The Port of Peoria is part of the Mississippi-Illinois River System that contains 541 kilometers (336 miles) of waterways. This system of canals, lakes, and rivers creates an avenue for shipping from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River and eventually the Gulf of Mexico. The US Army Corps of Engineers manages a series of eight locks that control the flow of water from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River. The Port of Peoria Lock and Dam is 157 river miles above the Mississippi on the Illinois River.

The major cargoes traveling the Illinois Waterway System include petroleum, chemicals, and coal heading upstream and soybeans and corn traveling downstream for eventual export through the Port of New Orleans. During the winter, ice flows sometimes prevent barges and towboats from navigating on the Illinois River.

The City of Peoria owns, and the Spirit of Peoria operates the Port of Peoria City Dock for landing of the excursion vessel the Spirit of Peoria that operates during the summer months. The Port of Peoria City Dock has berthing space of 36 meters (120 feet) with alongside depth of 2.7 meters (9 feet) NPE.

Archer Daniels Midland Company owns and operates (through subsidiary ADM/Growmark River System Inc.) the Port of Peoria Terminal Wharf to ship grain, animal feed, distillers' dried grain, and alcohol. Two tracks serve an undertrack pit and connect with the Peoria and Pekin Union Railway. Four pipelines connect the wharf to seven alcohol storage tanks at the rear with total capacity for seven million gallons. The grain elevator at the rear of the Port of Peoria Terminal Wharf has capacity for over 1.2 million bushels. The Terminal Wharf has berthing space of 122 meters (400 feet) with alongside depth of 3 meters (10 feet) NPE.

Peoria Barge Terminal owns, and ARTCO Fleeting Services operates the Port of Peoria Dock and Fleet Moorings to moor fleet service boats and barges for fleeting. The right bank fleeting area can handle about 130 barges, and the left bank area has capacity for about 50 barges. The Port of Peoria Dock and Fleet Moorings has berthing space of 59 meters (195 feet) with alongside depth of 2.7 meters (9 feet) NPE.

Peoria Barge Terminal Inc. owns and operates the Port of Peoria Barge Terminal Wharf to ship and receive bulk materials that include salt, coal, and rock. Two surface tracks connect the wharf with the Union Pacific and Peoria and Pekin Union Railway. At the rear of the wharf is an about 20-acre open storage area and four warehouses with total capacity for 200 thousand tons of bulk cargo. The Port of Peoria Barge Terminal Wharf has berthing space of 356 meters (1170 feet) with alongside depth of 2.7 meters (9 feet) NPE.

J&L Dock Facilities Inc. owns and operates their own Port of Peoria wharf to receive agricultural lime, salt, limestone, and coal. An open storage area at the rear can handle 150 thousand tons of cargo. The Port of Peoria J&L Dock Facilities Wharf has berthing space of 152 meters (500 feet) with alongside depth of 3 meters (10 feet) NPE.

The Boyd Gaming Corporation owns and operates the Par-A-Dice Casino Boat Dock in the Port of Peoria to moor their casino boat. Always moored at the dock, the fully-operational vessel is sometimes moved to another site for maintenance. The Port of Peoria's Par-A-Dice Casino Boat Dock has berthing space of 91 meters (300 feet) with alongside depth of 4 meters (13 feet) NPE.

Peoria River Terminal owns and operates the Port of Peoria River Terminal Wharf to receive asphalt. One pipeline connects the wharf to five steel storage tanks with capacity for 100 thousand barrels. The Port of Peoria River Terminal Wharf has berthing space of 61 meters (200 feet) with alongside depth of 4.3 meters (14 feet) NPE.

The US Government owns, and the US Army Corps of Engineers operates the Illinois Waterway Project Office Slip in the Port of Peoria to moor government-owned floating equipment. This Port of Peoria Slip has berthing space of 33 meters (110 feet) with alongside depth of 2.4 meters (8 feet) NPE.

The US Government owns, and the US Coast Guard operates the Base Peoria Dock to moor the US Coast Guard Cutter Sangamon and to handle navigation aids. This Port of Peoria slip has berthing space of 49 meters (160 feet) with alongside depth of 1.2 meters (4 feet) NPE.

Although it is not always in use, United Facilities Inc. owns the Port of Peoria Grain Elevator Dock. One surface track serves the dock and connects with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. A grain elevator at the rear has capacity for 42 million bushels. The Port of Peoria Grain Elevator Dock has berthing space of 137 meters (450 feet) with alongside depth of 4 meters (13 feet) NPE.

Review and History    Port Commerce    Cruising and Travel    Satellite Map    Contact Information