ALABAMA LEGISLATURE DELIVERS KEY SUPPORT FOR STATE’S PORT
Governor Signs Budget Granting $20M for Coal Handling Equipment; Incentives Bill.
MOBILE, ALABAMA – June 9, 2023. The conclusion of the 2023 state legislative session marked impressive support for the Alabama Port Authority, with the State allocating $20 million to the McDuffie Coal Terminal and increasing current port incentives to provide greater benefits to businesses. Both were signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey.
Upon signing the budget, Governor Ivey said, “Alabama’s record-setting $3 billion General Fund is generational money which makes possible greater investments in vital public services… This landmark budget is historic for Alabama.”
Alabama Port Authority Director and CEO John C. Driscoll shared the below remarks, thanking the Alabama
State Legislature and Governor Ivey for their substantial support of the State’s Port Authority in the 2023 State
Legislative Session.
This investment in the Port is truly an investment in the entire state, and the infusion of cash means we will
be able to do more, faster to ensure the Alabama Port Authority is the most modern and efficient port. We
have always punched above our weight, reinvesting everything outside of operating costs to continue to
improve our ability to serve all 67 counties in Alabama and beyond.
Our mission is to make Alabama the most globally connected economic engine in the country. In addition
to the generous budget allocation, economic developers statewide will benefit from an increased port
incentives package that is an excellent addition to The Game Plan, the statewide incentives package
passed earlier in the session.
At the Port, our mission is to help Alabama’s economy grow. We’re thankful for the support of legislators,
local officials, and our federal delegation in helping us achieve this goal. But we can’t do it alone. Every day
is a competition with other states and countries to attract high-caliber businesses. This session’s
investments in the Port will help our state compete regionally and globally.
The $20 million investment in McDuffie Coal Terminal will be used to buy coal handling equipment to
improve the efficiency of the terminal – a critical element to exporting Alabama’s metallurgical coal, which is
highly sought after worldwide. In a recent op-ed, Director Driscoll said, “Allocating this funding to the
McDuffie Coal Terminal is a key component to our coal industry’s success, our port’s success, and, ultimately,
Alabama’s success.”
In addition to the direct investment in the Alabama State Port Authority, Representative Chip Brown’s House
Bill 293 will encourage more businesses to choose Alabama ports when building their supply chain. After
signing the bill on Thursday, Governor Ivey said, “As Alabama’s economy continues to grow, our public ports
are valuable assets for businesses seeking to ship their in-demand products through the state. This
legislation, which increases port-use tax credits, will encourage businesses engaged in manufacturing,
warehousing or distribution in the state to increase the volume of the cargo they ship through Alabama’s
public ports. A compliment to Alabama’s successful ‘Game Plan’ economic incentives package, which I
signed into law in April, this legislation will also attract more jobs and investment to our state.”
Director Driscoll also shared, “The Port is proud to deliver lower landed costs to shippers through the
optionality and fluidity we provide. In addition to these operational advantages, the increased incentives for
businesses to use the State’s Port will make Alabama even more competitive in the global market.”
The Alabama Port Authority serves all 67 counties in the state of Alabama and oversees the deep-water public
port facilities at the Port of Mobile. In addition to interstate, air, and rail, the Port Authority’s container, general
cargo, and bulk facilities have immediate access to nearly 15,000 miles of inland waterways. Once the channel
deepening and widening project is completed in 2025, the Port of Mobile will be the deepest container
terminal in the Gulf of Mexico.
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Learn more at www.ALPorts.com and follow us on LinkedIn.
Contact: Maggie Oliver, VP, Communications & Federal Affairs
Alabama Port Authority | 251-441-8130 (o); 251-272-9597 (c) | Maggie.Oliver@ALPorts.com