Americas Port Briefing: JAXPORT Infrastructure Push, MSC Asia Service Restored at Port Everglades, Manzanillo Posts Strong H1 Growth

## Americas Port Briefing: Infrastructure, Connectivity, and Volume Growth Three notable developments across major Americas ports this week underscore a period of active investment and commercial momentum in the region's container and port infrastructure sectors. ### JAXPORT Advances Fulton Cut Powerline Project Helicopter operations commenced on 27 July at Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) as part of a critical infrastructure project to raise electric transmission lines crossing the St Johns River at Fulton Cut. According to Port Technology, specialist lineworkers and helicopter crews have begun preparatory work to install new wiring between Blount Island and Reed Island. The project is designed to increase air draft clearance over the river, a key enabler for accommodating larger, post-Panamax vessels calling at the port. The Fulton Cut powerline raise has been a long-anticipated milestone for JAXPORT as it continues to invest in deepening and widening its navigational infrastructure to remain competitive in the Southeast US container market. ### MSC Restores Direct Asia Link at Port Everglades Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has restored a direct container shipping connection between Port Everglades and Asia with the inaugural call of its Empire Service on 17 July. Port Technology reports the service is being handled by Port Everglades Terminal, LLC. The restoration of a direct Asia link is commercially significant for the South Florida port, which serves one of the most populous consumer markets in the United States. Direct transpacific connectivity reduces transit times and transshipment costs for importers and exporters in the region, strengthening Port Everglades' competitive position relative to other East and Gulf Coast gateways. ### Port of Manzanillo Records 9.9% Volume Growth in H1 2026 Mexico's Port of Manzanillo has reported strong first-half performance, handling 2.07 million TEUs between January and June 2026 — a 9.9 per cent increase compared with the 1.88 million TEUs recorded in the same period last year. The figures, published by the Administración del Sistema Portuario Nacional Manzanillo, confirm the port's continued trajectory as Latin America's busiest container gateway. The double-digit growth rate reflects both rising trade volumes through Mexico's Pacific coast and the port's ongoing capacity investments. Manzanillo's performance will be closely watched by industry analysts as a barometer of broader transpacific trade flows into the Americas for the remainder of the year. *Sources: Port Technology*