About Us
The Florence Harbor was formed in the 1950’s when a portion of the Florence Canal was cut off during the construction of an approach to the new Wilson Lock. The harbor is approximately 3000 feet long and caries from 300 to 500 feet in width. The Alabama State Docks owned property and facilities adjoining the harbor, leasing grain storage and trans-loading infrastructure to the Lauderdale County Cooperative, retaining a sheet pile dock for public general cargo movements, and leasing most of the remaining property to a private sector operator, Hill’s Marine, for general cargo and scrap metal operations. TVA controlled land on Patton Island which was used for coal trans-loading. The Florence-Lauderdale County Port Authority (FLCPA) was chartered in July 1981 by the City of Florence and Lauderdale County in accordance with the Alabama State Code Article 11, Chapter 94. The Alabama State Docks then transferred ownership of its property and facilities in Florence to the FLCPA. Since that time, the Florence Lauderdale Port Authority has continued to thrive and grow. The port currently provides five different companies with lease holds for their river related operations including; AMCOR, Woodall Grain, McDaniel Marine Service, TVT \ James Marine, and Tennessee Southern Railroad.
A few milestone accomplishments of the FLCPA include:
· Working to obtain federal funding for a study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in 1982 to enlarge the navigable area in the harbor by blasting and dredging rock which impeded navigation access in approximately half of the harbor;
· Acquiring land facilities from Alabama State Docks in 1984 to provide a base for operations;
· Completing the “Florence-Lauderdale County River Port Revitalization Study”in 1984;
· Constructing an overhead bridge crane to improve efficiency for general cargo handling;
· Negotiating a long-term lease with TVA for sole use and development of Patton Island;
· Working to obtain authorization and funding for dredging the harbor and raising the causeway to improve multi-modal access to both sides of the harbor;
· Entering into an agreement with Tennessee Southern Railroad to provide stevedore services in the harbor area, strengthening the rail link with regional markets; and
· Moving aluminum T-bars and ingots through the Port, thereby assisting Wise Aluminum in employing over 2000 workers in the Shoal area;
· Obtaining federal HUD funding to develop the FLCPA Master Development Plan in 2004.
· Acquiring land facilities from Alabama State Docks in 1984 to provide a base for operations;
· Completing the “Florence-Lauderdale County River Port Revitalization Study”in 1984;
· Constructing an overhead bridge crane to improve efficiency for general cargo handling;
· Negotiating a long-term lease with TVA for sole use and development of Patton Island;
· Working to obtain authorization and funding for dredging the harbor and raising the causeway to improve multi-modal access to both sides of the harbor;
· Entering into an agreement with Tennessee Southern Railroad to provide stevedore services in the harbor area, strengthening the rail link with regional markets; and
· Moving aluminum T-bars and ingots through the Port, thereby assisting Wise Aluminum in employing over 2000 workers in the Shoal area;
· Obtaining federal HUD funding to develop the FLCPA Master Development Plan in 2004.