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Why Some Want to Widen the Shipping Channel

46 views · Published 15 February 2014 · 1:58 · Indexed 6 October 2026

Channel: NBC 15 · 2014 · News & Politics

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MOBILE, Ala (WPMI) Several times a week a traffic jam of sorts happens at the mouth of Mobile Bay. At times, vessels wait for hours to enter the shipping channel as a another ship leaves. We sort of bottle neck down here, said Alabama Port Authority Director and CEO Jimmy Lyons. ‚“We‚„re getting more and more larger ships here, that's just the way the industry is going. Some of those ships are 150 feet wide, but with only a 400 foot shipping channel, that means there's not enough space for two large ships to pass at the same time. There's no margin there, said Lyons. But sitting idle costs a lot of money.  To help, the port wants to expand the channel to 550 feet, which would allow bigger ships to get in and out at the same time. It take us into the next level of container ships, said Lyons. And at the same time  grow Mobile's port, which currently the 12th largest  in the nation. I'd like to see it go to #4 or 5, said Sen. Richard Shelby (R) - Alabama.  Monday, Senate and House Appropriations Committee leaders filed the Fiscal Year 2014 Government Funding Bill.  It includes funding to study the widening project, a must before work may begin. Shelby serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Tuesday, he talked about the importance of the project. It has the potential for thousands of jobs if we do this and do it right. We certainly have the potential to continue to grow, said Lyons. Lyons says the study is already underway.  The project itself would cost $15 million. Lyons expects work to start next year.

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