, with customer-facing visibility tools expected to come online in 2027.