A $129 million U.S. Navy project has arrived at the Port of Mobile, bringing what officials say is a three-year infusion of jobs and economic activity that could open the door to additional Navy work in the future. Last week, APTIM Federal Services LLC delivered a Surface Ship Support Barge to the port for a dismantlement and disposal project, set to take place at the 425-acre Alabama Shipyard facility on Pinto Island.
“The SSSB brings with it an exciting opportunity for the city of Mobile’s economy by paving the way for tremendous job growth now and through future work in the dismantlement of Navy ships with highly-skilled personnel,” Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson said.
Before arriving in Mobile, the barge had been in the Navy’s possession at the Newport News Shipyard in Virginia. APTIM took possession of the vessel in the James River, where it was moved into dry dock and prepared for a dry tow. From there, the barge made its way to Mobile over a 13-day journey down the East Coast and around into the Gulf of Mexico.
The SSSB is a radiologically controlled dockside refueling facility that was converted from a Navy tanker. Officials say the disposal project will rely on local hiring and training, local materials and supplies, and local trucking and hotel services, while also making use of shipyard, port and rail infrastructure and recycling non-impacted steel from the vessel.
Alan Weakley, president of the APTIM business unit overseeing the disposal, said the project marks a significant step in the Naval Sea Systems Command’s broader effort to safely and cost-effectively reduce the number of inactive nuclear reactors in both vessels and shore facilities.
“APTIM is proud of our contribution to safely and efficiently dispose of this once strategic asset. We are also proud of our partnership with Alabama Shipyard and their impressive safety record,” Weakley said. “APTIM has been a part of the fabric of Mobile for many years with our Port Modernization team headquartered in Mobile, and our support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District. We are excited to strengthen our ties to Mobile and safely dispose of the SSSB.”
The barge’s arrival comes amid a broader surge of Navy-related shipbuilding activity in the Mobile area. Austal USA recently held a christening ceremony for the future USS Canberra, an Independence-variant littoral combat ship and the second U.S. Navy vessel named after the Australian capital, with a representative of the Australian government in attendance. Canberra is the 15th of 19 small surface combatants Austal USA is building for the Navy, with five more currently under construction and a sixth awaiting the start of work. The company is also building two Expeditionary Fast Transport ships for the Navy, with a third on contract awaiting construction, and recently broke ground on a new steel manufacturing line to expand its capacity to meet growing Navy and Coast Guard demand for steel-hulled vessels.
Beyond the shipbuilding sector, Baldwin County continues to see strong industrial and commercial growth. The I-10 Gulf Coast Logistics Center in Loxley recently welcomed its first phase, a facility built for Imperial Dade at the Class-A industrial park. “Baldwin County continues to see high demand for new industrial and warehousing space,” said Lee Lawson, president and CEO of the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance. Developed and owned by I-10/Gulf Coast Logistics Center LLC, the site offers convenient access to Gulf Coast markets, including the Port of Mobile, and officials are now marketing a second phase featuring 250,000 square feet across two additional buildings capable of accommodating tenants as small as 20,000 square feet. The logistics center sits just south of the $100 million, 564,000-square-foot ALDI regional headquarters and distribution center, another sign of the growing industrial footprint along the I-10 corridor.
Health care investment is also expanding in the area. A new 79,000-square-foot medical facility, designed with a neoclassical Greek architectural style honoring the Malbis community’s Greek heritage, will bring additional physician practices and specialized clinics to the region. “We are excited to continue growing along with Baldwin County,” said Infirmary Health President and CEO Mark Nix. “This new facility will offer residents of Daphne, Spanish Fort, Malbis and neighboring communities convenient access to a variety of physician practices and specialized medical clinics.” Later in the year, Infirmary Therapy Services, Oncology Infusion and Infirmary Surgical Specialists are expected to open in the new space.
On the entrepreneurial side, the Portal Fund, which invests in early-stage local companies developing high-growth business models, made two investments totaling $75,000 in its inaugural 2020 round, backing Mobile-based ventures Barkd and Deuce Drone — a sign that the region’s economic momentum extends beyond large industrial and shipbuilding projects into its startup community as well.