The Arkansas Waterways Commission is the sole state agency responsible for developing, promoting and protecting waterborne transportation in Arkansas. The Commission also promotes economic development for ports on the five commercially navigable rivers of the state: The Arkansas, Mississippi, Ouachita, Red, and White Rivers.
CY2024 Arkansas Port Intermodal and Waterway Development Grant Award Recipients
Central Arkansas Intermodal Authority was awarded $187,425.00 for construction of a river port access road for a new port being developed in Morrilton along the MKARNS. Photo L-R: Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald, Conway County Economic Development Corporation CEO Donnie Crain, Perry County Judge Larry Blackmon, Central Arkansas Intermodal Authority Board Chairman Dr. Don B. Bradley, III, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Central Arkansas Intermodal Authority Board Secretary John Gordon, Conway County Judge Jimmy Hart, Central Arkansas Intermodal Authority Board Member Daniel Gunther, and Arkansas Waterways Commission Director Cassandra Caldwell.
Chicot-Desha Intermodal Authority was awarded $250,000.00 for rehabilitation and modernization of a water storage tank and well house at the Port of Yellow Bend on the Mississippi River. Photo L-R: Chicot-Desha Intermodal Authority Director Allen Evans, Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald, Chicot-Desha Intermodal Authority Board Member Rusty Moss, Chicot-Desha Intermodal Authority Board Member Frank Henry, Chicot-Desha Intermodal Authority Board Chairman Bill Bowman, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Arkansas Waterways Commission Director Cassandra Caldwell, Arkansas State Representative Jeffrey Wardlaw, Chicot-Desha Intermodal Authority Board Vice Chairman Sammy Angel, and Chicot-Desha Intermodal Authority Board Treasurer/Secretary Jared May.
The City of Fort Smith Port Authority was awarded $500,000.00 for construction of a 30,000 sq. ft. bulk storage warehouse building at the Port of Fort Smith on the MKARNS. Photo L-R: Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald, City of Fort Smith Port Authority Board Member Dustin Collyge, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Arkansas State Senator Justin Boyd, and Arkansas Waterways Commission Director Cassandra Caldwell.
The Little Rock Port Authority was awarded $500,000.00 for a mooring upgrade project to restore and expand barge fleeting capacity at the Port of Little Rock on the MKARNS. Photo L-R: Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald, Little Rock Port Authority Grants and Special Projects Manager Dr. Marsha Guffey, LSI Vice President Fred Long, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, LSI General Manager Jodi Pryor, Arkansas Waterways Commission Director Cassandra Caldwell, Arkansas State Representative Denise Jones Ennett, and Little Rock Port Authority Executive Director Bryan Day.
The Osceola Port Authority was awarded $1,038,617.88 for construction of a 420 ft retaining wall along the west bank at the center barge loading dock to prevent further bank caving and operations disruptions at the Port of Osceola on the Mississippi River. Photo L-R: Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald, City of Osceola Chief Operating Officer Cody Shreve, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Poinsett Rice and Grain Manager-Osceola Division Jeff Worsham, and Arkansas Waterways Commission Director Cassandra Caldwell.
The Pine Bluff-Jefferson County Port Authority was awarded $1,000,000.00 for infrastructure repairs of the dock face, new main and batter piles, broken pile removal, and dredging around the dock area in the slackwater harbor at the Port of Pine Bluff on the MKARNS. Photo L-R: Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald, WATCO Director of Sales Nathan Tobey, WATCO AVP Operations Brian O'Brien, Economic Development Alliance for Jefferson County, Arkansas VP Nancy McNew, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, WATCO Corporate Director of Communications Tracie VanBecelaere, Arkansas Waterways Commission Director Cassandra Caldwell, and WATCO Pine Bluff Terminal Manager Chad Lester.
