The Port of Mobile is now the deepest container terminal in the Gulf at 50 feet, a long-planned achievement celebrated by state and federal officials on Monday.
“Driving growth at Alabama’s Port has always been key to Alabama’s economic future,” former U.S. Sen.Richard Shelby, whose work was critical in securing federal funding, said Monday. “When I visited the Port of Singapore years ago, I saw how a relatively small geographic area leveraged its port system to drive incredible economic success, and I knew then that Alabama had the very same potential. The results so far are evidence of more success to come.”
The 50-foot depth, a five-foot increase, was reached earlier this month. According to port officials, APM Terminals Mobile, which routinely handles 9,000 to 10,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit vessels, anticipates calls from ships carrying 12,000-16,000 twenty-foot equivalent units, with the option to handle larger vessels as needed.
The project cost $366 million and was a state–federal partnership between the Alabama Port Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The project began more than a decade ago with the Corps’ General Reevaluation Report It was authorized by Congress in the 2018 Water Resources and Development Act and advanced after Gov. Kay Ivey signed the 2019 Rebuild Alabama Act, which provided the state’s cost-share, according to the Alabama Port Authority.
“This project is a game changer for Alabama, which is why I made it a key component of our Rebuild Alabama plan,” Ivey said Monday. “A deeper channel means stronger trade, more jobs, and a brighter future for our state. What’s more is this achievement reflects a model partnership: the federal authorization and funding, a strong, $150 million state match through the Rebuild Alabama Act, and private-sector investments from AP Moller Maersk are all proof that when Alabama aligns vision with execution, we deliver results.”
Alabama Port Authority Interim Director and Chief Executive Director Doug Otto said the investment isn’t just about depth, but efficiency.
“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,” Otto said. “These capabilities strengthen the Port’s competitive position and make a compelling business case for shippers choosing Alabama as their gateway for global trade.”
Last year, the port was deemed the second-fastest growing in the U.S. The 3,700-acre complex imports items include metals, wood products, oversized cargo, consumer goods and chemicals, while its prime exports include those plus coal, frozen poultry and grain.
Dredging began in 2020 and was completed to full depth in 2025. Work continues on the turning basin near the container terminal.