Tulsa Port of Catoosa tonnage soars in April

The inland Oklahoma cargo port handled 29 percent more tonnage in April 2017 than in the same 2016 period, according to recent port figures.    Total barge tonnage at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa shot up 29 percent in April 2017 compared to the same 2016 period, according to recent port figures.
   The 233,165 tons of cargo shipped through the port made up 28 percent of the total 840,871 tons that traveled the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System during the month.
   The multi-modal shipping complex hosts roughly 72 companies, including Gavilon Grain Group which networks more than 140 grain locations across the U.S. in order to handle 350 million bushels of grain annually.
   Gavilon Grain Group ships wheat and soybeans grown in Oklahoma through the Tulsa Port of Catoosa, which estimates grain products shipped by Gavilon accounted for roughly 38 percent of the April tonnage.
   “The centralized location of the Port of Catoosa is so integral for us to meet the demand we have around the country to provide a reliable, cost-effective source of agricultural goods like corn, soybeans, wheat, grain by-products and fertilizer,” said Gavilon Grain Manager Jay Boucher.
   “Every day we buy and sell these commodities, and they need to get to their destination quickly,” he added. “Our partnership with the Port of Catoosa ensures we have a reliable, low-cost shipping option in a central location. This helps not only our bottom line, but it also helps our customers receive these commodities as soon as possible.”