Ala., CoE sign harbor widening pact

MOBILE, Ala. The Alabama State Port Authority (ASPA) director James K. Lyons and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Mobile District commander Col. Sebastien Joly signed the Mobile Harbor Pre-Construction, Engineering and Design Agreement here on Oct. 2 at the Port Authority’s HQ. The engineering and design phase establish the construction parameters to deepen and widen Alabama’s only deep-water seaport. “This agreement is a critical step toward realizing the port’s ability to accommodate the larger ships serving the world’s major trade lanes, while improving vessel transit efficiencies and safety in our port,” said Lyons. The project will deepen the existing Bar, Bay and River Channels Bar, by 5 feet each to a project depth of 50 feet, with additional depths for wave allowances, advanced maintenance, and allowable over depth for dredging (total depths of 56, 54, and 54 ft., respectively). The project also includes widening the Bay Channel by 100 feet for three nautical miles to accommodate two-way vessel traffic and other safety improvements. Construction on the modifications is expected to begin in late 2020. The harbor project is keeping pace with ongoing terminal investments in Alabama’s seaport. The Port Authority will complete its $50M, Phase 3 container terminal expansion in early 2020 delivering another 20 acres of handling yard and extending the dock to allow simultaneous berth of two Post-Panamax sized ships. The project complements prior investments of $450M in marine and rail container intermodal facilities that include two Super Post-Panamax and two Post-Panamax ship to shore gantry cranes. (Source: The Alabama State Port Authority 10/02/19) http://www.asdd.com/pdf/MobileHarborDesignAgreementSigned_10012019.pdf