APM Terminals Mobile in the United States has signed an agreement with the Alabama State Port Authority to add 129,499m² to the current container terminal yard.
The terminal is already 542,278m² and with this increase, it will keep pace with future demand, creating a capacity of one million TEU that has been approved to handle ships of 14,000 TEU capacity.
This is the third expansion in the last six years, as importers expand their volumes to meet regional consumer demand and leverage rail services to the Midwest US market.
The US$104 million investment will begin later this year. The first 76,890m² are expected to be completed in 2023 and the remaining 52,609m² by the beginning of 2025.
To further support the expansion, APM Terminals will purchase two new super post-panamax ship-to-shore gantry cranes and related support equipment for crane operations which will complement the current four gantry cranes.
In 2020, the berth was extended to allow two 8,000 TEU vessels alongside.
At the same time, the US Army Corps of Engineers is currently sinking the Mobile Harbor canal to reach 15 metres by the end of 2024.
“Supply chain leaders are looking to expand their routing options in 2022 to add more flexibility and fulfillment speed to serve consumer demand,” said Brian Harold, managing director of APM Terminals Mobile, who added, “We’re working with customers to deliver high port productivity, more port space and more inland logistics connectivity to address the market demand.”
