Port Re-designation Project oresented to Maysville-Mason County Chamber of Commerce March 6, 2014 M.Johnson and E.Thomas Port Authority and CORBA

1. Port Re-Designation Project
Presented to
Maysville Chamber of Commerce
March 6, 2014
Melissa Johnson
Director of Real Estate and Logistics
Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority
Eric Thomas
Central Ohio River Business Association

2. www.cincinnatiport.org
Port of Greater Cincinnati
Development Authority

3. Northern Kentucky Port Authority
Northern Kentucky Port Authority
Northern Kentucky Port Authority was established by Boone, Campbell and
Kenton Counties to facilitate river port projects along the Ohio and Licking
Rivers. The NKPA Board facilitates river oriented economic development and
other multi-county activities.
Kentucky
Port Authorities created in the 1970s to develop a system of public port
facilities. Licking River port development pursued for several years,
abandoned in the 1980s. NKPA participates in multi-county efforts.

4. What is a Port Re-Designation?
• What is a port re-designation?
• The act of expanding port boundaries to capture
transactional volume of goods and commodities
that flow through a region.
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) statistical
ranking of ports based on freight tonnage.
• What is the “Port of Cincinnati”?
• The Port of Cincinnati is a 26-mile reach of
riverfront along the Ohio River.
• 12,000,000 tons of cargo.

5. 51st
ranked port district
6,036
jobs
$54,000
annual average wage
$45,000,000
in state and local taxes
$530,000,000
in business revenue
By the Numbers: Current Port
The current 26-mile designation

6. Current Cargo Composition
Source: US Army Corps of Engineers
• Huntington District is dominated by coal;
• Louisville more diverse with petroleum and dry bulk materials

7. Re-designation Proposal
• Expand current 26-miles to approximate 227-mile
regional harbor to elevate awareness of Ohio and
Kentucky as global origins and destinations for river
commerce and economic development.
• The re-designation is supported by a USACE scope of
work that requires a petition, county-level
resolutions and demonstrations of economic
relationships between the existing 77 terminals
within the proposed 227 miles.
• The re-designation includes 15 counties across the 2
states.

9. Community Engagement
• Public Engagement
• Introductory meetings
• Stakeholders
• Legislative Enactments
• Contiguous county resolutions
• Supporting Endorsements
• Local, state, and federal government
• Private sector

10. Boundary Justifications
• Alternative boundaries
• Metropolitan, micropolitan, and business economic
areas (BEAs)
• Economic linkages

11. Economic Linkages
Geographic and/or financial connections between inland
waterway shippers, carriers, and terminals.
Demonstrate how terminals, docks, piers, wharves, etc.
function as an interdependent economic unit within the
proposed boundary.
• Commodity has an origin and destination within the same
boundary;
• One firm operates multiple terminals (or docks) within the
same boundary;
• Multiple firms in the boundary interact with a specific
destination outside of the boundary; and
• Multiple firms use one specific barge operator.

12. Re-Designation Benefits
• Elevate the port ranking to 9th nationally
(approximately) by including an additional
38,000,000 tons of cargo in undesignated areas.
• Significant economic development advantage
to promote and market our existing terminals,
respective communities and region as
destinations for global transport decisions.
• Regional collaboration through the new

13. State and Regional Awareness
• JobsOhio
• Ohio River Strategic Plan
• Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber
• Identify long-term sustainable revenue sources
for transportation in Ohio
• Advocate for federal transportation bill that
streamlines permitting and incentivizes private
investment
• Kentucky Water Transportation Advisory Board

14. Frequently Asked Questions
• No taxation, tariffs, fees
• Not an expansion of Port Authority powers
• No costs
• Future association / formation
• Increased flow of freight / capacity
• 15 counties, 2 states, unique collaboration

15. Timeline
August 2012
February 2013
April – October 2013
October – January 2014
March 2014
September 2014
Port Authorities of Cincinnati and Northern
Kentucky submit joint letter of intent to
USACE
Planning Assistance Agreement (PAS) signed
Community Outreach, Economic Linkages
Passage of formal resolutions by legislations
Submit formal petition
Decision by USACE

16. Eric Thomas

17. About CORBA
Central Ohio River Business Association (CORBA)
 River commerce businesses and industry
 Mile 356 to 560
Port of Huntington, WV to Madison, IN
 Our Mission: to unite the river businesses and industry into a common
voice in order to promote commerce, safety and security, environmental
stewardship, and public relations concerning the Ohio River and its
tributaries throughout the central Ohio River region.
 We pursue this mission by: providing a forum for the exchange of interest,
ideas, and concern among our members, and support and advance the
ideas and needs of our members to each other, to government agencies
and municipalities, and to other stakeholders with interest in or concern
for commerce along the Ohio River.

18. CORBA’s founding ideals …
 The river is a proven means of transport,
more viable today than it was in the 19th century.
 Re-introduce the “harbor” as a component of the greater
“port” complex (which includes highway, rail, and airports).
 Educate the public about the important role the harbor plays
now and will continue to play into the future.
 Create a voice to advocate on behalf of the harbor’s
businesses and industry.
 Develop a brand identity for the “Ports of Cincinnati and
Northern Kentucky” and then market the brand!
 Pursue re-designation of the port boundaries with USACE.

19. More on CORBA …
 Not-for-profit (Ohio) corporation; a business association.
 Formally organized in November 2011.
 Made up of businesses who work on or depend upon the
rivers (the “harbor”) in the Central Ohio River region with
Cincinnati being at the center.
 In the midst of a membership drive.
www.corba-usa.org

20. CORBA’s Targeted Reach

21. CORBA Members include:
 Tow and Barge Fleet Operators
 Terminals – Liquid and Dry
 Commercial Passenger Operators
 Shipyard / Boat and Barge Repairs
 Shippers
 Utilities
 Restaurant and Entertainment, and Marinas
 Port Authorities, Municipalities, and Counties

22. Port Re-designations / Rankings
Current rankings based on freight tonnage:
(14) Huntington, WV-Tristate – from 14 miles to about 200.
Ohio River, the Big Sandy, and the Kanawha
(17) Pittsburgh, PA – now 200 miles along its three rivers.
Ohio, Monongahela, and Allegheny
(51) Cincinnati, OH – 26 miles from the Ohio / Indiana state
line east
(67) Louisville, KY – 15 miles including both banks of the
Ohio River

23. U.S. Marine Highway Program
 Energy Independence and Security Act, 2007
 US DOT Maritime Administration (MARAD)
“To expand the use of waterborne transportation
while relieving landside congestion
and reducing carbon emissions.”
 Integrating Marine Highways into the nation’s surface
transportation systems.
 Over 29,000 nautical miles of navigable waterways
including rivers, lakes, and coastal routes.

24. U.S. Marine Highway Program
 MARAD designated inland marine highways as “M”,
not unlike the interstate highway “I-” system.
 Entirety of the Ohio River is designated M-70, and is
joined in that designation by the Missouri River.
 Each “highway” has a sponsor.
Ohio DOT is the sponsor for M-70.

25. U.S. Marine Highway Program continued
 Currently five working groups:
(1) Market Analysis - looking at and mapping out freight flows
and manufacturing distribution centers along the M-70
(2) Infrastructure - identifying infrastructure gaps needed to
support reliable scheduled service
(3) Operations - identifying transit times, optimal schedules,
and point to point pricing structures
(4) Communications - mapping communication coverage gaps
along the M-70/M-29
(5) Aspects of fuel/energy transportation - existing and
emerging resources
For more information, contact Fred Jones fred.jones@dot.gov

26. What will the new Panama Canal
mean for the U.S?
 Impact multi-modal land-bridge between the east &
west coasts of the U.S.
 Shift of ships calling on the east coast and away
from the west coast.
 Potential for ships calling at ports in the Gulf of
Mexico.
 Gulf ports such as New Orleans critical to any
potential for the inland river system (Mississippi and
Ohio Rivers).
 Container on barge? Port’s economic impact study.

27. Why Transport on the Inland River
System is Important:
 Oldest form of bulk transport in the history of mankind.
 90% of all worldwide trade is by water.
 Barge transportation allows for high volumes of bulk cargoes
transported in a safe, clean, environmentally sound, energy
efficient, and cost effective manner.
 If not for barge transport, our nations highways and rail system
would be choked with up to 6.3 million more railcar trips, or
25.2 million more truck trips per year.
 Marine transport will continue into the long term future.
 Question is: Can the inland waterways do more to solve
current land transport congestion?

28. www.corba-usa.org

29. Thank you
March 6, 2014
Melissa Johnson
Director of Real Estate and Logistics
Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority
www.cincinnatiport.org
@PGCDA
Eric Thomas
CORBA – Central Ohio River Business Association
www.corba-usa.org