Indiana

  • The Ports of Indiana is a statewide port authority, established in 1963, which operates three ports: two on the Ohio River, one on Lake Michigan. Port officials refer to the three as “America’s Premier Inland Port System.” They cite location, location, location, providing access via two critical freight arteries – the Great Lakes and the Inland Waterway System and proximity to the world’s most productive industrial and agricultural regions.

     
    Three for the Money
    The Ports is the only statewide port authority in the Midwest. It can develop projects anywhere in Indiana (a possible fourth port is under review, on the Ohio River in Lawrenceburg, about 30 miles west of Cincinnati). The Ports does not receive any local or state tax dollars; 100 percent of port revenue is reinvested in port facilities. Revenue is generated by facility leases and user fees based on shipments through the ports. State economic officials estimate the three ports contribute over $6 billion annually to Indiana’s economy, supporting 50,000 jobs.
     
    Burns Harbor resides on Lake Michigan, 18 miles from Chicago, in the “Steel Capital of North America.” This port supports Great Lakes bulk carriers up to 1,000 feet and ocean vessels capable of transiting Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway locks. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Waterborne Commerce Statistics for 2015 showed the port handling an impressive 7,969,513 tons.
     
    Jeffersonville is on the Ohio River, part of the Louisville, Ky., metro area. Encompassing 1,057 acres, the riverfront spans 3,200 feet. Major cargoes include corn, fertilizer, salt, wire rod, soybeans, steel, liquid asphalt, pig iron and heavy lift. Infrastructure includes docks, rail, utilities, multimodal connections, specialized cargo handling services and expansive storage facilities. It is also home to the largest U.S. inland shipyard operation – Jeffboat.  The USACE put Jeffersonville’s 2015 cargo tonnage at 2,800,000.
     
    Mt. Vernon is one of the country’s largest inland ports, spread out over 1,200 acres with 8,000 feet of riverfront. Sitting just 153 miles from the Ohio/Mississippi confluence, facilities include a 60-ton dual-lift overhead crane fully integrated to transload between barge, rail and truck, public piers equipped for transloading bulk products and heavy lift cargo and a coal terminal with 8 million tons of annual capacity. Importantly, the Port has eight miles of interior rail track provides links to five Class I railroads. It’s no surprise, then, that 6,140,964 tons of cargo rolled through this inland hub 2015.
     
    But, Indiana has other big ports, too. Indiana Harbor, in East Chicago, Ind., for example, is the second ranking harbor in volume among the 55 Great Lakes Federal commercial harbors, according to World Port Source. Indiana Harbor handled 12,354,161 tons in 2015, according to ACE. Just eight nautical miles west of Burns Harbor sits the port of Gary. Gary handled 8,669,252 tons in 2015. All that said; Indiana Harbor and Gary are not part of the Ports of Indiana system.
     
    (Planned) Growth
    In 2017, the three Ports of Indiana handled 11.8 million tons of cargo shipments, the second highest total in the Port’s history. Coal, steel, fertilizer, ethanol and project cargo were key items. The 2017 numbers are an increase of 5 percent over the previous year and 9 percent over the previous 5-year average. The current 5-year average is up 50 percent vs. the previous 5-year average:
    • Average tons/year 2013-2017: 10.8 million tons.
    • Average tons/year 2008-2012: 7.3 million tons.
     
    Port officials are optimistic that they can keep these numbers trending in the right direction. Jody Peacock, Vice President, told Marine News that his team projects continued growth as shipping volumes are closely tied to the Port’s important regional market sectors – agriculture, domestic manufacturing in steel related industries and coal, shipped domestically and internationally for power generation.
     
    Steel gets an especially important focus, particularly at Jeffersonville, with its “steel campus” – 15 steel-related companies serving Midwest auto and appliance industries. In 2015 and 2016, Jeffersonville handled its two highest annual volumes of steel. Last September, this mix of expertise, assets and hard work paid off big. The South Korean steel firm POSCO, the fifth largest steel maker in the world, opened a new $21 million plant, the first phase of a project announced in April 2016. This is POSCO’s only U.S. facility outside of California. The plant will process steel wire for the auto industry and it will serve as a company distribution center. 
     
    “Our Jeffersonville port’s location in the heart of the auto and appliance manufacturing region will be a tremendous strategic advantage for POSCO,” said Rich Cooper, Ports of Indiana CEO. “The company will now have year-round access to the Gulf of Mexico and multimodal options including water, access to multiple Class I railroads and interstate highways,” Cooper said.
     
    It’s important to note that the Indiana Economic Development Corporation did offer POSCO up to $550,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $50,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These incentives are performance-based. The company can claim the incentives as Indiana residents are hired.
     
    Rich Cooper and his team have an active development program for each Port. Major activities are overseen by the Ports of Indiana Commission, a seven-member, bipartisan board appointed by the Governor. Commissioners serve staggered, four-year terms; they approve the Port’s major projects, budgets and strategic objectives.
     
    Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb appointed two new Commissioners last October. Monica Newhouse-Rodriguez is managing principal of a national airport consulting firm which provides airport planning, capital management and development services. Michael Browning is chairman of the board for Browning Investments, the largest developer of industrial distribution facilities in central Indiana. This team knows freight, transport and logistics.
     
    Funding the Future
    One of the most recent, and high profile, developments that will advance critical infrastructure occurred last October when Burns Harbor was awarded a $9.85 million DOT FASTLANE small projects grant, money to complete an extensive series of projects with a total cost of $19.7 million. Projects include a new shipping berth and truck marshalling yard and a new 2.3-acre multimodal cargo terminal for transfers between ships, barges, rail cars and trucks. Dock improvements will yield an additional 1,200 feet of dock space.
     
    The rail improvements are noteworthy. Over four miles of lines will be added to the Port’s 14-mile network. Switching capabilities will be added within the port. Two new rail yards will create storage for 165 railcars and accommodate a 90-car unit train.  Currently, Burns Harbor mainline connections are “challenging,” according to Indiana DOT. The Port wants better connectivity with Norfolk Southern’s mainline, running from northern Ohio to Chicago.
     
    These plans are timely.  Consider that in 1995, 40 percent of grain tonnage was carried in trainload quantities (50+ carloads), compared to 68 percent in 2014.
     
    In 2018, Burns Harbor expansion moves into the design phase. Construction is expected in 2019.  Completion will be “over the next few years,” officials say. This Burns Harbor project is additionally noteworthy because the Jeffersonville Port received a similar DOT grant in 2015. That grant was for $10 million and, again, for multimodal infrastructure – unit train delivery to and from the port, reconfiguring waterfront rail infrastructure to increase operational efficiency and a new intermodal facility. Jeffersonville port officials expect these developments to more than double the capacity of rail to barge transfers. Jeffersonville construction starts this year. Last summer, for example, the Port released a notice seeking qualified bidders for a $5 million bulk terminal project, which also includes 2280 linear feet of railroad track.  Construction is to be finished this year. 
     
    Port officials did not say how they are financing the balance of these projects – $10 million for Burns Harbor and $7 million for Jeffersonville. Public documents don’t say, for example, whether the railroads are partner investors. In 2017, the Ports added “nearly $6 million,” according to CEO Rich Cooper, to the overall nine-year capital improvement program, which now totals “over $58 million,” according to Cooper. 2018 capital improvement dollars were not disclosed. The Ports has added that same sum – about $6 million – each year for the past few years.
     
    The big project in Mount Vernon in 2018 will be upgrading a 70-ton overhead crane that transloads between barges, trains and trucks, connecting shippers to five Class I railroads.
     
    In addition to investments in new and upgraded heavy infrastructure, Port officials are active in correlated investments in new fiber and communications systems, making sure that steel tracks and wireless technologies are connected. Last November, in a joint project with AT&T, Jeffersonville and Mount Vernon were both certified as “AT&T Fiber Ready.”
     
    In noting this new development, Rich Cooper said that Port “customers are making us increasingly aware of the need for fiber not only for high-speed internet connections, but to allow microprocessors and machines to connect and communicate in their manufacturing processes.” Similar work started in Burns Harbor in 2017. In November, the Port solicited bids for installation of approximately 3,500 feet of fiber optic cable and “underground conduit, six handholes, and multiple fiber optic laterals.”
     
    Active at home – and in Washington
    Ports of Indiana officials are active on the national scene, too. Last spring the Ports served as host for a national infrastructure conference, in partnership with the American Association of Port Authorities. The two organizations teamed up for a forum called the “Influencer’s Roundtable.” The topic? discussion of major problems and potential solutions related to under-investments in America’s freight transportation infrastructure.
     
    Maybe sometime in 2018, sooner rather than later, this group of Influencers will get the push they need: a robust federal infrastructure plan to invest big-time in the projects that deliver the goods; literally and figuratively. In the meantime, the Ports of Indiana certainly aren’t sitting on their hands.
     
     
    (As published in the February 2018 edition of Marine News)

  • For Indiana’s state-established, but autonomous Ports of Indiana, 2018 was a record setting year, both for system-wide numbers and among the three individual Ports. These consist of Burns Harbor, on Lake Erie; Jeffersonville, on the Ohio, across from Louisville, KY; and Mount Vernon, also on the Ohio River

  • The Indiana Port Commission recently announced that Hall-Buck Marine, Inc., Burnside, La., has been selected to provide exclusive cargo dock handling services, transit shed storage and transfer services, and other miscellaneous services connected with the operation of the transit shed and adjacent

  • more cargo to one of the nation’s largest inland ports.Situated 153 miles from the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, the Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon connects the Ohio River Valley region’s agriculture, coal and manufacturing industries to the rest of the world via year-round

  • Indianapolis Hosts Third National SeaPerch Challenge   The City of Indianapolis and the Indiana SeaPerch regions were the ideal combination to host the Third National SeaPerch Challenge at the Natatorium on the campus of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) on May 17 – 19, 2013.

  • for farmers, manufacturers, workers and consumers who must have access to the global marketplace.   This spring, an important roundtable was held in Indianapolis during national ‘Infrastructure Week’ where a group of national and Midwest experts discussed the most critical issues facing America’s freight

  • program using underwater robotics, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), will hold its 2013 National SeaPerch Challenge.  Hosted by the Indiana State Regions this annual competition will take place on the campus of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) on Saturday, May

  • Indianapolis to Host 2013 National SeaPerch Challenge In a few weeks, SeaPerch, a national educational outreach program using underwater robotics, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), will hold its 2013 National SeaPerch Challenge. Hosted by the Indiana State Regions this annual competition

  • Motors Corporation. Mr. Kilroy has been director of industrial relations for ACBL since joining the company in 1975. He earlier practiced labor law in Indianapolis and was formerly associated with Teamsters Local 135 and the National Labor Relations Board. Mr. Peters holds a bachelor's degree in business

  • Lakes. The tests took place under the co-sponsorship of Navidyne Corporation of Newport News, Va., and American Steamship Company aboard the M/V Indiana Harbor at its berth in Milwaukee, Wise. Navidyne's ESZ-8000 Satellite Communicator, installed aboard the Indiana Harbor last year, was linked

  • , who provide drydock and other repair services to the barging industry. Jeffboat plans to seek funds for employee training from the state of Indiana. In addition, the company will ask the Campaign for Greater Louisville to assist in the rehabilitation of the facility, where vessels have not

  • in San Francisco, California as Hornblower Marine Services. In 1998, it relocated to the Louisville, Kentucky area, basing its headquarters in New Albany, Indiana, to be more centrally located and closer to the riverboat casino market, a fundamental operation service in the early stages of the company. The company

  • MN Apr-24#8 (17.9B)262K17.7B28.2B67.6B2B Indiana 350 (24)626.6M (2.7B)140K8)
    April 2024 - Marine News page: 8

    1,270 (6)1927.8M (5.3B)134K8.4B15.9B35.4B1.7B Arkansas 1,860 (3)1018.9M (2.4B)71K3.7B7B15.2B452M Illinois 1,100 (8)1970.3M (17.9B)262K17.7B28.2B67.6B2B Indiana 350 (24)626.6M (2.7B)140K8.2B16.4B43.8B2B Iowa 490 (19)38M (1.5B)88K5B9.9B31B349M Kentucky 1,590 (4)1079M (5.2B)158K10.1B18B40B1.9B Louisiana 2,820

  • MN Feb-24#21 commitment is in the Indiana”, an engine “made by)
    February 2024 - Marine News page: 21

    government support. One area that we sel with steel “being made by the United Steelworkers in have seen recent, strong government commitment is in the Indiana”, an engine “made by the United States Electrical, development of marine terminals to support offshore wind Radio and Machine Workers in Pittsburgh”

  • MN Oct-23#44 Alfultis will re- Ports of Indiana has ? lled two key tire)
    October 2023 - Marine News page: 44

    . SUNY Maritime’s New Operations Managers Murdaugh Kruger Alfultis to Retire at Two Ohio River Ports Rear Admiral Michael Alfultis will re- Ports of Indiana has ? lled two key tire in 2024 after nearly a decade as pres- leadership roles at its Ohio River ident of SUNY Maritime College and ports, naming

  • MN Apr-23#43 Power Systems. Ports of Indiana Heil Joins Crowley as)
    April 2023 - Marine News page: 43

    development of ABS as a of Charles Hunsucker to the role of Collins Gard maritime technology leader. president - Kohler Power Systems. Ports of Indiana Heil Joins Crowley as VP Crowley has appointed Clay Heil Names New CEO Ports of Indiana has named Jody as vice president of global govern- Peacock

  • MR Dec-22#28 Barker, Burns Harbor mill in Indiana. There the pellets were)
    December 2022 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 28

    Great Lakes U.S.-crewed, and U.S.-owned Lakers to Cleveland-Cliffs’ and our ? rst new build in 41 years,” said Mark W. Barker, Burns Harbor mill in Indiana. There the pellets were forged president of The Interlake Steamship Company and the ves- into steel plates and shipped to the Wisconsin shipyard

  • MN Nov-22#45 in Burns Harbor mill in Indiana. There the pellets were)
    November 2022 - Marine News page: 45

    Barker, ranks high among most U.S.-crewed, and U.S.-owned Lakers to Cleveland-Cliffs’ noteworthy vessels built in North America in Burns Harbor mill in Indiana. There the pellets were forged recent years. The ? rst U.S.-? agged freighter into steel plates and shipped to the Wisconsin shipyard. T built

  • MN Nov-21#36 being built at the Ports of Indiana-Jeffer- After all, waterways)
    November 2021 - Marine News page: 36

    that exempli? es this pivot point is the barge tage of new opportunities within an expanding economy. shuttle facility being built at the Ports of Indiana-Jeffer- After all, waterways employment pays well, providing a sonville on the Ohio River, just north of Louisville. This lucrative career pathway

  • MN Jul-21#42 . Bozzelle Antoniak Ports of Indiana Leadership Changes BHGI)
    July 2021 - Marine News page: 42

    hired Steve Olmos as executive vice pres- the institution. ident for subsea installations at Harvey Gulf Subsea Solutions. Bozzelle Antoniak Ports of Indiana Leadership Changes BHGI Hires Hamel Ports of Indiana has hired Ben Naval architecture and marine engi- Weithman as the new Ports of Indiana- Mount

  • MR Dec-20#24 is LST 325 in Evansville, Indiana. This is pensive and)
    December 2020 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 24

    who will continue to soldier on. One of should be preserved, but preserving ships is really, really ex- my very favorites is LST 325 in Evansville, Indiana. This is pensive and, while from a historic perspective, it is important the type of vessel that can be (barely) maintained by a local to preserve

  • MR Oct-20#18 study conducted at Indiana University and student)
    October 2020 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 18

    that any one watch”. Together, learning outcomes is a more effective than another. One and objectives give both the instructor study conducted at Indiana University and student a clear indication of why 18 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • October 2020 MR #10 (18-33).indd 18 10/6/2020 8:42:42 A

  • MN May-20#39 ?oor installed by southwest Indiana company Rivertown Con- structi)
    May 2020 - Marine News page: 39

    to load and unload general cargo between barge, rail, truck and warehouse. The new 53,000 square-foot concrete transit shed ?oor installed by southwest Indiana company Rivertown Con- struction in early 2019 can sustain load-bearing capacity to accommodate the maximum weights of any general cargo. Wilzbacher

  • MN May-20#38 Vernon Makes Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon ‘Next Generation’)
    May 2020 - Marine News page: 38

    ech file T Mount Vernon Makes Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon ‘Next Generation’ Terminal Upgrades By Eric Haun recently completed a $2 million capital improvement cargo – more than any other port in the state of Indiana. project aims to attract more cargo to one of the na- Recent upgrades including a new

  • MN Jan-20#25 changes to DUKW boats. Nine Indiana resi- dustry-led voluntary)
    January 2020 - Marine News page: 25

    Carson has sponsored a bill (HR 2799) requiring certain achievement,” meeting all of the requirements for an in- structural changes to DUKW boats. Nine Indiana resi- dustry-led voluntary program. dents died in the Bransom accident. Carson asked NTSB’s But critically, and this is a core concern, Stephens

  • MN Dec-19#53 of General Dynamics from Indiana State University. Gratitude)
    December 2019 - Marine News page: 53

    Those Honored at 2012 Land Medal recipient and for- opment. She earned a BS in education AOTOS Awards mer president of General Dynamics from Indiana State University. Gratitude for the sacri? ces made by NASSCO and Bath Iron Works. the U.S. merchant mariners was the JAXPORT COO Earns

  • MN Mar-19#39 indeed for the Ports of Indiana. operations in the future)
    March 2019 - Marine News page: 39

    safe, ef?cient & budget.” He said all projects will be complete in 2020. If so, sustainable maritime the future is bright indeed for the Ports of Indiana. operations in the future. Take the 2019 MarTID survey Tom Ewing is a freelance writer specializing in on maritime training. energy and environmental

  • MN Mar-19#38 .” – Vanta Coda II, CEO at Indiana Ports port and reconfgure)
    March 2019 - Marine News page: 38

    (DOT’s) FASTLANE and TIGER (grants) that we will be completing. We are reinvesting in the infrastructure that draws traffic.” – Vanta Coda II, CEO at Indiana Ports port and reconfgure waterfront rail infrastructure. It also The new rail yard will have capacity for 93 rail cars and promises to increase

  • MN Mar-19#37 the bedrock of our system in Indiana.” One operational change)
    March 2019 - Marine News page: 37

    it will take time to assess long-term impacts from the tariff uncertainties. Coda said that “agriculture and steel form the bedrock of our system in Indiana.” One operational change at Jefferson- ville is that trucks are now hauling more steel because steel imports are down. Coda expects, however, that

  • MN Mar-19#36 PROFILE Ports of Ports of Indiana: Big Successes, with)
    March 2019 - Marine News page: 36

    INLAND PORT PROFILE Ports of Ports of Indiana: Big Successes, with Big Projects in the Wings By Tom Ewing or Indiana’s state-established, but autonomous Ports more than two million tons of steel, each Port’s largest com- of Indiana, 2018 was a record setting year, both for modity. Mount Vernon, which

  • MN Mar-19#2 . Features Credit: Port of Indiana - Jeffersonville By Domenic)
    March 2019 - Marine News page: 2

    viability of a hydrogen fuel cell ferry designed for operations in the environmentally sensitive San Francisco Bay area. Features Credit: Port of Indiana - Jeffersonville By Domenic Carlucci 36 Ports of Indiana: TOWING COMPANY PROFILE Big Successes, with Big Projects in the Wings By Tom Ewing 32

  • MP Q3-19#48 ........................... 16 Indiana, Ports of .........)
    Jul/Aug 2019 - Maritime Logistics Professional page: 48

    ............................................................................ 14 AGL Silverton Windfarm ................................................ 16 Indiana, Ports of ........................................................... 30 S, T Baltic Dry Index ................................................

  • MP Q3-19#30 time since 2015, before of Indiana, which operates Burns)
    Jul/Aug 2019 - Maritime Logistics Professional page: 30

    Baltic Dry Index Fednav has also struck up a partnership of sorts with the Ports (BDI) reaching over 2,000 for the ? rst time since 2015, before of Indiana, which operates Burns Harbor on Lake Michigan. backing down on renewed trade fears in early August. David Gutheil, Chief Commercial Of? cer, Port

  • MP Q1-19#23 @ Kingsbury, in Kingsbury, Indiana; John Kelsey Busi- Site)
    Jan/Feb 2019 - Maritime Logistics Professional page: 23

    Park Mega Site, in Newberry, South Carolina; Inland Logistics in Florence, South Carolina; and the 2,055-acre I-26 Mega Port @ Kingsbury, in Kingsbury, Indiana; John Kelsey Busi- Site in Newberry, South Carolina. ness and Technology Park, in Greenville, Illinois; Kentucky The South Alabama Mega Site is certifed

  • MT Sep-18#12 called him “the Flemish Indiana Jones.” biggest anchor)
    September 2018 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 12

    his War Beneath the Waves, was published last year. One newspa- Y house in Ostend, on the Belgian coast, stands the per headline called him “the Flemish Indiana Jones.” biggest anchor you’ve ever seen – over 16 feet high, weigh- Termote is a compact, broad-chested man, soft-spoken and ing

  • MN Sep-18#55 Joins Hurtigruten Ports of Indiana names CEO Americas as)
    September 2018 - Marine News page: 55

    Shaffer Charters Farley Stevens Coda Thornton Lamarre Lanier Anttila chitecture and marine engineering Stevens Joins Hurtigruten Ports of Indiana names CEO Americas as VP of Sales Vanta E. Coda II has been named as practice. Teri joins BHGI as a Naval Hurtigruten has appointed Christine