New turning basin opens harbour to big ships

Alabama's Port of Mobile has welcomed ships into its new turning basin, designed to make it easier for large vessels to call at terminals in the lower part of the harbour, the Shipping Gazette reports.

The first containership to use the new US$32 million turning basin was the 3,280-TEU CMA CGM White Shark when calling at the Mobile Container Terminal.

The turning basin is expected to cut turnaround times from six to three hours because ships will no longer need to steam upriver to come about, said Mobile Container Terminal director Brian Clark, according to an American Shipper report.

"It will allow our carriers to call with larger vessels to the Port of Mobile," he said.

The new 1,175-foot by 715-foot turning basin is in the lower harbour between Pinto Island and Little Sand Island. Owing to the turning basin being located adjacent to the main shipping channel in Mobile, ships longer than 715 feet are able to use it, for example, the CMA CGM White Shark is more than 964 feet long.
(Source:www.transportweekly.com)