Pinto Island

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The former Atlantic Marine shipyard, now BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards, on Pinto Island in 2008. Atlantic Marine 01.JPG
The former Atlantic Marine shipyard, now BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards, on Pinto Island in 2008.

Pinto Island is an island in the U.S. state of Alabama, within the city limits of Mobile. [1] Located on the northwestern coast of Mobile Bay, it is bounded on the west by the Mobile River, on the south by Mobile Bay, on the east by the Spanish River, and on the north by Pinto Pass (now partially infilled with dredged material to form a land bridge) and Blakeley Island. It is dedicated to industrial uses, primarily shipbuilding. The BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards was originally the site of the Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company, and most recently Atlantic Marine, which was acquired by BAE in 2010. [2] The Alabama State Port Authority operates a terminal on the southern end of the island for the ThyssenKrupp steel plant upriver in Calvert. [3] Austal USA owns part of this Island chain taking up most of the central part with a stocking shop channel on the west bank. In June 2018 BAE Systems Southeast completed a total shutdown of all facilities on Pinto Island, selling all their land and ship yards to Austal USA, giving Austal USA 51% control of Pinto Island land area from center to South shore.

The island is approximately .75 miles (1.21 km) at its widest and 1.45 miles (2.33 km) at its longest with an average elevation of 10 feet (3.0 m). [1] It, along with downtown and Blakeley Island, forms District Two of Mobile's city council districts. [4]

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Blakeley Island is an island in the U.S. state of Alabama, within the city limits of Mobile. Located on the northwestern coast of Mobile Bay, it is bounded on the west by the Mobile River, on the south by Pinto Island and Mobile Bay, and on the east and north by the Spanish River. Blakeley serves as a vital road connection point between the Bankhead Tunnel, George Wallace Tunnel, and Cochrane–Africatown USA Bridge on its east side and the Battleship Parkway and Jubilee Parkway on its west side. The northern end is largely undeveloped, while the southern end is dedicated to industrial uses, primarily petrochemical storage and shipbuilding. The largest complex is the shipyards of Austal USA. Approximately 1.25 miles (2.01 km) at its widest and 6 miles (9.7 km) at its longest, it has an average elevation of 7 feet (2.1 m). It, along with downtown, forms District Two of Mobile's city council districts.

The Spanish River is a brackish distributary river that forms part of the border between Baldwin and Mobile counties in Alabama. It is approximately 8 miles (13 km) long and is influenced by tides. It begins at the northernmost tip of Blakeley Island, where it diverges from the Mobile River, at 30.772°N 88.0222°W. From there it flows along the eastern edge of Blakeley and Pinto islands, and discharges into Mobile Bay south of Pinto Island, at 30.665°N 88.021°W.

References

  1. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pinto Island
  2. Murtaugh, Dan (July 15, 2011). "BAE Systems bringing shipbuilding back to former ADDSCO yard". Press Register. Retrieved May 8, 2012.
  3. Murtaugh, Dan (5 July 2011). "Pinto Island terminal receives award from port association". Press-Register . Mobile, AL. Archived from the original on 13 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  4. "City Wide Council Districts" (PDF). City of Mobile. Retrieved May 8, 2012.

Coordinates: 30°40′27″N88°1′34″W / 30.67417°N 88.02611°W / 30.67417; -88.02611