The Port Authority of Greater Cincinnatiis continuing its efforts to expand its statistical boundaries in order to make the region a bigger player in freight commerce.
Brown, Adams, Scioto and Boone counties are already on board with the plan and Hamilton County gave its approval last week.
A Port spokeswoman writes, "The Port Authority is working to expand the statistical definition of the PORT OF CINCINNATI, not the Port Authority. We are doing this at the request of private terminal operators and other economic development agencies regionally, who would like to see our region elevated in national ranking of freight movement and cargo commerce."
The Port needs to get about dozen more counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana to sign off on a plan to expand its boundaries from 26 miles to 205 miles along the Ohio River.
The Port's director of transportation and logistics, Melissa Johnson, says a larger boundary region would be attractive to businesses.
"If we were to expand the boundary and include the other cargo that moves up and down the river, we would add another 38 million tons of cargo and elevate our port ranking to what we think could be one of the top 10 inland port rankings in the nation," says Johnson.
The Army Corps of Engineers controls these designations. The Port's expansion petition is due to the Corps in March.
