BUILD Grant To Fund Jeffersonville Port Expansion

Ports of Indiana announced July 7 that it has been awarded a $25 million federal Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant that will support a $32 million expansion of its Jeffersonville port.

The expansion will more than double the port’s general cargo footprint and increase its lift capacity from 35 tons to 300 tons, Ports of Indiana said in a news release. It will double barge-rail transloading capacity and establish the port’s first general cargo facility located outside the floodplain.

Ports of Indiana is a statewide port authority operating two ports on the Ohio River, in Jeffersonville and Mount Vernon, and the Burns Harbor port on Lake Michigan.

The project represents the Jeffersonville port’s largest single infrastructure investment since opening in 1985.

The grant is also the largest federal award in Ports of Indiana’s 65-year history and more than double the previous record for any Indiana port.

“Indiana’s ports are essential to keeping our economy moving, and this $25 million BUILD grant is a major investment in our state’s future,” Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said. “Expanding our Jeffersonville port’s capacity to move cargo by river, rail and truck will create new opportunities for Indiana manufacturers, farmers and businesses while supporting high-quality jobs across Southern Indiana.”

The grant will fund redevelopment of an underutilized area along the Ohio River into a high-volume multimodal terminal, according to the port. The project includes a new 300-ton crane system, a 6,500-square-foot dock and a 22,000-square-foot warehouse designed to improve operational efficiency and expand heavy-lift and breakbulk capabilities.

“This is a transformational project for our Jeffersonville port and the entire southern Indiana region,” Ports of Indiana CEO Jody Peacock said. “We are deeply grateful to the U.S. Department of Transportation for this award, and to our federal, state and local port partners who helped make this project possible. This investment will dramatically increase the port’s capacity to handle larger steel and project cargoes, increase storage and operational efficiencies, lower transportation costs for regional industry and strengthen Jeffersonville’s position as one of the Midwest’s premier multimodal freight hubs for decades to come.”

The expansion is expected to be completed in 2028.

“Strong infrastructure is essential to a strong economy, and this BUILD grant is an important investment in Indiana’s future,” said U.S. Rep. Erin Houchin (R-Ind.). “The improvements at Ports of Indiana-Jeffersonville will increase efficiency, strengthen supply chains and enhance the port’s ability to serve businesses throughout our state and the Midwest. I was proud to advocate for this project and congratulate everyone whose hard work made this achievement possible.

Indiana Sens. Todd Young and Jim Banks also expressed their pleasure at the announcement. Young said the state’s ports are critical to its economy. Banks called the grant award a major win for Indiana.