Northeast Oregon News

Oregon Port Gets $1M for Crane

Farmers in northeast Oregon won't have to worry about having a reliable crane to load their products onto barges at the Port of Umatilla thanks to a $1 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced. The grant will pay to complete the installation of the new crane, upgrade the electric supply system and expand the container storage area on the port dock, the agency said. The crane will replace an aging gantry crane erected in the 1940's. "It goes without saying the new crane will be faster and more reliable," said FRA Administrator Joseph H. Boardman. The new crane will nearly double the number of containers that can be loaded onto barges per hour, he said, and will be able to shoulder heavier loads.