Port of Mobile’s growth vital to Alabama’s economic development success
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Eye on Politics
Paul DeMarco
It is always great to start a new year with good news. And right here in Alabama that begins with the Port of Mobile, which was just ranked as the second fastest growing port in the nation over the past decade.
The seaport is ranked forty-second in the country by volume, but grew by more than 120% as shipping traffic increased in the Gulf of Mexico.
More business at the port creates more economic opportunities for Alabama companies to both import and export goods. With that growth, state leaders have appropriated more money into the port to attract even more investment to the state.
The new monies put in the development of the port have expanded job creation throughout the state from north to south. The state is already a mecca for auto, aerospace, aviation, and marine manufacturing.
Alabama’s success in recruitment of companies has been bolstered by its strong workforce training and friendly business environment. Add the state having one of the strongest ports in the United States, and it creates even more incentive for businesses to make Alabama home.
There is more to come, as there is on the books a billion dollars worth of improvements over the next 10 years for the port, which will include both construction to widen and deepen the ship channel. After that work is complete, the Port of Mobile will be the most accessible in the Gulf.
All this is good for Alabama, as our state continues to rank as one of the top destinations for new companies to build and expand their footprint from around the world.
Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives and can be found on X, formerly Twitter, at @Paul_DeMarco.