The Mobile Ship Channel, which guides ocean-going vessels to the Port of Mobile, has officially achieved its new 50-foot depth.
“Yesterday, the port, in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Mobile Bar Pilots, reviewed the latest soundings for the Mobile Ship Channel. All parties concurred that the channel is suitable for vessel transits with a draft of up to 50 feet,” the port said in a statement issued Friday afternoon.
“Within hours of the certification,” the port statement continued, “the Sakizawa Power, already docked at the Port’s McDuffie Coal Terminal, became the first vessel to utilize the deeper channel, loading additional tonnage and sailing with a 48.4-foot draft — the maximum load for that particular vessel. As of 12:15 p.m., the vessel officially cleared the newly deepened ship channel.”
Port officials called the project a “transformational milestone for the Port of Mobile and Alabama’s economy.”
“This milestone shows the immediate value of the project,” said Alabama Port Authority Interim Director and CEO Doug Otto. “As soon as the Corps confirmed the channel was ready, our customers took advantage of the additional depth. This is exactly why this project matters — it means lower shipping costs, more efficient trade, and an even stronger economic engine for Alabama.”
The deeper channel is part of a $366 million, multi-year project that makes the Port of Mobile the deepest container port on the Gulf, able to accept post-Panamax vessels — ships too big to use the old Panama Canal locks. APM Terminals, which operates Mobile’s cargo handling expects bigger ships to take advantage of the new size capabilities promptly.
“From the federal authorization process to passing the Rebuild Alabama Act, this would not have been possible without the leadership of former Sen. Richard Shelby and Gov. Kay Ivey,” said Alabama Port Authority Board Chairman Zeke Smith. “Together, their actions forged the state–federal partnership that brought this transformative project to completion.”
Ivey, describing the port as “Alabama’s gateway to the world,” said “A 50-foot channel is not just a milestone for the port — it is a generational investment in Alabama jobs, growth, and prosperity.”
And Shelby said, “This is a proud day for Alabama and for me personally. Securing full federal funding for the deepening and widening of the Mobile Ship Channel was one of my top priorities in Congress because I knew what it would mean for our state’s economy. Today’s achievement cements the Port of Mobile’s place as a premier gateway for global trade and ensures Alabama businesses have the tools they need to thrive in the decades to come.”
The final part of the project — widening the turning basin — is nearing completion.
Festivities to celebrate completion are anticipated in the next few weeks.
