The Alabama Port Authority, in partnership with CSX, today broke ground on the Montgomery Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF), a state-of-the-art facility that will enhance freight mobility and stimulate economic growth throughout the region.

Located on a 272-acre site with direct access to Interstate 85 and U.S. Highway 31, the Montgomery ICTF has a throughput capacity equal to 30,000 shipping containers and will provide seamless rail and truck connectivity between central Alabama and the Port of Mobile.

“The Montgomery ICTF is a game-changer for freight movement in Alabama and beyond,” said John Driscoll, Director and CEO of the Alabama Port Authority. “This facility will provide businesses with seamless access to global markets, driving economic growth and strengthening our state’s supply chain infrastructure.”

CSX, a key partner in the $94 million project, will serve the facility, ensuring efficient rail connectivity between the Port of Mobile and inland markets.

“This project is a significant step forward in advancing Alabama’s supply chain connectivity and economic growth,” said Christina Bottomley, CSX Vice President of Business Development & Real Estate.

“This inland port will transform how freight is moved across the state — shifting more goods from congested highways onto the sustainable, efficient rail network that CSX operates,” she added.

Since the Port announced the ICTF project in 2022, the area surrounding the facility has attracted over $3 billion in economic development investments from private companies, further solidifying Montgomery’s position as a key logistics hub.

“Whether it’s boosting freight transportation, fostering economic development, or connecting key industries in the state, the Port of Mobile — or as I like to call it, the ‘Port of Alabama’ — means big business,” Governor Kay Ivey said. “With this expansion of the Port to a more central area of our state, we will strengthen Alabama’s freight connectivity with a larger, less congested reach.”

Governor Ivey added that she is working with the Port Authority, CSX, and other industry leaders to ensure our Alabama-made and Alabama-sourced goods have the opportunity to reach all of the state’s 67 counties.

The Montgomery ICTF is expected to be operational by 2027 and will provide critical intermodal services that enhance Alabama’s competitive advantage in global trade.

The facility will operate five days a week, offering express daily service from the Port in Mobile to Alabama’s automotive and manufacturing hub in Montgomery. Additionally, this facility will relieve stress on the interstate system as the Port sees additional cargo volume following the deepening of Mobile Harbor.

“By enhancing connectivity between the Port of Mobile and inland shippers, this logistics facility will open doors for job creation and new opportunities across multiple industries in Montgomery and beyond,” said Ellen McNair, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.

“This project really demonstrates the power of strategic partnerships and having spent much of my career at the Montgomery Chamber, I know that this facility will generate economic momentum in the region for years to come,” she added.

Montgomery officials said the project will have a massive economic impact on the region.

“With the rapid growth of our industrial sector, Montgomery is emerging as a premier logistics hub for the Southeast — centered around the transformative Montgomery Intermodal Container Transfer Facility,” said Anna Buckalew, President & CEO of the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce. “This investment is already fueling billions in economic development, strengthening our supply chains, and creating new opportunities for businesses to thrive.

“Strategic public-private partnerships like this are reshaping our region’s future, making Montgomery a critical gateway for global commerce,” she added. “The leadership of the Alabama Port Authority has been invaluable in this effort, and we are proud of our partnership with this engine driving growth across the state.”

The project is funded through federal appropriations secured by former U.S. Senator Richard Shelby.

Courtesy of the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. 

INDIANAPOLIS — Alabama’s Malachi Moore wasn’t shy about his respect for former college teammate Brian Branch and the rest of his fellow “Bama Boys” playing for the Detroit Lions.

Speaking to reporters Thursday morning, the 23-year-old defensive back pulled back the curtain on the bond he formed with Branch and Terrion Arnold, both of whom he stays in weekly contact with.

The two Lions defenders have been instrumental in Moore’s preparation for this year’s combine, sharing insight and experiences while also comparing and contrasting the differences between the college and NFL games.

While Moore has yet to meet with the Lions in Indianapolis, Detroit could be in the market for safety depth in this year’s draft. The Alabama defender shared he would embrace the chance to reunite with his “brothers” in Detroit’s secondary.

“It would be great to play with my guys Terrion and BB on the defensive side of the ball. We already had that great chemistry, and we come from the same lineage in college football, playing under Coach Saban,” Moore said. “So, all of us are like-minded, and we’re still brothers to this day. Like I said, our relationship is great.”

Moore said he and Branch are like “two peas in a pod,” having entered Alabama together as freshmen in 2020.

Attached at the hip since then, Moore said both players share a similar mindset, refusing to limit themselves in terms of what they can contribute to a team anywhere in the secondary.

“Whatever the team needs me to do — if you need me to be deep in the post or in the deep part of the field, I can do that. If you need me to come down, fill the box, and play the run, I can do that as well,” Moore said. “If you need me to cover down on the slot or cover speed at three, I’m comfortable doing that as well.

“I think that just comes from my experience. When I first came into school, I was a star for the first four years, and now I’ve moved to safety. So, I feel like I have an advantage in being versatile while also being comfortable doing new things. This year was my first year playing safety, and I feel like it was the best year I’ve had in college.”

Despite taking pride in his versatility, Moore said he’s at his best in man coverage, where he can utilize the instincts he developed playing star — a hybrid defensive role — in previous seasons.

That experience, he believes, sets him apart from the other safeties in this draft class when it comes to guarding opposing receivers.

“Freshman year, I was guarding Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith every day at practice, and I don’t think there are a lot of guys better than those two out there,” Moore said. “So, Alabama definitely prepared me for that.”

Another player Moore lined up against daily in practice at Alabama: Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams.

“Jamo — he’s got a different type of speed, and you see that, but seeing it every day at practice is a little different,” Moore said. “You definitely get acclimated and used to guarding people that fast, and when you get to the game and guys aren’t that fast, it makes things easier.”

Moore’s wealth of experience in multiple roles for the Crimson Tide led to him earning first-team All-SEC honors in his final season at Alabama. He recorded 70 tackles (40 solo), eight passes defended, two interceptions, two forced fumbles (one recovered), and one sack.

Modeling his game after Jessie Bates III, Derwin James Jr., and even Branch — whom he considers his NFL comparison — Moore said he studies different players.

“(Me and Branch) were just on the phone the other day, talking about life and football, and I always ask him about little techniques that he uses or what he’s picked up in the league that’s different from college,” Moore said. “He’s always giving me little gems—definitely about man-to-man coverage, the slot, and just his physicality.”

But what about when it comes to his own playing style?

“I’m an aggressive, instinctive player. I’m a player who really takes pride in my preparation, which allows me to go out there and play fast,” Moore said. “But I’m also a great communicator. Coming into Coach Saban’s defense, especially playing star, you’re almost the quarterback of the defense, so to speak.

“So, I’m very used to talking, being loud, and communicating. And even when I moved back to safety this year, my communication was, I would say, even better.”