Alabama Port Authority Starts Work on Inland Port in Montgomery

Alabama Port Authority and CSX Railroad officially broke ground Thursday on a new inland port in Montgomery, a project designed to speed up freight movement and support local businesses.

The Montgomery Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) will give central Alabama faster access to the Port of Mobile, making it easier for companies to move products in and out of the region.

“This project is a significant step forward in advancing Alabama’s supply chain connectivity and economic growth,” said Christina Bottomley, CSX Vice President of Business Development & Real Estate. “This inland port will transform how freight is moved across the state — shifting more goods from congested highways onto the sustainable, efficient rail network that CSX operates.”

The 272-acre facility will be located along Mobile Highway, close to Interstate 85 and U.S. Highway 31, giving trucks easy access. When complete, it will handle up to 30,000 containers a year.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey called the project an important piece of the state’s economic future.

“Whether it’s boosting freight transportation, fostering economic development, or connecting key industries in the state, the Port of Mobile – or as I like to call it, the ‘Port of Alabama’ – means big business,” Ivey said. “With this expansion of the Port to a more central area of our state, we will strengthen Alabama’s freight connectivity with a larger, less congested reach.”

The ICTF will work like a transfer station, moving containers directly from trains to trucks (or vice versa). That means goods arriving at the Port of Mobile by ship could reach Montgomery’s automotive and manufacturing businesses within hours.

John Driscoll, Director and CEO of the Alabama Port Authority, said the new inland port will help businesses compete in global markets.

“The Montgomery ICTF is a game-changer for freight movement in Alabama and beyond,” Driscoll said. “This facility will provide businesses with seamless access to global markets, driving economic growth and strengthening our state’s supply chain infrastructure.”

Funding for the project came through federal dollars secured by former U.S. Senator Richard Shelby. Since it was announced in 2022, more than $3 billion in private investment has flowed into the area, creating new jobs and business opportunities.

Local leaders say the project is already making a difference.

“With the rapid growth of our industrial sector, Montgomery is emerging as a premier logistics hub for the Southeast—centered around the transformative Montgomery Intermodal Container Transfer Facility,” said Anna Buckalew, President & CEO of the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce.

Officials expect the facility to open b…

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