BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs has awarded a grant toward a $1.9 million project for a warehouse and other improvements at Watco-served Port Birmingham.
The Birmingham-Jefferson County Port Authority is contributing $1.1 million toward project, which includes a 25,000-square-foot warehouse and improvements to attract other commodities requiring indoor storage. Watco will contribute the remainder. Groundbreaking is expected this quarter with completion later this year.
The port on the Black Warrior River offers five barge docks, 144 railcar spots, and a direct-to-truck barge station. Class I railroads BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, and Norfolk Southern serve the port via Watco’s Birmingham Terminal Railway.
“This project signifies a lot of work between a public and private entity to help develop additional transportation capacity and capability in the central Alabama region,” Watco Vice President K.R. McKenzie said in a press release. “We are excited to partner with the Birmingham-Jefferson County Port Authority.”
I worked for WATCO a few years back and was intrigued by their apparent hunger to provide service to whoever wanted it. When I left they were putting together a true intermodal plan using barges, trucks, and trains for a customer. I had also seen where the company had begun providing rail service to companies who had NEVER used rail. It’s nice to see that their hunger hasn’t diminished.