Jeffersonville Port Seeks Terminal Operator
For the first time in more than 40 years, the Ports of Indiana is seeking a terminal operator at its Jeffersonville port.
The port is urging interested operators to respond to a Request for Proposals (RFP). The Ports of Indiana will be looking for a long-term business partner to provide stevedoring and distribution services to existing customers, grow and diversify cargoes, make investments into facility expansions and drive projects creating significant economic benefits for the regional economy, the Ports of Indiana said in a news release.
The winning cargo terminal operator will take over operations on January 1, 2022. The RFP will be released later this quarter and may be requested by emailing RFP@portsofindiana.com.
The port’s general cargo terminal is on 10 acres of land adjacent to the Ohio River. It includes two barge docks, a 131,000-square-foot warehouse, four acres of dock space, outdoor storage areas and a 500-foot covered craneway for all-weather transloading of commodities between barge, rail, truck and warehouse. The facility has operated near-capacity handling steel products for several years. Interested operators will need to provide a business plan that demonstrates initial processes as well as plans for future growth of operations at the general cargo terminal, according to the Ports of Indiana.
“The general cargo terminal operation is a unique opportunity for a stevedoring and logistics company,” Ports of Indiana CEO Vanta E. Coda II said. “With the port’s access to river, rail, highway and world-class infrastructure, there are competitive advantages and cost savings from the start. We look forward to hearing from operators interested in partnering with us to grow their business in our community.”
Ports of Indiana-Jeffersonville is home to 30 companies, of which 15 are steel-related. It handles 2 million tons of general and bulk cargoes each year, including steel, corn, fertilizer and soybeans. More than 1,000 barges, 250,000 trucks and 16,000 railcars pass through the port annually. The port provides direct access to interstates 64, 65 and 70 and multiple rail carriers with on-site local switching.
