- The new M-10 Marine Highway (Jones Act) service gives the South Florida market ready shipping access to Puerto Rico.
- The new service avoids trunk road shipments over Jaxport, and offers an alternative to trucking between South Florida and Houston.
Port Everglades has welcomed the first cargo ship to transit on the newly designated U.S. Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Marine Highway M-10 from Houston to Port Everglades to Puerto Rico, reports GFL Alliance.
First call of new service
National Shipping of America (NSA) and its American-flagged containerized cargo ship, National Glory, picked up containers at Sun Terminals (King Ocean) in Port Everglades for delivery to the Port of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Port Everglades Chief Executive and Port Director Jonathan Daniels was on site with Port staff to greet the ship and present a plaque to commemorate the first call of the new service to Captain Darl Langford.
“It is a real honor for Port Everglades to welcome this new American-flagged all-water service, which offers the only direct services from South Florida to Puerto Rico,” Daniels said.
The crucial M-10 route
“National Shipping is pleased to add Port Everglades (PEV) to our vessel schedule in 2021. PEV is our ‘pivot port’ opening two new markets for our customers. The first being the M-10 route from Texas to South Florida under the American Marine Highway program, which is an alternative to trucking providing an ‘ocean intermodal’ option,” said Torey Presti, President of National Shipping Agencies, Inc.
This service product has economical, environmental, and safety advantages with the objective of taking trucks off the road.
Presti added, “The second leg will provide South Florida shippers to Puerto Rico the fastest transit time to San Juan with a Friday evening close at PEV and arrival San Juan Wednesday morning. We envision PEV as the gateway for U.S. Gulf cargoes destined to South Florida and continuing to Caribbean and Latin America destinations. As a U.S. Flag Jones Act carrier, National Shipping is pleased to provide this unique service calling PEV.”
Alternate transportation
Port Everglades received approval on Friday, January 8, 2021, from the U.S. Department of Transportation, MARAD, for the Marine Highway designation. Marine Highways are navigable waterways that can be used as alternate options to traditional transportation methods.
In NSA’s case, cargo bound for South Florida is traditionally moved by truck from Texas. The new M-10/M-95/M-2 Marine Highway will take those containers off the roads, thereby reducing traffic and emissions and improving efficiency. The designation also opens up new opportunities for direct service to Puerto Rico from Port Everglades.
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Source: GFL Alliance
