Tennessee to Build $30 Million River Port Near Nashville
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Tennessee has formed a venture with leading barge carrier to create a multimodal inland river port on the Cumberland River near Interstate 24 less than a half hour’s drive from Nashville.
The public-private project was announced recently between the , Nashville-headquartered Ingram Marine Group and Cheatham County to develop the Ashland City River Port.
“TDOT remains committed to exploring every opportunity to strengthen our regional and national economic competitiveness by advancing infrastructure enhancements and operational innovations that alleviate congestion and remove critical freight bottlenecks,” noted Butch Eley, transportation commissioner and deputy governor.
Tennessee is providing funding to help offset construction costs to build the river port at the Cheatham County Industrial Park on Thompson Road in Ashland City. The site had been owned by the county and used to house highway and school vehicles in garages before the parcel was sold to Ingram Marine for development.
The area surrounding the future Ashland City River Port on the Cumberland River. (Google Maps)
“The river port, along with the existing Cheatham Rail line and four-lane roadway into Nashville, will give the best options to bring commerce in and out of Middle Tennessee,” said Kerry McCarver, county mayor. “Cheatham County could not ask for a better neighbor to bring investment and jobs our way. Thanks to TDOT for helping make this port a reality. It truly is a public-private partnership that will result in jobs and a tax base for the county.”
The goal is to create a $30 million multimodal inland port facility to handle various cargo types on a 40-acre site at Mile 162 on the Cumberland River. Ingram Marine Group is slated to pay for the construction with assistance from TDOT, which will direct $3 million in state funds earmarked for multimodal infrastructure to build the port’s pier.
“Strategic partnerships like this represent the kind of forward-thinking solutions essential to addressing Tennessee’s evolving infrastructure needs,” Eley said.
Photos showing the land around the Cumberland River upon which the river port will be built. (Town of Ashland City, Tenn., via Facebook)
The plan is for barges to move dry cargo, such as aluminum, cement, rebar and rubber. Construction is expected to start this summer, with the first phase including building a fixed dock and multicommodity warehouse.
“The Ashland City River Port will allow us to move a variety of dry goods more efficiently and effectively to better serve Tennessee businesses and residents. We are proud to open such a world-class facility in our home state and bring high-paying jobs to the Ashland City community,” said John Roberts, Ingram Marine CEO. “Saying how incredibly excited we are to launch this project would be an understatement.”
His company is a leading dry cargo and chemical inland river carrier. Ingram operates across some 4,500 miles of U.S. inland waterways to move agricultural and industrial commodities in 4,100 covered and open-top dry cargo and liquid tank barges as well as 140 towboats.
Welcoming Ingram Marine Group as a major player in the county industrial park, McCarver predicted the new multimodal facility’s “impact will reach far beyond the Cumberland River, stretching to the Nashville region.”
According to TDOT, the river port will greatly improve the state’s supply chain movements since it will be located within 10 miles of I-40 and I-65. Northwest of Nashville, Cheatham County is within a 20-minute drive from both Clarksville and Nashville. The county also has access to U.S. Route 70 and state routes 12, 41, 49, 155 and 249.
“Unlike congested waterways, there’s a low-density traffic pattern and potential for rail access to CSX via Nashville Western Railroad. In addition, barging is the most sustainable form of transportation as it causes less congestion, mitigates expensive transportation costs and reduces air pollution,” TDOT stated.
Ashland City Mayor Gerald Greer said, “The presence of Ingram will enhance our town’s reputation as a key player in the logistics and transportation industry. This recognition will open doors for future collaborations and investments, further solidifying our position as a hub of economic activity.”
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