JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Highly-trained master riggers moved 17 military fighter jets through JAXPORT’s Blount Island Marine Terminal, taking advantage of the port’s expertise in the movement of specialty and oversized cargoes. The F-5s are 50 feet in length and worth $1 million each. After arriving at JAXPORT, the aircraft were trucked to destinations in North and Central Florida for use by a government contractor providing flight training and other services to the U.S. military. The contractor purchased the jets from a U.S. ally in the Middle East. The jets arrived at JAXPORT from the Middle East aboard the Thorco Shipping heavy lift vessel, Thorco Glory. Workers with stevedoring company Portus used cranes and other special equipment to lift the jets off the ship one at a time and then lower them onto specialty truck chassis. International freight forwarder Kuehne + Nagel arranged the transport. Jacksonville’s skilled workforce offers a variety of labor options, including highly-trained master riggers specializing in heavy lift and project cargo operations. In addition, JAXPORT offers one of the nation’s highest weight-bearing capacity docks. JAXPORT terminals are served by three U.S. interstates (I-10, I-95 and I-75) and 36 daily trains via three railroads (CSX, Norfolk Southern, and Florida East Coast Railway). JAXPORT also has the highest and widest cargo clearance available for port access by rail on CSX’s national system. The port offers worldwide cargo service, including direct service with Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, South America, the Caribbean and other key markets.