The Monroe County Journal reported that an approximate USD 12.8 million expansion has been announced by Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, which leases the city’s port and handles material loading and unloading there. The expansion will allow the company to handle raw materials for SeverCorr the new steel mill in Columbus.

According to company officials, the expansion at the bulk terminal facility will provide additional infrastructure to help meet the growing need for carbon products in the Southeast due to increased steel making in the region. With the expansion, Kinder Morgan will receive carbon products by barge, rail and truck, for use in producing steel in the region.

The expansion is expected to create about four to six new jobs directly and more indirectly, such as in trucking. Because the city receives a tonnage fee for all materials that move across the city’s port on the Tenn-Tom Waterway, the expansion will increase tonnage fee revenue for the city.

New infrastructure that will be added to the terminal includes a 12,000 square foot building to house a dryer and screener, two 400 ton silos for storage of materials, 400 feet of train track and a 100,000 pound truck scale.

Mr Jeff Armstrong president of the Kinder Morgan Terminals business segment said that “This expansion project will enable Kinder Morgan Terminals to help meet the demand for carbon at the recently opened SeverCorr facility in Columbus as well as other steel mills in the Southeas. As the nation’s leading bulk terminal operator, we continuously look for opportunities to provide additional services to our customers, improve efficiencies and grow our business.”

He added that the construction on the expansion is scheduled to begin late in the second quarter of this year, with completion expected in the fall of 2008.