VIDEO: Modernising Mobile’s historic cargo pier

Funded in part by a US$100 million federal investment, the Pier B South rebuild will transform the ageing structure into a high-capacity berth designed to meet the needs of the state’s expanding 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 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.”

READ MORE: Port of Mobile expands container capacity

The rebuilt facility will feature 1,500 linear feet of modern dock structure engineered for 1,500 pounds per square foot and equipped to accommodate mobile harbour cranes and advanced cargo-handling equipment. It will also be rail-served, shore-power capable and fully integrated with the port’s broader general cargo complex. RJ Baggett Construction is overseeing the three-year construction timeline.

The Pier B South effort is the first phase of the port’s General Cargo Modernisation Program, which includes warehouse expansions, a harbour optimisation study with the US Army Corps of Engineers, and a long-term infrastructure strategy to enhance intermodal connectivity and support Alabama manufacturers.