The Port of Mobile has become the deepest container terminal in the Gulf of America following the completion of the Mobile Harbor Modernization Project, reported Saint Petersburg's PortNews.

The Alabama Port Authority marked the milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, celebrating the achievement of a 50-foot (15.24 metres) channel depth. The upgrade has already enabled coal vessels to benefit from the increased capacity.

APM Terminals Mobile, which typically handles 9,000-10,000 TEU vessels, now expects to receive ships carrying up to 16,000 TEU. The improvements also allow two-way vessel traffic and add nearly three miles of passing lane, boosting safety and reducing transit times.

The US$366 million project was a joint effort between the Alabama Port Authority and the US Army Corps of Engineers. Authorised by Congress in 2018 and backed by the 2019 Rebuild Alabama Act, dredging began in 2020 and reached full depth in 2025.

Work continues on the turning basin near the container terminal, with dredged material being used for shoreline restoration at Dauphin Island.

The Alabama Port Authority manages the state's public deep-water port facilities at Mobile, overseeing container, general cargo, and bulk operations. It connects with five Class I railroads, four short-line railroads, and over 15,000 miles of inland waterways.