Helena Harbor Construction

Sunny skies have helped with keeping construction on schedule for a new container storage yard at Helena Harbor, an emerging 4,000-acre industrial park and slackwater harbor one hour south of Memphis, Tenn., on the Mississippi River at Helena, Ark.

The storage yard is part of a continuing effort to build needed infrastructure that will enhance the ability of Helena Harbor to serve current businesses and attract new ones, according to John C. Edwards, economic development director of Helena Harbor. 

The purpose of the yard will be to store freight containers.  Helena Harbor is developing the site to enable Envirotech and other regional businesses to utilize container-on-barge shipping from the Helena Harbor site.  Helena Harbor was designated as a part of the Marine Highway System by the U.S. Maritime Administration in 2021.  

Edwards said in a January 11 press release, “We have a great deal of work ahead, and this storage yard is just one example of the strong progress we are making in building the infrastructure needed to support new businesses.”

Funding for the construction was provided in large part by the Arkansas Waterways Commission.  Helena Harbor board chairman Leroy Carter praised the work of the commission and said, “The Arkansas Waterways Commission is always an advocate we can count on to support us improving river transportation.”