Port MacKenzie readies barge ramp bidding, highlights new equipment and grant wins

David Griffin, Port MacKenzie director, told the assembly the port continues to pursue a multi-pronged strategy to expand cargo capability and capture larger, year-round revenue streams.

He said the port’s new rough-terrain crane (awarded through the U.S. Marine Highway Program) has arrived and will be used for cargo handling and upcoming trestle work, including planned removal of an unused conveyor and ship-loading structure. Griffin noted successful recent grants including BUILD funding for the barge-haulout facility and other federal support to update the Port Mackenzie master plan.

Griffin said NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) work on the barge-ramp project is nearing completion and the port hopes to issue a bid packet this summer. He signaled that longer-term planning is required for a 30-year lifecycle replacement of the barge dock (potentially tens of millions of dollars) and floated alternative concepts such as shifting or rebuilding the bulkhead, expanding trestle capacity and adding upland staging and leasing to generate steadier revenue.

Port staff are engaging industry partners to explore uses including large industrial modules; Griffin said a fuel terminal or mineral-processing staging could create repeat ship visits that would materially improve port finances. He estimated the port currently needs on the order of five additional major ship calls a year to approach break-even under current assumptions and reiterated that strategic upland leasing and targeted infrastructure investment could change the economics.

The assembly welcomed scheduled public site visits and asked port staff to continue outreach to stakeholders and potential tenants.