The Alabama Port Authority has begun demolition and reconstruction of Pier B South, launching a multi-year, multi-phase programme to modernise the Port of Mobile’s general cargo terminal.
Through a $100 million federal investment championed by Senator Richard Shelby, the port is transforming the ageing facility into a modern, high-capacity berth to support the state’s growing breakbulk trade.
Doug Otto, Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Alabama Port Authority, said: “Pier B South has stood for nearly a hundred years as a symbol of Alabama’s global trade gateway through the Port of Mobile, and now we’re investing to ensure it remains an engine for the next hundred years.
“From steel producers like SSAB, Outokumpu, Nucor, and Arcelor Mittal to forest products suppliers like Great Southern Wood Preserving, International Paper, and Georgia-Pacific, we are building the port to serve Alabama businesses who continue to invest and expand production right here in our state.”
The new Pier B South will feature 1,500 linear feet of modern dock structure built to handle 1,500 pounds per square foot (psf) and accommodate mobile harbour cranes and other advanced cargo-handling equipment.
The facility will be rail-served, shore-power capable, and designed for seamless integration with the port’s general cargo complex.
RJ Baggett Construction is leading the construction, which will take approximately three years to complete.
The Pier B South project marks Phase I of the Port’s broader General Cargo Modernization Program, a multi-year initiative to enhance capacity, efficiency, and sustainability across the Port’s breakbulk operations.
Additional programme elements now underway include:
- Warehouse Upgrades – Modernising storage and cargo-handling facilities to support higher throughput and improve operating efficiency, targeting an increase of 110,000+ square feet by H1 2026.
- Harbor Optimization Study – In partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the port is pursuing federal funding to leverage existing navigational assets, evaluate barge-lane feasibility, and study Mobile River depth, flow, and tidal impacts, ensuring the port remains competitive for a wider range of vessels.
- General Cargo Infrastructure Strategy – A long-term planning effort to prioritise future capital investments, integrate intermodal connectivity, and expand the port’s service to Alabama-based manufacturers and exporters.
“From warehouse improvements to a harbour optimisation partnership with the Corps, every piece of this strategy ties back to a single goal—serving Alabama industry, because when companies invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the state, it’s our responsibility to ensure their Port keeps pace with their growth,” Otto said.
Earlier this summer, the Alabama Port Authority and US Senator Katie Britt announced that three major projects related to long-term dredge material management at the Port of Mobile are moving forward in Congress.