Mobile Port Announces Record Container Growth, New Branding
New year, new branding, new website, new containerized cargo record.
The Port of Mobile and its governing body, the Alabama Port Authority, rang in the new year with a series of major announcements.
First off, the Alabama Port Authority announced new branding and a new website for the Port of Mobile. The new website is www.alports.com and features a stylized “M” for Mobile. Imagery and graphics throughout the website highlight infrastructure investments that are driving the port forward, with port-specific information streamlined.
“We are embarking on telling the story of the Port of Mobile to a wide audience—locally and statewide, but also nationally and internationally,” said John Driscoll, director and CEO of the Alabama Port Authority. “In launching our new brand and website, our intent is to communicate our unsurpassed efficiency, reliability and connectivity.”
The port’s new modern “M” is meant to reflect the efforts over the past 20 years to modernize Alabama’s deepwater port. Since 2001, the state’s port authority has poured more than $1.3 billion into developing the port’s road, rail and waterway infrastructure, with the goal of diversifying business and attracting larger vessels. A further $750 million in investments is either underway or planned for the port.
With the launch of the new website, the Alabama Port Authority aims to bring attention to its dual focus: growing the Port of Mobile’s import and export capabilities and developing transportation on and industry alongside the state’s navigable waterways.
The Port of Mobile has direct connections to two interstates, five Class 1 railroads, the nation’s other seaports via the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and the inland ports by the Mobile, Tombigbee and Black Warrior rivers.
The Alabama Port Authority joined its rebranding announcement with news that the Port of Mobile continued its rapid growth in containerized cargo volumes in 2021, with a record 502,623 TEUs handled. That represented a 19 percent increase from 2020 volumes. Since 2015, the port’s container volumes have grown 120 percent, making the Port of Mobile one of the fastest growing container ports in the nation.
“Mobile continues to perform, attracting new customers seeking out terminal efficiency, service and inland connectivity to key U.S. markets,” Driscoll said.
In a year marked by congestion and inefficiency at many other container ports, the Port of Mobile reported no congestion, no vessel delays at anchor and vessel-to-rail turn times within 24 hours.
Refrigerated containers marked a 50 percent increase in 2021 compared to 2020, with 790 containers handled. The port’s Intermodal Container Transfer Facility finished 2021 with 23,776 containers handled, a 139 percent increase over 2020.
During Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s state of the state address January 11, Ivey highlighted her signature infrastructure bill, Rebuild Alabama, which designated significant funds for the Port of Mobile.
“With the current global supply issues, having an international resource Iike the Port of Mobile is ever more critical,” Ivey said. “As a matter of fact, our exports are up almost 25 percent. And here in Alabama, we aren’t having issues like they are in California. To the rest of the nation, I say loud and clear that Alabama’s Port of Mobile is open for business. We are proud to invite the nation and the world to do business with Alabama at our port.”
