The Ports of Indiana's Jeffersonville port is set for a transformational upgrade after receiving a $25 million federal BUILD grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the largest federal award in the port authority's 65-year history, according to FreightWaves. The grant will fund a $32 million expansion that more than doubles the facility's general cargo footprint and boosts lift capacity from 35 tons to 300 tons.
Expansion Details
The grant, announced by DOT this week as part of $1.73 billion awarded to 127 projects from over 1,200 applications, supports a major redevelopment of an underutilized area along the Ohio River into a high-volume multimodal terminal. Key infrastructure includes:
- A new 300-ton crane system — increasing lift capacity by more than 800% from the current 35 tons.
- A 6,500-square-foot dock and a 22,000-square-foot warehouse to improve operational efficiency and expand heavy-lift and breakbulk capabilities.
- Doubling of barge-rail transloading capacity, establishing the port's first general cargo facility located outside the floodplain.
| Metric | Current | After Expansion (2028) |
|---|---|---|
| General cargo footprint | Baseline | More than doubled |
| Lift capacity | 35 tons | 300 tons |
| Barge-rail transloading capacity | Baseline | Doubled |
| Crane system | None specified | 300-ton crane |
| Dock space | None specified | 6,500 sq ft |
| Warehouse space | None specified | 22,000 sq ft |
Funding and Context
The $25 million BUILD grant is more than double the previous high for any Indiana port and represents Jeffersonville's largest single infrastructure investment since it opened in 1985, FreightWaves reported. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said in a statement: "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. 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."
Ports of Indiana Chief Executive Jody Peacock added: "This is a transformational project for our Jeffersonville port and the entire Southern Indiana region. 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."
Operational Impact
Jeffersonville is one of three state-run ports operated by Ports of Indiana. The expansion directly addresses capacity constraints by enabling the handling of larger steel and project cargoes, improving storage, and enhancing multimodal connections via river, rail, and truck. For freight forwarders and logistics managers, this means reduced transportation costs for regional industry and improved turnaround times for breakbulk and heavy-lift shipments. The new outside-floodplain general cargo facility also mitigates disruption risks during high-water events.
Timeline and Next Steps
Construction is scheduled for completion in 2028. Shippers and carriers using the Ohio River corridor can expect increased availability of heavy-lift and transloading services as the project progresses. The Ports of Indiana and DOT will oversee the implementation, with further milestones likely announced as construction contracts are awarded.
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