Port 33 South expansion sails into operation

Joy Hampton The Claremore Daily Progress Tue May 05, 2009, 11:48 AM CDT

May 5, 2009 — Going south, Johnston’s Port 33 is boldly treading where many private industries would not dare. The established barge terminal located on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System between Catoosa and Inola on the SH 412 corridor has expanded its facility south.

Port 33 Vice President Steve Taylor said waterway professionals who have visited the expansion site have been amazed.

“You don’t see many in the private sector doing expansions like this because it’s so costly,” said Taylor.

The first of four docks planned for the expansion site opened March 1. Each slip will be 160 feet wide and will cut 900 feet inland to give barges plenty of space to load, unload, or dock. At that size, each slip is large enough to allow a barge to be worked independently without getting in the way of another berth.

“We’ve unloaded 20 barges already,” said Taylor.

A single barge holds the equivalent of 60 semi truck loads of cargo. The current south warehouse is leased already and holds 20,000 tons of fertilizer.

Two other prospective customers are expected lease a berth each. Taylor said meetings have been ongoing with interested businesses, including Parfab Industries located a short distance to the east near Inola. Discussions with Parfab include the potential for shipping inbound metals and outbound finished project cargo.

Additional slips will be built as those areas are contracted.

“I expect one more dock this year and the third dock by 2010,” said Taylor.

Construction on the expansion project began in the spring of 2007.

“We would not have these opportunities had we not spent the money to build our infrastructure,” said Taylor. “We have 90 acres for development.”

Taylor said with the original location still in operation, Johnston’s Port 33 is “one of the most efficient built for its type.” He said it was built in 1977 and construction continues as needed, including the current addition of stormwater detention pond. That stormwater storage will help the sizable Port 33 stay in compliance with Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.

Operating on the river, Johnston’s must also comply to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers rules and regulations.

“The Corps of Engineers has been good and helpful to work with on this whole expansion project,” said Taylor.

Johnston Enterprises leased property from Oklahoma’s Port Verdigris 33 in 1980. They built Johnston Barge Terminal at that time. Three years later Johnston bought the facility currently known as Johnston’s Port 33.

Now Port 33 South is open and ready to grow.

Johnston’s has three towboats and runs two at a time with one in dock as a backup. The company also operates Johnston Terminal Muskogee.

The economics of water transportation indicate strong potential for future growth according to Taylor and other industry officials.

One example of those economics in action is the mountain of scrap metal at Port 33. A decrease in demand locally due to a drop in construction and fabrication means the market pays better elsewhere. But that scrap metal is heavy cargo. The low cost of shipping by barge allows businesses to ship the metal to be sold more profitably elsewhere.

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