Indiana River & Rail Terminals (IRRT) has leased a fourth building at Ports of Indiana-Jeffersonville, expanding its capacity for handling barge shipments of steel and general cargo by 40%, according to the Ports of Indiana, a statewide port authority operating three ports—Jeffersonville, Burns Harbor, and Mount Vernon—on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan.
Burns Harbor Railroad, Mount Vernon Railroad, Evansville Western Railway, CSX, Louisville & Indiana Railroad, and Norfolk Southern are among the railroads serving the Ports.
The Ports of Indiana on Dec. 3 reported that it was nearing capacity for steel shipments by late 2024; that’s why IRRT, its joint venture with general cargo stevedore Superior River Terminals-Indiana, decided to lease another building. The 156,000-square-foot facility in Jeffersonville will supplement IRRT’s existing warehouse capacity of 195,000 square feet, bringing the total to just over 350,000 square feet.
This new capacity includes opportunities for Foreign-Trade Zone storage, heavy lift cargo, rail transload, and support for higher volumes of barge, rail, and truck operations, according to the Ports. Additionally, the expansion positions Jeffersonville to serve a broader range of industries and cargo types, it noted.
IRRT now manages seven buildings and serves 2,200 acres at the ports in Jeffersonville (located on the Ohio/Mississippi river system, just minutes from downtown Louisville, Ky.) and Mount Vernon (located near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers). (See maps above and below.) It also operates an outdoor storage facility designed to accommodate barge shuttles for Nucor and other steel companies.
“IRRT’s growth reflects the strength of our partnership and the increasing demand for flexible, multimodal logistics solutions in southern Indiana,” Ports of Indiana CEO Jody Peacock said. “We’re proud to support this expansion and ensure Jeffersonville remains a vital hub for barge, rail, and truck shipments.”
“We’re not just adding square footage—we’re adding opportunity,” IRRT President Jonathan Lamb said. “This expansion is about meeting demand and staying ahead of the curve. We’ve seen consistent double-digit growth since 2022, and adding new warehouse space ensures we can continue to serve our customers with speed, flexibility, and reliability. Jeffersonville is ready for more—and we’re building the capacity to deliver.”
“IRRT serves as a model of collaborative growth, combining the operational expertise of an experienced logistics company and the economic development mission of Ports of Indiana to deliver major returns for our region,” added George Ott, Port Director for Ports of Indiana-Jeffersonville. “Together, these partners are committed to delivering efficient, customer-focused solutions that drive economic development and global trade.”
Separately, Tanco Terminals is expanding its liquid barge facility at the Ports of Indiana-Jeffersonville, where it provides marine, rail, and truck access for liquid asphalt and fertilizer products.
