Posted on November 11, 2024
The Alabama Port Authority has begun the fourth phase of a container terminal expansion project to double the terminal’s capacity to 1 million 20-foot equivalent units a year.
This latest phase, which will include an inter-terminal connector bridge to create on-dock rail access at the container terminal, is the result of $200 million in federal funding, port officials said in a press release.
“The launch of the fourth phase of our container terminal expansion marks another transformative step for the Port of Mobile,” said John Driscoll, the port authority’s director and CEO. “As trade patterns continue to evolve, this expansion ensures that we remain a reliable, efficient and sustainable gateway for commerce.”
This expansion is complemented by the port’s ongoing channel deepening and widening project, led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which will increase the Mobile ship channel depth to 50 feet, allowing the terminal to accommodate larger vessels carrying more significant cargo volumes.
The expanded terminal and deeper channel will allow the port to serve “super-post Panamax” vessels — the largest ships that can transit the expanded Panama canal — and improve connectivity to major inland markets through enhanced rail and road infrastructure.
In addition to the terminal expansion and the harbor deepening and widening project, the port authority plans to develop logistics facilities in Mobile and open a new inland intermodal facility served by CSX in Montgomery. Those projects will begin operation within the next two years, providing new advantages and opportunities for shippers, port authority officials said.
The Port of Mobile offers direct access to five Class Is and service by four short lines, including the port’s owned and operated terminal railroad.
