Ports of Indiana has launched a new business venture called Indiana River & Rail Terminals, the largest general cargo operation on the Ohio River. The business will manage all the general cargo facilities at the Jeffersonville and Mount Vernon ports, including six docks, six warehouses, multiple rail transload facilities, and logistics services for more than 40 existing customers within the ports’ 2,200 acres of land.
Operating in the greater Louisville and Evansville metropolitan areas, the new business will serve the busiest inland port in the U.S. – the Southern Indiana Port District – which ships 27.7 million tons of cargo via barge annually. According to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers data, this total ranks as the country’s 22nd largest port and is approximately 60 percent more than any other inland port.
The new venture is a partnership with general cargo stevedore Superior River Terminals Indiana (SRTI), which has operated separate Jeffersonville and Mount Vernon facilities for multiple years. The new agreement expands the existing operations and brings multiple barge, rail and warehouse facilities at two ports under one operator.
“We’re excited to launch Indiana River & Rail Terminals because it expands the general cargo operations at our Ohio River ports under one brand and creates new services for our customers,” said Jody Peacock, CEO for Ports of Indiana. “Indiana River & Rail immediately becomes one of the most important general cargo operations on the Ohio River by serving the greater Louisville and Evansville metro areas as well as one of the Midwest’s busiest manufacturing, agriculture and energy regions.”
The general cargo facilities at the two ports include 20 acres of land next to the Ohio River, six barge docks, 260,000 square feet of indoor storage, 10 acres of outdoor laydown area, two river craneways with 60-ton and 35-ton overhead cranes, connections to multiple Class I railroads, Foreign-Trade Zones, and 1,000 acres of shovel-ready industrial sites.
In addition, Ports of Indiana is building two new rail yards and adding a $3 million heavy-lift crane arriving in 2025 to support the venture. The terminals have storage and fleeting capacity for 300 railcars and 500 barges, and handling capabilities for steel coils, slabs, steel plates, wire rod, containers, automotive components, supersacks and project cargo.
“Partnering with Ports of Indiana on this venture allows us to build upon our recent success and increase cargo shipments,” said Jonathan Lamb, president of SRTI. “These two Ohio River ports are dynamic facilities with tremendous potential for future growth, and we’re thrilled to work with Ports of Indiana to expand operations and provide additional logistics services and economic prosperity to the region.”
Indiana River & Rail Terminals will operate all general cargo facilities at Indiana’s two Ohio River ports under the same corporate structure, creating pricing and operational synergies for port customers. SRTI and Ports of Indiana will share in the facilities’ investment, operating costs, and marketing, including the website www.IndianaRiverandRail.com. The facilities are now open for business at the Jeffersonville and Mount Vernon ports.
(Photo from Ports of Indiana)
