A $4 million federal grant will help the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor convert a vacant gravel yard into a multimodal storage facility.
The grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration will cover construction costs of an 84,000-square-foot warehouse and a 1.65-acre storage pad in the east harbor arm. Public bidding is tentatively set for early 2022 with construction expected to start by spring that year.
Vanta Coda, CEO of the Ports of Indiana, said the project will transform an open space into a needed indoor area to house bulk cargo that comes through the port.
The new project is part of $220 million in grant funding awarded by the Department of Transportation to improve port facilities in 16 states and territories as part of MARAD’s Port Infrastructure Development Program. The Ports of Indiana has received $25 million in grant funding in recent years to make improvements.
“This new project will have a significant impact on the movement of cargo on our port property,” said Ian Hirt, port director of Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor. “It will also help reduce transportation and maintenance costs, environmental impacts and improve transportation safety.”
The Port Infrastructure Development Program’s goal is to improve the country’s facility and freight infrastructure. The program provides planning, operational and capital financing, and project management assistance.
