[6] English sailors traded ammunition and guns to the French from Fort Caroline for food and a boat in 1565, the first international commerce recorded in the New World.

[7] Jacksonville's St. Johns River is one of the best natural seaports in the Southeast, and shipping has always been an important component of the local economy.

In 1907, the federal government helped pay for main channel in the river to be dredged to a depth of 24 feet (7.3 m).

The city of Jacksonville began to exert control over the 160-acre (0.65 km2) port at Talleyrand in 1912 and a $1.5 million bond referendum passed in 1913 to pay for construction of municipal docking facilities.

The United States Navy had no base at the Port of Jacksonville until shortly before World War II when two facilities were constructed.

[7] In addition to the military bases at the port, more than 20 maritime facilities in Jacksonville's harbor are privately owned and operated, including drydocks and petroleum terminals.

[10] The authority, also known as "Jaxport"', is the independent government agency that owns, operates and controls much of Jacksonville’s Seaport System, including (but not limited to) the following: docks and wharfs, cranes, a passenger cruise terminal, warehouses, paved open storage areas, and road connections to the public highway system.

Private companies pay lease and rental fees to Jaxport in order to operate from the seaport.

Blount Island lies 9 nautical miles (17 km) from the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the largest vehicle import/export centers in the United States.

[25] Five cruise ships (including the Carnival Miracle) were chartered to serve as floating hotels during the week preceding Super Bowl XXXIX in February 2005.

In 2008, an 8-acre (32,000 m2) parcel was purchased in the small fishing village of Mayport as the site of a permanent, $60 million facility.

The economic crisis delayed the project, and opposition from local residents was vehement; a lawsuit seeking an injunction was filed against the JPA.

[27] The Florida Department of Transportation, which had always operated the service, had the Mayport Ferry line item budget vetoed by Governor Charlie Crist for 2007-2008.

The Jacksonville Port Authority took over operation of the ferry in 2007 and raised the standard fare from $3.25 to $5.00, but still lost half a million dollars each year.

On February 5, 2009 the ferry was put into dry dock for routine maintenance, but hull corrosion required an extra week of repairs, and there was no service for a month.