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Alabama State Port breaking cargo records amid the pandemic


WPMI - Alabama State Port breaking cargo records amid the pandemic
WPMI - Alabama State Port breaking cargo records amid the pandemic
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Since August of 2020, the Alabama State Port has seen growth of 34 percent. This means a lot of containers filled with goods including chicken have been imported and exported internationally through the port.

“It really tells you that people want to do business through Alabama. It’s an efficient place to do business. We got great workers at the docks. We got good managers managing the facilities there,” John Driscoll, President & CEO of Alabama State Port Authority said.

Driscoll also credits part of the growth to the backup and delays at other U.S. ports on the west and east coasts. Those ports are struggling to catch up with the demand after many international ports closed at the start of the pandemic.

“Some of your customers, exporters, and importers are looking for gateway for the floridity of cargo can happen and Mobile is that gateway,” Driscoll said.

The state has also been working on several projects at the port. The construction of the new roll on and off automobile facility just completed. Alabama is also making the port 50 plus feet deeper by 2025, so larger vessels can sail into Mobile.

"We compete with both gulf ports, east coast ports and west coast ports. You know we don't have any inheriting advance. So, you must be out there fighting for every container, coal shipment, and every steal shipment,” the port president said.

Another part of the growth at the port is the cargo on railroad from Mobile to Memphis, Chicago, and Canada. That has grown 200 plus percent within the past month.

Alabama Port Authority expects at least 500,000 shipping containers to come through Mobile by the end of 2021.


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