The Alabama Port Authority has marked the completion of the deepening and widening the Mobile Ship Channel to 50ft to improve navigational efficiency and to accommodate larger vessels.
According to the authority, this additional depth makes the Port of Mobile the “deepest container terminal” in the Gulf of America.
The $366m Mobile harbour modernisation project proceeded as a state–federal partnership between the Alabama Port Authority and the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Since the channel reached 50ft, all coal vessels have used the increased draft, reported the port.
APM Terminals Mobile, which typically handles vessels in the 9,000–10,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) range, expects calls from ships carrying 12,000–16,000 TEUs and retains the option to handle larger vessels as operational needs require.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said: “A deeper channel means stronger trade, more jobs, and a brighter future for our state.”
Planning for the scheme began in 2014 with the Corps’ General Reevaluation Report, funded through former US Senator Richard Shelby’s leadership.
US Congress authorised the project in the 2018 Water Resources and Development Act, and the programme moved forward after Governor Kay Ivey signed the 2019 Rebuild Alabama Act, which provided the state’s 25% cost share.
Dredging began in 2020 and reached full depth in 2025. Contractors continue work on the turning basin near the container terminal, and dredged material is being used for shoreline restoration at Dauphin Island.
Alabama Port Authority interim director and CEO Doug Otto said: “The project’s enhancements allow for two-way vessel traffic and create nearly three miles of passing lane, improving safety, reducing transit times, allowing for more cargo, and delivering faster turnarounds for our customers.
“These capabilities strengthen the Port’s competitive position and make a compelling business case for shippers choosing Alabama as their gateway for global trade.”
The Alabama Port Authority manages deep-water public port facilities at the Port of Mobile and provides port services for all 67 counties in the state.
The authority states that its container, general cargo and bulk facilities have direct connections to five Class I railroads, four short-line railroads and nearly 15,000 miles of inland waterways, in addition to interstate access.
“Mobile Ship Channel in Alabama achieves 50ft depth” was originally created and published by Ship Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.
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