State and local officials have celebrated the groundbreaking of Consolidated Grain and Barge Co.’s (CGB) $47 million expansion at Ports of Indiana-Mount Vernon, the largest investment at Indiana’s largest port in more than 20 years.

The project is designed to triple grain handling capacity of CGB’s soybean processing operations at the Ohio River port. CGB currently processes approximately 50 million bushels of soybeans annually at Mount Vernon, producing soybean oil, meal, and soy hulls that are shipped to livestock producers and food companies around the world.

The expansion includes new grain storage and truck unloading facilities, as well as a conveyor system that transfers grain between multiple sites at the port. The project will increase the facility’s storage volume by 4.25 million bushels and boost truck unloading capacity by 200 percent. Construction is expected to be completed in 2027.

CGB’s soybean volume at Mount Vernon has increased more than 60 percent over the past decade, driving the need for expanded capacity and improved truck flow. The new unloading system will allow entire truckloads to discharge without repositioning, reducing congestion on port roads, shortening turnaround times, and lowering transportation costs for local farmers.

CGB also manages grain merchandising as well as ethanol and DDG transload facilities at the port. Founded in 1969, CGB operates more than 110 grain facilities across the Midwest and beyond with integrated barge, rail, and truck transportation capabilities.

Indiana is one of the nation’s leading soybean-producing states, and the Mount Vernon port serves as a major gateway for agricultural exports. The port handles approximately 5 million tons of cargo annually, including grain, soy products, ethanol, fertilizer, steel, and project cargo. The 1,200-acre port has connections to five Class I railroads and is part of the nation’s busiest inland port district.