By D. Ray Tuttle
The Journal Record
Posted: 10:43 PM Tuesday, July 19, 2011
CATOOSA – Activity at the Port of Catoosa could double within as little as seven years following an agreement Tuesday between the port and the Kansas Logistics Park in Newton, Kan., a port official said.
After spending 40 years developing the port, it is time to reach out and make it an outlet with the Plains states, said Bob Portiss, port director.
“I believe we will handle at least 4 million tons in the next six, seven years,” Portiss said.
The port, which carries a fifth of all the traffic on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, handled 2.2 million tons last year, according to port statistics.
The bulk of products coming through the port from the north will be Kansas grain, Portiss said.
“That and durable goods like wind turbines,” he said.
On Monday, Colorado-based New Millennium Wind Energy announced it was building a turbine manufacturing plant at the Kansas Logistics Park in Newton. The plant will employ up to 350 people.
The City of Tulsa-Rogers County Port Authority signed the agreement to create a working alliance with the Kansas Logistics Park Development Authority Inc. of Newton. The signing took place during a ceremony at the Port of Catoosa... FULL ARTICLE
Posted on
Tue, July 19, 2011
by John Cox