ALABAMA STATE DOCKS HANDLES 20.5 MILLION TONS IN FISCAL 2001

ALABAMA STATE DOCKS HANDLES 20.5 MILLION TONS IN FISCAL 2001    The Alabama State Docks said terminals and industries operating on dock property at Mobile handled more than 20.5 million tons in its fiscal year, ended Sept. 30.
   McDuffie terminal, which handles import and export coal topped its 10.2-million-ton record set last year, reporting 12.2 million tons. Adding 1.3 million tons of coal handled at the state docks’ bulk plant brought the total to 13.5 million tons of coal through the docks during fiscal 2001.
   Other cargo included 3 million tons of primarily forest products (2 million) and metals (600,000) at general cargo/intermodal; 2 million tons of various ores at the bulk plant; 2 million tons of grain through an elevator lease to farmer’s grain; and the remaining tonnage in dry and liquid bulks.
   The port is beginning a five-year, $300-million improvement and expansion plan. This expansion was assured when Alabama voters approved a $100-million investment in the port through the issuance of general obligation bonds. The port’s first phase investment of $45 million will include the new warehouse, a second roll on/roll off ramp at North A, container operating equipment, a 60,000-square-foot warehouse expansion at Pier South C, and the paving of a 10-acre site for lay down of metals.
   Docks’ operational costs are funded through port revenues.