The Journal of Commerce last week recognized the Alabama State Port Authority and its partner APM Terminals for productivity achievements.
During the journal’s annual Port Performance North America conference in Newark, New Jersey, the Alabama State Port Authority received Most Improved Port Performance Overall in North America for the 2017-2018 cycle.
Additionally, APM Terminals Mobile came in second overall for Most Improved Terminal in North America.
The awards come as the Port of Mobile continues to grow at an impressive rate, showing that quality and quantity are both going up.
At the conference, Alabama State Port Authority deputy director Rick Clark and Wim Lagaay, president and chief executive officer for APM Terminals, accepted the respective awards.
Since its opening in 2008, Alabama’s container terminal at the Port of Mobile has been recognized for overall containerized cargo growth among North American ports, including fastest growth port in 2016, top-five fastest growth ports in 2017 and fastest growth import port in 2018.
Five container services now call at the Port of Mobile’s APM Terminals. The port handled 245,884 loaded TEU in the first nine months of this year, an incredible 32.7% increase over the same period last year, according to PIERS.
In a statement, Alabama State Port Authority director and CEO James K. “Jimmy” Lyons said, “We’re extremely pleased to see volume and carrier growth at Alabama’s only seaport, and it’s gratifying to be recognized by our industry peers.”
“Our terminal investments, the state’s commitment to harbor modernization, and added ocean carrier services for crucial trade lanes ensure Alabama shippers receive efficient and cost competitive service out of the Port of Mobile,” he added.
Lyons in recent weeks announced that he plans on retiring at the end of 2020.
The Alabama State Port Authority represents the State of Alabama’s public, deep-water terminals serving general cargo, container, over-dimensional and bulk cargoes supporting over 134,600 jobs and $22.4 billion in economic impact to the state.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
