moving freight on our marine highway
Working to bring additional Mississippi River freight access to the Tri-State region to fuel economic development.
Call 660-465-7281 ext. 6 to learn more
Navigating Opportunity
Our Mission
The mission at NEMO Port is to establish a modern inland river port facility that enhances freight and cargo transportation in northeast Missouri and the Tri-State region. The port authority aims to provide efficient multimodal options for freight movement via the Mississippi River connecting with rail and road transportation opportunities to enhance efficiencies, improve safety, lower costs and expand options for intranational and international cargo shipment.
With pending expansion of container handling capabilities at the Louisiana Gateway Port facilities at the mouth of the Mississippi River in the Gulf of America and the proposed development of river vessels that will greatly enhance inland container shipping capabilities, the Northeast Regional Port Authority of Clark County is working tirelessly to position the proposed NEMO Port facility to take advantage of this opportunity.
Where it all started
Port Authority Formation
Port Authority Formation
Port Authority Formation
Section 68.010 of RSMo of Missouri state statute authorizes the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (MHTC) to approve applications for port authorities to be formed as political subdivisions of Missouri. On October 12, 2023, MHTC approved such an application from the Northeast Missouri Reginal Port Authority of Clark County.
Clark County, Missouri
Port Authority Formation
Port Authority Formation
In conjunction with the City of Alexandria, the Clark County Commission approved the creation of the port authority to include the entirety of Clark County, the northernmost county in Missouri on the Mississippi River. The Clark County Commission appointed a preliminary board of directors as governed by Chapter 68 RSMo of the state statutes.
Partnership
Port Authority Formation
Partnership
NEMO Port has an administrative service agreement with Northeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission. NEMO RPC partnered with the port authority to successfully navigate the application process after securing funding for and assisting with a market/feasibility study that demonstrated the viability of the proposed port.
Anchors Aweigh - Beginning the Voyage
Market and Feasibility Study
The Clark County Commission and the City Council of Alexandria, Missouri have both pledged their support for the formation of the NEMO Port, the concept for which was born several years ago in a private/public partnership effort to establish river access for fertilizer delivery to the region.
Those initial efforts led to efforts by Northeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission to secure a $250,000 grant through the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA) to commission a market and feasibility study, which was completed in January 2023 by Decision Innovation Solutions; Bujanda & Allen, and MECO Engineering Co. This report presented a comprehensive analysis of the marine highways, port authorities, river terminals, and docks to better understand the competitive environment in which the Clark County Port can be expected to operate.
The strategic plan and market study highlighted the 15 public port authorities classified by the 2022 MoDOT Freight Plan as either active or developing which account for just 4% of goods by weight moved on the state’s transportation system. The volume of freight is expected to grow by 20% by 2045 to 1.1 billion tons and inland waterways, with the expansion of local and regional port sites offering the perfect opportunity to move more of this volume off the state’s overcrowded highways and rail lines.
Site Selection Process Underway
NEMO Port through Northeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission, has secured an Economic Development Technical Assistance grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to produce a site feasibility and cost/benefit assessment of potential river port development sites on the Mississippi River in Clark County.
NEMO RPC and NEMO Port hired Klingner and Associates, P.C. to generate the report, expected to be completed by November 2025, which will include review of property in no fewer than six potential sites from Mississippi River Mile 361-358 for potential dock locations.
The site review will include flood protection, topography and hydraulic impacts analysis. Soil data will be collected and analyzed to identify
surface soils and available nearby soil boring data to characterize the
subsurface strata. These datasets are important for future foundation, building, and infrastructure design considerations. Environmental impacts will be defined via a desktop environmental review of the sites. The presence of wetlands and archaeological sites on a site will potentially add to the overall project costs due to permitting restrictions. Available Utilities will be catalogued and and mapped for each site to not only show the location, but also the available capacity. The review will also define proximity to river, rail, and roadways to demonstrate ability of sites to perform as a true multimodal port. The study will will identify the permits anticipated for each site and the anticipated costs associated with each. Finally the project will result in the drafting of preliminary site plans for each of the project locations sufficient enough to develop preliminary construction costs and submit for permits. The consultant will combine all of the information gathered along with the preliminary site plan for each site to develop a cost estimate for each location. The cost estimate will include anticipate construction, permitting, engineering, utility, and land acquisition costs. The process will chart of the pros/cons associated with each potential location, consolidating all of the gathered information for review by the Port Authority Board.
Our Team
Our team of experts has years of experience in the cargo and freight industry, and we are committed to providing personalized solutions to meet the unique needs of our clients. From our customer service representatives to our drivers and warehouse staff, everyone at NEMO Port is dedicated to delivering excellence.
Welcome
These are exciting times in inland waterway freight and multimodal supply chain enhancement. If your company would be interested in the opportunity to utilize a public port in Clark County or any related economic development opportunities, please reach out to us to start a conversation.