A BIG Christmas came early for the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority.
Missouri U.S. Senator Roy Blunt and U.S. Representative Jason Smith announced in early December the SEMO Port will receive a $19.8 million dollar grant through the United State Department of Transportation. The grant is part of the BUILD program which stands for better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development. The money will be coupled with some additional funding to finish the loop track terminal.
What is a loop track? It is the infrastructure necessary to provide the most efficient loading and unloading of a unit train. What is a unit train? It is an entire train of one product. Instead of one or two carloads, a unit train is usually 100 plus railcars containing one product. It is the most cost effective way to ship by rail - avoiding switching, loading, and unloading of individual cars.
As Senator Blunt said, “The SEMO Port plays a critical role in our state’s economy, especially when it comes to moving our Ag products to market. This project will help ensure the Port is able to continue building upon the steady growth they’ve achieved over the years.”
The Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority is a major player in our local economy. More than 1.6 million tons of products are handled at the Port. If you haven’t been there lately, it is well worth the drive.
