Containerised cargo volumes continue to climb at the Port of Mobile in Alabama during September, due in part to cargo shifts into uncongested gateways servicing key North American markets.
Container volume through the port marked its third-highest lift in September delivering a 27% year-to-date increase in volume over the same period last year. At the same time, the refrigerated container sector continued its robust pace in September posting the second-highest volumes in 2021.
Year-to-date reefer cargo at the Port of Mobile has grown by 46.7% compared to the same period in 2020. The Alabama State Port Authority said it is due to the delivery of nearly US$74 million in refrigerated facilities investment at the Port of Mobile to support cold cargo supply chains.
Added vessel calls to support Asia trade, coupled with domestic retail consumption and increasing congestion through traditional west and east coast gateways, contributed to shifts in supply chains as shippers seek both capacity and faster service into Memphis and Chicago via the port’s new container intermodal container transfer facility (ICTF), which continued its upward volume trajectory posting the terminal’s second-highest volume since operations began.
APM Terminals Mobile operates both the marine and intermodal container transfer facility at Mobile.
Furthermore, year-to-date 2021 intermodal rail volume grew 223% compared to the same period in 2020. When comparing 2019 year-to-date growth with 2021, the port’s intermodal rail volume grew by 703%.
