Posted on September 1, 2025
The Alabama Port Authority has announced the retirement of John Driscoll, the authority’s director and CEO since 2020.
Driscoll was not present for the meeting. Doug Otto, the port’s chief engineering officer, was appointed interim director.
“As Director, John has implemented major capital projects that will position the Port for future growth,” Smith said in the statement. “These include the deepening and widening of the Port of Mobile’s ship channel, new investments at the McDuffie Coal Terminal and the APM container terminal, and breaking ground on the Montgomery Intermodal Container Facility. We thank him for his service to the State of Alabama, and wish him well in retirement.”
Smith praised Otto for his service as chief engineering officer as well as his “extensive background” with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. According to a biography posted at www.alports.com, Otto previously was chief of the Engineering Division for the Corps’ Mobile District.
Driscoll’s hiring in spring 2020 represented a major changing of the guard for the Port Authority, which had been captained by Jimmy Lyons since 1999. Hallmarks of Lyons’ tenure included massive growth in container shipping operations; as Driscoll stepped into the role, he said a primary goal was to improve the port’s connections, particularly via railroads, to increase its statewide impact.
Port business has continued to expand during Driscoll’s tenure, which also featured disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic and more recent uncertainties caused by rapid shifts in tariff and trade policy under the Trump administration. A 2022 economic impact study released by the authority showed a “total economic value to the state” that had risen from $31.6 billion in 2018 to $98 billion in 2022. The study said that state and local tax impacts had risen from $716 million to $2.4 billion in the same time frame.
In 2024, two more giant cranes were added at the port’s container terminal, bringing the total to six. That was a major step in work to push the terminal’s capacity to more than 1 million standard container units per year. The yard set records every year through 2023, handling more than half a million units in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
“John Driscoll has been a committed and visionary leader for the Port of Mobile,” said Brian Harold, managing director for APM Terminals Mobile. “His collaborative approach and strong support for public-private partnerships helped drive real progress at the port. We appreciated his focus on growth and innovation, and we wish him nothing but the best in his next chapter.”
Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson likewise praised Driscoll for overseeing growth.
“John Driscoll has overseen a period of incredible growth at the Alabama State Port Authority and helped ensure that momentum will continue for years to come,” said Stimpson. “The Port is one of Mobile’s and Alabama’s primary economic drivers, and its continued success benefits not only our citizens but communities across the state. I appreciate John’s service during his time at the helm and wish him the very best in retirement.”
“Under John’s leadership, the Port of Mobile has continued to strengthen its position as one of our region’s most vital economic engines,” said Bradley Byrne, president and CEO of the Mobile Chamber. “John’s guidance has helped drive growth, expand global trade opportunities and ensure the Port remains a cornerstone of Alabama’s economy. … We are grateful for his dedication to advancing Mobile’s reputation as a hub for commerce, shipbuilding and international trade.”
There have been points of contention as well.
The port, particularly its container terminal, is the beneficiary of a Corps of Engineers project to deepen and widen the Mobile Ship Channel. Though the Corps conducted its environmental study and received approval to proceed before Driscoll was hired, the Corps’ methods of disposing dredge spoil have become a hot-button subject.
Mobile Baykeeper and other have termed it “mud-dumping” and maintained that it has negative impacts on marine life. In 2024, Driscoll joined Mobile Bay National Estuary Program Director Roberta Swann and Byrne in a letter asking Baykeeper to drop the threat of a lawsuit.
“John and I started our jobs around the same time and I enjoyed building a relationship with him and the Port Authority,” said William Strickland, executive director of Mobile Baykeeper. “I look forward to deepening that relationship with whoever comes next.”
In March, Driscoll weighed in against fees the Trump administration had proposed for Chinese-built ships entering American ports. Driscoll wrote that the fee plan “threatens the ability of Alabama-based manufacturers and exporters to competitively access global markets.” The fees were later approved for gradual implementation.
More recently, the Port Authority filed a lawsuit against developers of a private industrial park in Baldwin County, alleging that the park’s name infringed on Port Authority trademarks and copyrights. Court records indicate that both sides have asked for a 45-day extension on filings, saying that they “are involved in good faith discussions toward a potential resolution.”
According to the Port Authority, Otto will “ensure continuity on major projects and commercial development” while a global search for a new permanent director is under way.
