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. In May 2010, the authority announced that they were starting over and reviewing all possible locations for the cruise terminal. Ferry service The Saint Johns River Ferry (also known as the Mayport Ferry) crosses the St. Johns River, connecting Mayport to Fort George Island. The crossing is part of State Road A1A and departs every half-hour. The ferry has been operating since 1948 and is the last active ferry in Florida. 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. Rather than terminate the service, the City of Jacksonville assumed responsibility, but lost over $1 million in one year. Mayor John Peyton announced that there was no money available in the next budget. 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. However, they use port revenue, not tax money, to underwrite the operation. After taking over, the JPA decided to cut costs and sell the Blackbeard, the backup vessel built in 1956. That meant that whenever the Jean Ribault had problems, ferry service would be suspended. 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. See also United States container ports Jacksonville Port Authority References External links Ports and harbors of the Florida Atlantic coast Transportation in Jacksonville, Florida Container terminals Transportation buildings and structures in Duval County, Florida