Indiana ready to work with private sector to boost ports

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (AP) - Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch says the state is ready to work with the private sector to help make the Ports of Indiana more successful.

Crouch toured the Jeffersonville port Thursday, saying "when the port thrives, Indiana thrives." The News and Tribune reports the Jeffersonville port alone handles 2.8 million tons of cargo and is a stop for more than 1,000 barges and 17,000 railcars.

Indiana's three state ports together handle more than 25 million tons of domestic and international shipments every year via Lake Michigan and the Ohio River.

State officials are considering creating a fourth port, likely in Lawrenceburg along the Ohio River. Indiana Economic Development Corp. President Elaine Bedel says it's "something they see as very viable and that could exist and complement what we already have."

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Information from: News and Tribune, Jeffersonville, Ind., http://www.newsandtribune.com