MOUNT VERNON, Ind. (April 10, 2020) –The Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon recently completed a $2 million capital improvement project geared toward attracting more cargo to the southwest Indiana port. The 40-year-old general cargo terminal facility has a new concrete floor and an overhead gantry crane, making the terminal an asset for generations.

The electric-powered crane spans 75 feet and has a 60-ton lifting capacity with twin, 30-ton hoists. It is used to load and unload general cargo between barge, rail, truck and warehouse. The new 53,000 square-foot transit shed floor can sustain load-bearing capacity to accommodate the maximum weights of any general cargo.

“We planned the capital improvement projects around a key component of our targeted marketing strategy to attract a steel-related facility to the Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon’s 544-acre megasite,” said Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon Port Director Phil Wilzbacher. “The overhead gantry crane is well-suited to handle steel coils. The concrete floor brings the original facility to a nearly like-new condition.”

The port offers existing infrastructure to efficiently handle both general cargo and bulk commodities by barge, rail and truck modes. Currently, port officials are working with multiple companies to direct steel barges to Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon.

“Our terminal updates will also help enhance the Mount Vernon port’s capabilities in handling container-on-barge shipments,” said Wilzbacher. “We are looking forward to new opportunities for our current and future companies.”

The new overhead crane was manufactured near Milwaukee, WI., by Zenar Corporation and assembled by a Mount Vernon-based company, TMI Mechanical Contractors. The crane will be operated by Consolidated Terminal and Logistics Company (CTLC), a long-time port company and general cargo terminal operator. Rivertown Construction, a southwest Indiana company, installed the transit shed floor in early 2019.

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About the Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon: Opened in 1976 and operated by Ports of Indiana, a statewide port authority managing three ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan. Established in 1961, the Ports of Indiana is a self-funded enterprise dedicated to growing Indiana’s economy by developing and maintaining a world-class port system. Information: portsofindiana.com. Follow us on Twitter: @PortsofIndiana.

Media Contact: Alicia Thomas athomas@portsofindiana.com