The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) awarded the Jefferson County Port Authority a $186,000 grant to help pay for a new front-end loader at the Herculaneum port.
The Port Authority commission voted unanimously on Tuesday to seek bids for the equipment. Executive Director Cyndi Buchheit-Courtway said the Port Authority will match MoDOT’s grant, called the Freight Enhancement Program, with funds the port was allocated in the 2023-24 state budget.
The Port Authority received $25 million in the budget, $18 million of which was used to acquire the Herculaneum port from Riverview Commerce Park in September 2024.
The port sits along the Mississippi River in Herculaneum and is used for the loading and unloading of shipping vessels.
The port’s proximity to both rail lines and Interstate 55 makes it an appealing destination for those looking to speed up the supply chain, according to the Port Authority’s website.
The Port Authority entered into a contract with RCP, a partnership of Environmental Operations Inc., J.H. Berra Construction and Fred Weber Inc., all of St. Louis, to keep the port operational once the sale went through.
RCP has operated the port since 2013 on former Doe Run Co. property. Doe Run still owns about 650 acres surrounding the port.
The Freight Enhancement Program is used to improve high-priority freight assets and corridors critical for moving freight throughout Missouri, according to MoDOT’s website. Since 2014, the program has funded 40 projects totaling $16.3 million.
“We asked for about $380,000 (through the Freight Enhancement Program), but we were awarded $186,000, which is great, so we will use that to purchase this loader that we need,” Buchheit-Courtway said.
The port’s current loader is overheating and malfunctioning, Buchheit-Courtway said. The new loader will be used to scoop organic materials, likely soy, inside the large storage building on the port site.
When applying for the grant, Buchheit-Courtway included a price estimate of $500,000 for the new front-end loader, based on a CAT 972 Wheel Loader.
She said the invitation to bid does not include the brand manufacturer, only what specifics are required to be included in the equipment.
Board member Bill Seek commented at the meeting that the Port Authority could opt for a cheaper loader than a CAT model.
“The only thought I had was, it’s not like this piece of equipment is going to be sitting out, digging earth out for highways and so forth,” he said. “You need the load capacity and all that, but it’s not going to be getting out there digging up rock on the hillsides and stuff like that, and I’m wondering if we need to go CAT or maybe it’s some other brand that will be just as good for about half the price.”
The board will likely vote to award a bid at its next meeting, 9 a.m. Aug. 12 at the Port Authority office, 114 Mississippi Ave. in Crystal City.