Port Of Umatilla News

The Columbia/Snake River System defines shortsea shipping, and promises much, much more. Lewiston, Idaho, is perhaps best known to tourists as the turnaround for a Columbia River cruise or the jumping-off point for a trip to Hell’s Canyon, North America’s deepest gorge. For anyone transporting cargo, however, it’s known as the port farthest inland of any on the West Coast – a whopping 465 miles inland from the mouth of the Columbia River. Located close to the border between Washington and Oregon…

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.