The board of directors of the Alabama Port Authority has given the green light to the construction of an inland container intermodal transfer (ICTF) facility in Montgomery, Alabama through the approval of a US$2.042 million purchase of a site of more than 1.1 million square metres in the city.
The project is expected to extend intermodal rail service from the port authority’s container intermodal terminal at the Port of Mobile in support of Alabama's regional growth in manufacturing, retail, distribution, and agribusiness sectors.
“This project will provide our shippers cost-competitive transportation services to and from one of the nation’s fastest growth containerised cargo gateways,” said John C. Driscoll, director and chief executive officer for the Alabama Port Authority.
When constructed, the intermodal container transfer facility at Montgomery will be serviced by CSX Transportation (CSXT) Intermodal. The project reestablishes regularly scheduled CSXT Intermodal rail service at the Port of Mobile and provides a foundation to expand intermodal services further inland to support CSXT customers. CSXT will contribute up to US$12.5 million toward infrastructure improvements in the facility.
Tom Tisa, head of business development for CSX, who believes that these infrastructure investments will provide CSX with the opportunity to grow its business in the region, said, “This is another great example of how successful partnerships can help foster creative solutions for CSX customers.”
Phase I of the facility is estimated at US$54 million and could take up to two years to construct. The project connects inland Alabama shippers to the seaport’s intermodal container transfer facility at Mobile, which is located adjacent to the marine terminal and is accessible to five national Class 1 railroads.
The project is expected to generate 2,618 direct and indirect jobs, US$340 million in business revenues and over US$14.2 million in state and local taxes.
First conceived in its 2001 Master Plan, the Alabama Port Authority’s container intermodal assets comprise of three interconnected and interrelated elements: a marine container terminal, an intermodal container transfer facility (ICTF) and a logistics park utilising parcels of adjacent land.
Phase I operations at the marine terminal began in late 2008, posting consistent year-over-year growth and completing three expansions adding super post panamax capability, capacity and innovation programmes geared to efficient customer service.
The intermodal rail facility opened in 2016 with intermodal service into Memphis, Chicago, and Canada.
The Alabama Port Authority is also opening proposals today to negotiate a lease development arrangement at its logistics park.
Meanwhile, in the calendar year 2021, the marine terminal posted 21% growth and the container intermodal rail facility posted 136% growth over the previous year.
