Ports of Indiana looking for new ag terminal operator
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The Ports of Indiana has issued a Request for Qualifications as it searches for a new operator of the International Ag Shipping Terminal at the Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor. The facility has been operated by Minnesota-based Cargill since the late 1970s, but the company is relinquishing the facility to the port in June.
The port authority said the Lake Michigan terminal includes 7.2 million bushels of storage facilities. It has the capacity to load 90,000 bushes per hour into an ocean vessel and unload 30,000 bushesl per hour from a unit train.
The Ports of Indiana said it will assume possession of the facility as it looks to find a long-term partner.
“It’s the end of an era and a new beginning for one of the largest international ag terminals on the Great Lakes,” Ryan McCoy, port director for Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor, said in a news release. “It’s bittersweet for me because I worked at that facility for 10 years and Cargill has been a great partner for the Ports of Indiana and the local community. However, this change also creates a unique opportunity to reimagine the facility and expand its capabilities going forward.”
The RFQ seeks qualifications from companies that are interested in operating the terminal. Companies must submit their responses by April 21, and the Ports of Indiana said it will issue a former Request for Proposals to all qualified companies in May.
The company selected to operate the terminal would be expected to start operations on Jan. 1, 2024.
“We’re excited about the next chapter for this terminal,” McCoy said. “We have received multiple inquiries from companies interested in expanding the facility. It’s not every day that this type of facility becomes available.”
You can view the RFQ by clicking here.