According to today's USDA Grain Transportation Report, the U.S. Waterborne Commerce Statistics Center (WCSC) recently approved three adjacent ports in the Tri-State (Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa) above Locks and Dam 26 as new “Principal Ports.”
Operational since 2020 and 2021, the new WCSC-approved ports—Illinois Waterway Ports and Terminals, the Mid-America Port Commission, and the Mississippi River ports of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois—are collectively referred to as the “Corn Belt Ports.”
They serve the largest grain-producing and -exporting region in the United States. The “Principal Port” designation means WCSC will publish data on the Corn Belt Ports’ freight terminal volumes and vessel activities, along with those of other major ports. Because WCSC publication widens recognition for ports, it may also increase their funding opportunities.
Together, the three Corn Belt Ports are expected to handle well over 40 million tons of freight annually—more than any single inland port in the Nation.
Read the full report here.