Port of Mobile

[Southron]

Choctaw Point container terminal - $350 million expansion of state docks

The Alabama State Port Authority is currently expanding the state docks with the Choctaw Point terminal and intermodal facility, the largest capital undertaking since original construction of the state docks in 1928.

The new 380-acre facility will increase port capacity for handling standard 20-foot containers from 60,000 annually to between 600,000 and 750,000. By comparison, the Port of New Orleans had a capacity of 460,000 containers in 2004. In 2003, the Mobile port only handled 23,960 containers. More than 90 percent of the world's cargo shipping traffic is containerized.

The Choctaw Point facility has access to the Brookley Field cargo airport, two interstate systems, five Class 1 railroads, and nearly 15,000 miles of inland waterway connections. Birmingham-based and other Alabama companies that now must use container terminals in New Orleans, Charleston, Savannah, and Jacksonville; will have a viable alternative right here in their own back yard, saving them time and money.

Birmingham Business Journal: Mobile's 'gold mine': Choctaw Point to change Birmingham shipping with containers

Links:

Choctaw Point Terminal

Renderings

[Southron]

New state docks terminal to connect state to southern Mexico

A new $26 million terminal at the state docks, scheduled to open in June, will open up new markets in southern Mexico for Alabama businesses. The new CG Railway terminal connects to the railroads of southern Mexico via a pair of ships that will make about 85 combined trips annually between Mobile and southern Mexico. The ships and the terminal in Mexico are being modified to match the double-decker rail car capacity of the new Mobile terminal.

CG Railway originally began operations in Mobile in 2001, but moved to New Orleans after being displaced by the new Choctaw Point terminal construction. While in Mobile, the company was one of the largest importers of Corona beer in the country -- about 450 rail cars per month.

Mobile Press-Register: CG Railway terminal returns to Mobile bigger and better

[Southron]

Port Authority will build $115 million terminal to handle steel slabs for ThyssenKrupp plant

The Alabama State Port Authority board voted to authorize construction of a new $115 million terminal to handle steel slabs for the recently announced ThyssenKrupp steel mill. Port Authority director James Lyons said the terminal will use state-of-the-art magnetic lifting equipment to move steel slabs from ships to barges that will tranport them to the plant upriver.

It's nice to see another expansion at the port, with more permanent jobs created. This terminal might facilitate even more upriver industrial activity.

Mobile Press-Register: Port Authority approves building terminal for steel mill

[Southron]

Hyundai's Montgomery manufacturing plant is the Port of Mobile's biggest container customer, and the port could see its share of the car maker's imports grow from about half to up to 80 percent.

Port director Jimmy Lyons said that shipping parts via an all waterborne route through Mobile is more economical for Hyundai. Currently, parts unloaded in Los Angeles travel by rail to Birmingham, where they are loaded onto trucks to Montgomery. It can take several days after a part leaves the ship in Los Angeles until it leaves the port by train. Multi-step handling of each part doesn't work well with Hyundai's just-in-time manufacturing culture.

Additionally, Lyons said the port wants to expand dramatically, and is facing a land shortage that must be resolved in order to do so. The Panama Canal is being overhauled and will accommodate much larger ships within ten years, and the port will have to be ready for those larger ships.

Montgomery Advertiser: Mobile port reaps benefits from Hyundai

[Southron]

According to a new study, shippers should consider using Alabama's inland waterway system to move containerized cargo aboard barges. The river network could provide a reliable alternative to truck and railroad traffic, and reduce congestion and pollution. To take advantage of the opening of new container terminal at Choctaw Point next year, the barge industry would have to offer a credible alternative to trucking.

Barges are typically used to move bulk cargo such as coal, grain and wood products, while containers are used to transport higher-end goods. "Container-on-barge" (COB) shipping has been successful in Europe and the Pacific Northwest, but has had limited success in the rest of the country.

Mobile Press-Register: Boxed cargo key

The report is available in .pdf format here: Alabama Freight Mobility Study - Phase I

[Alabadrock]

According to a new study, shippers should consider using Alabama's inland waterway system to move containerized cargo aboard barges. The river network could provide a reliable alternative to truck and railroad traffic, and reduce congestion and pollution. To take advantage of the opening of new container terminal at Choctaw Point next year, the barge industry would have to offer a credible alternative to trucking.

Barges are typically used to move bulk cargo such as coal, grain and wood products, while containers are used to transport higher-end goods. "Container-on-barge" (COB) shipping has been successful in Europe and the Pacific Northwest, but has had limited success in the rest of the country.

Mobile Press-Register: Boxed cargo key

The report is available in .pdf format here: Alabama Freight Mobility Study - Phase I

[Southron]

Available land along Mobile's waterfront is quickly running out. After selling 87 acres of land to the Port Authority and 102 acres to Austal USA, Atlantic Marine is selling its last available property, 35 acres on the northeast side of Pinto Island. The Port Authority may or may not bid on the 35-acre parcel. Austal USA plans to build a manufacturing facility on Blakeley Island property purchased from Atlantic Marine last month.

Mobile Press-Register: Land drying up along Mobile riverfront

[Southron]

International Shipholding Corp.'s CG Railway Inc. subsidiary dedicated its new $27 million terminal yesterday. The terminal allows loaded rail cars to be shipped between Mobile and the Port of Coatzacoalcos on the east coast of Mexico. The service brings numerous products into this country from Mexico, including Corona beer. Alabama forest products, chemicals, and metals are shipped to Mexico.

Mobile Press-Register: Officials dedicate terminal

[Southron]

Today's Press-Register included an article about the future of Middle Bay Port. The 200-acre former Navy base has about 80 vacant acres available for expanding operations, and state docks officials expect more new and expanding industry at the port, which is currently home to a few growing manufacturers that serve the oil and gas industry. The port currently employs roughly 250 workers yearly, with about 150 permanent jobs.

A luxury resort shipbuilding facility was proposed for the port, but that project is now on hold.

Middle Bay Port eyes brighter future, fueled by oil, gas

[elb401]

I wish it wasn't on hold. but I guess we can't get everything!

[Southron]

The Port Authority agreed to sell 17.7 acres of former International Paper property to Boyd Bros. Transportation of Clayton, to build a terminal for shipping steel, lumber and other products. After this sale, the Port Authority will have 58 acres left at the Mobile River site, part of which will be used for a new industrial access road.

Berg Spiral Pipe Corp. announced earlier this year that it will build a $75 million plant on 86 acres of the former International Paper property.

Mobile Press-Register: Port Authority approves sale of former IP property

[Southron]

The Alabama State Port Authority plans to extend the 45-foot-deep portion of the Mobile River ship channel and build a new southern turning basin to facilitate major industrial projects on the waterfront. The new turning basin, which should be completed by 2009, will allow for larger ships at the port.

Mobile Press-Register: Port projects pave way for growth

[Southron]

According to the Army Corps of Engineers, the Port of Mobile was the 10th largest port in the U.S. by tonnage in 2006! The container terminal under construction at Choctaw Point and a new terminal for the ThyssenKrupp steel mill should help the port continue its rapid growth.

Mobile Press-Register: Port of Mobile cracks top 10

[elb401]

This is great news. I'm sure that with the expansion of the docks that the port will be bumped up to maybe 7th-8th in the nation.

[Southron]

Federal officials granted approval for the dredging of a 55-foot deep turning basin on the Mobile River side of Choctaw Pass, and part of Little Sand Island will be destroyed to build it. The $23 million project is part of the new container port facility that will open later this year. However, the turning basin is on hold because the Port Authority doesn't currently have the money to pay for it.

The new turning basin will allow larger ships, more than 900 feet long, to visit the port. The current turning basin only allows ships up to 850 feet long.

Turning basin gets federal OK

[Southron]

Phase I of the new container terminal is set to open in September. Two cranes arrived from China in March and contractors are currently working on finishing paving 95 acres of the site. The concrete work should be done by July 31st.

Concrete job marks milestone at Mobile Container Terminal