Alabama Port Authority launches phase I of ‘General Cargo Modernization Program’

Phase I of the investment program modernizes historic infrastructure and strengthens Alabama’s forest products, steel supply chains

The Alabama Port Authority has begun demolition and reconstruction of Pier B South, launching a multi-year, multi-phase program to modernize the Port of Mobile’s general cargo terminal—one of the Port’s most historic and versatile assets.

Built in the 1920s, Pier B South has served Alabama industries for nearly a century. Through a $100 million federal investment championed by Senator Richard Shelby, the Port is transforming the aging facility into a modern, high-capacity berth to support the state’s growing breakbulk trade.

“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,” said Doug Otto, Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Alabama Port Authority. “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 harbor 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 program elements now underway include:

• Warehouse Upgrades – Modernizing 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 prioritize future capital investments, integrate intermodal connectivity, and expand the Port’s service to Alabama-based manufacturers and exporters.
  
  “From warehouse improvements to a harbor optimization 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.