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9/29/2023
The U.S. Maritime Administration recently awarded a $2.2 million grant to the Ports of Indiana for the purchase of a heavy-lift crane at its port in Mount Vernon.
It’s the first federal grant for the Mount Vernon port, Ports of Indiana officials said in a press release. The 120-ton crane will accommodate the handling of new large project cargo and dimensional steel shipments.
Ports of Indiana officials worked with Ohio River steel shippers to identify the need for a heavy-lift crane, which will double the port’s lift capacity, improve safety and help decrease carbon emissions.
"This is an important project that will allow our port to handle new cargoes and create significant public benefits by shipping larger cargoes by water," said Jason May, the Mount Vernon port’s director. "By combining the speed and efficiency of our existing 60-ton dual-lift overhead crane with the heavy-lift capacity and flexible lifting structure of this new crane, we are positioning this port as a critical multimodal hub for steel and general cargo."
The 1,200-acre Mount Vernon facility — which is Indiana’s largest port as measured by acreage and cargo shipments — accesses five Class Is. The port currently is conducting a request for proposals for a general cargo terminal operator and an intra-port rail switcher.
Meanwhile, the Ports of Indiana has released a new study that shows its three ports generate $8.7 billion annually and support more than 49,000 jobs statewide.
The agency commissioned Martin Associates to study the economic activities generated by domestic and international freight moving through the ports in Burns Harbor, Jeffersonville and Mount Vernon, as well as the economic output of port-related companies, wages and taxes.