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'''Birmingport''' (or '''Port Birmingham''') is a river port and rail terminal located on the [[Locust Fork]] of the [[Black Warrior River]] in northwestern [[Jefferson County]] on [[Alabama Highway 269]] ([[Birmingport Road]]) south of [[Quinton]].
[[File:1920 Port Birmingham opening.jpg|right|thumb|450px|Scene at the opening of Port Birmingham in 1920]]
[[File:Birmingport.jpg|right|thumb|225px|View of a barge at Birmingport by Joe Songer for Al.com ([http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2017/08/port_birmingham.html link])]]
'''Birmingport''' (or '''Port Birmingham''') is a river port and rail terminal located on the [[Locust Fork]] of the [[Black Warrior River]] in northwestern [[Jefferson County]] on [[Alabama Highway 269]] ([[Birmingport Road]]) south of [[Quinton]]. The 184-acre rail port facility is owned and operated by [[Watco Alabama Port Services]]. Port workers are represented by [[Laborers' Union Local No. 559]].


The port was developed in [[1920]] by the [[Port of Birmingham Company]], with offices in the [[Jefferson Bank Building]]. It was created in conjunction with the development of the [[Warrior River Barge Line]], which permitted barge traffic from [[Birmingham]] to reach Mobile and New Orleans.  
The port was developed in [[1920]] by the [[Port of Birmingham Company]], with offices in the [[Jefferson Bank Building]]. It was created in conjunction with the development of the [[Warrior River Barge Line]], which permitted barge traffic from [[Birmingham]] to reach Mobile and New Orleans.  


Port activity stretches for about two miles along the banks of Locust Fork, primarily serving the steel and road construction industries with raw materials shipped north from Mobile by barge. The port's primary export is coal from the [[Oak Grove Mine]]. Rail access to the port is by the former [[Barge Line Railroad]], now part of the [[Birmingham Southern Railroad]] operated by [[Transtar]] (which was spun off of [[USX]]).
Port activity stretches for about two miles along the banks of Locust Fork, primarily serving the steel and road construction industries with raw materials shipped north from Mobile by barge. The port's primary export is coal from the [[Oak Grove Mine]]. Rail access to the port is by the former [[Barge Line Railroad]], now part of the [[Birmingham Terminal Railway]], formerly known as the [[Birmingham Southern Railroad]], operated by Watco


In [[1977]], with modernization of the [[Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway]] nearing completion, a master plan for the port was commissioned by the [[Birmingham Regional Planning Commission]] from Allen and Hoshall of Memphis, Tenneessee. The report found that little new demand would be placed on the existing private operations at Birmingport unless major investments were made to develop riverfront industrial sites. The plan recommended development of a 1,250+ acre riverside industrial park with a public terminal.
In [[1977]], with modernization of the [[Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway]] nearing completion, a master plan for the port was commissioned by the [[Birmingham Regional Planning Commission]] from Allen and Hoshall of Memphis, Tenneessee. The report found that little new demand would be placed on the existing private operations at Birmingport unless major investments were made to develop riverfront industrial sites. The plan recommended development of a 1,250+ acre riverside industrial park with a public terminal.
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When asked for an update in [[1989]], a smaller industrial park and port terminal were recommended, but existing private operators were still seen as capable of filling immediate demand.
When asked for an update in [[1989]], a smaller industrial park and port terminal were recommended, but existing private operators were still seen as capable of filling immediate demand.


In [[2010]] the city of Birmingham hired AECOM to create a new study of the feasibility of using federal funds to expand and promote the use of facilities at Birmingport  
In [[2010]] the city of Birmingham hired AECOM to create a new study of the feasibility of using federal funds to expand and promote the use of facilities at Birmingport. The [[Birmingham-Jefferson County Port Authority]] was created in August [[2016]] to lobby for development of the port and market its use. The authority contracted much of its lobbying work, including operating procedures and feasibility studies, to [[Strada Professional Services]].
 
In [[2024]] port officials worked with the City of Birmingham to apply for a $21 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021, granted through the U.S. Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program. The funds would be used to rebuild a dock wall and replace two cranes.


==Operators==
==Operators==
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==References==
==References==
* "[http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/u?/p4017coll8,3443 Birmingport Ready to Handle Warrior Freight]" (January 1920) ''Birmingham'' magazine. Vol. 1, No. 6 - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
* "[http://bplonline.cdmhost.com/u?/p4017coll8,3443 Birmingport Ready to Handle Warrior Freight]" (January 1920) ''Birmingham'' magazine. Vol. 1, No. 6 - via {{BPLDC}}
* "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uSUsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=D8cEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3332%2C1541975 Waterfront Industrial Park Suggested for Warrior River]" (March 4, 1977) ''Florence Times-Daily''
* "[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uSUsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=D8cEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3332%2C1541975 Waterfront Industrial Park Suggested for Warrior River]" (March 4, 1977) ''Florence Times-Daily''
* Nicholson, Gilbert (October 1, 1999) "Birmingport is best-kept secret." ''Birmingham Business Journal''
* Nicholson, Gilbert (October 1, 1999) "Birmingport is best-kept secret." {{BBJ}}
* Nicholson, Gilbert (October 1, 1999) "Birmingport: Will it die when coal runs out?" ''Birmingham Business Journal''
* Nicholson, Gilbert (October 1, 1999) "Birmingport: Will it die when coal runs out?" {{BBJ}}
* Bryant, Joseph D. (December 28, 2010) "Birmingham to pay $75,000 to study port possibilities." ''Birmingham News''
* Bryant, Joseph D. (December 28, 2010) "Birmingham to pay $75,000 to study port possibilities." {{BN}}
* "Watco Transporation Services unit buying Birmingham Southern Railroad." (December 2, 2011) {{BN}}
* Edgemon, Erin (August 3, 2017) "Port Birmingham: Plans underway to expand gateway to world trade." {{BN}}
* Gaddy, Daniel (March 5, 2024) "Birmingham Council Backs Application for $21 Million to Improve Port Birmingham." {{BWatch}}


==External link==
==External link==
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[[Category:Birmingport|*]]
[[Category:Birmingport|*]]
[[Category:1920 establishments]]
[[Category:1920 establishments]]
[[Category:Jefferson County communities]]
[[Category:Locust Fork]]
[[Category:Alabama State Highway 269]]

Latest revision as of 10:04, 8 March 2024

Scene at the opening of Port Birmingham in 1920
View of a barge at Birmingport by Joe Songer for Al.com (link)

Birmingport (or Port Birmingham) is a river port and rail terminal located on the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River in northwestern Jefferson County on Alabama Highway 269 (Birmingport Road) south of Quinton. The 184-acre rail port facility is owned and operated by Watco Alabama Port Services. Port workers are represented by Laborers' Union Local No. 559.

The port was developed in 1920 by the Port of Birmingham Company, with offices in the Jefferson Bank Building. It was created in conjunction with the development of the Warrior River Barge Line, which permitted barge traffic from Birmingham to reach Mobile and New Orleans.

Port activity stretches for about two miles along the banks of Locust Fork, primarily serving the steel and road construction industries with raw materials shipped north from Mobile by barge. The port's primary export is coal from the Oak Grove Mine. Rail access to the port is by the former Barge Line Railroad, now part of the Birmingham Terminal Railway, formerly known as the Birmingham Southern Railroad, operated by Watco

In 1977, with modernization of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway nearing completion, a master plan for the port was commissioned by the Birmingham Regional Planning Commission from Allen and Hoshall of Memphis, Tenneessee. The report found that little new demand would be placed on the existing private operations at Birmingport unless major investments were made to develop riverfront industrial sites. The plan recommended development of a 1,250+ acre riverside industrial park with a public terminal.

Birmingport was annexed into the city of Birmingham in 1986.

When asked for an update in 1989, a smaller industrial park and port terminal were recommended, but existing private operators were still seen as capable of filling immediate demand.

In 2010 the city of Birmingham hired AECOM to create a new study of the feasibility of using federal funds to expand and promote the use of facilities at Birmingport. The Birmingham-Jefferson County Port Authority was created in August 2016 to lobby for development of the port and market its use. The authority contracted much of its lobbying work, including operating procedures and feasibility studies, to Strada Professional Services.

In 2024 port officials worked with the City of Birmingham to apply for a $21 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021, granted through the U.S. Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program. The funds would be used to rebuild a dock wall and replace two cranes.

Operators

References

External link

Locate with
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