Military transport for the Middle East
In May 2022, Jacksonville Port Authority’s (Jaxport) Blount Island Marine Terminal handled cargo for the South Carolina-based 841st transportation battalion and the Virginia-based 597th transportation brigade.
The vessels loaded approximately 750 pieces of military equipment, such as multiple helicopters and equipment in support of the 101st combat aviation brigade deployment to the Middle East.
A team of military logisticians and transportation specialists were involved. Military pilots flew nearly two dozen helicopters, including Black Hawk and Apache helicopters, from Fort Campbell, Kentucky to a Jaxport staging area before loading them onto the ship. “SSA Atlantic” provided stevedoring operations at Blount Island. It was Jaxport’s largest single military cargo move so far this year. (sh)