FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – The supply chain backup is making holiday shopping difficult for some. But on Monday, crews at the Port of Fernandina were working to try to relieve some of that.
The small port took on the big problem by bringing in a ship that could’ve been stuck for weeks trying to get into another port. The ship was carrying cargo containers filled with items to go to a sporting goods store chain that could be gifts for some people this holiday season.
Instead of going to major nearby ports like in Savannah, where ships are stacked up, the ship came to the port in Fernandina Beach.
“This is a big day for us because we have a ship that’s coming directly from China with critical goods that need to be on the shelf prior to Christmas,” said Chris Ragucci, of Worldwide Terminals, which operates the Port of Fernandina.
Not a lot of people know about the port. Normally, they do two to three ships a week. When the major ports were backed up, Ragucci says, the Port of Fernandina let it be known that he could handle some of the traffic.
“We have been investing in the Port of Fernandina for the last four years just to be ready for a moment like this,” Ragucci said. “We have new cranes, new equipment and deep water at the dock, and we want to get the word out.”
Throughout the day, 350 containers were being unloaded from the ship. There was an issue with one container partially hanging off the side of the ship that caused some delays, but it was corrected and no one was hurt. According to port officials, the problem was due to improper loading in China, but they were able to take care of the situation.
Now, the port’s goal is to bring in even more ships. Another cargo ship is scheduled for next week. Port officials say there are enough truck drivers and workers to get the good unloaded and eventually delivered to where they need to go.