The Saint Paul Port Authority is governed by the seven-member Port Authority Board made up of two City Council members and five citizen representatives. Established to administer the port and develop lands along the Mississippi for industry and business, the Port Authority has grown to become a city-wide development agency that generates revenue and funds its own budget.

The Saint Paul Port Authority is owner of most of the multi-modal river terminal property on the Mississippi where barges transport commodities. In 2010, almost 5.2 million tons of cargo moved through the river terminals. The primary cargo was grain, including wheat, soybeans, and corn. The Port of St. Paul also imports sand, salt, gravel, fertilizer, coal, and cement. The public terminals account for a small part of the total barge traffic moving through the Port of St. Paul. Most of the almost ten million tons barged through the Port of St. Paul each year goes through private facilities.

The inland Port of St. Paul gives the heartland agriculture industry many opportunities to market their products. The Port of St. Paul shipping terminals are a vital part of the city's intermodal freight transport system. They include Barge Terminals 1 and 2, Southport, and Red Rock.

The Port of St. Paul benefits greatly from Minnesota's inland water transport industry which accounts for hundreds of jobs and over $4 million in state and federal taxes. In 1932, Colonel George C. Lambert operated a barge terminal on the Mississippi in the Port of St. Paul, and he was a founder and president of the early Port Authority. Today, there are 21 Port of St. Paul business centers lining the Mississippi.

• Bulk and breakbulk terminals

The Port of St. Paul Barge Terminal #1 was the first Port Authority property. Northern Metals (formerly Great Western Recycling) expanded the terminal, destroying outdated grain elevators, when it assumed barge docking operations at this Port of St. Paul terminal in 1997. Northern Metals leases 14 acres at the terminal and is adding another 4.5 acres.

The Port of St. Paul's Barge Terminal 1 covers 64 acres between Pig's Eye Lake and Mounds Park. Assuming terminal operations in 1934, the Port of St. Paul got the help of the Federal Works Progress Administration when it built the terminal's dock. As many as seven barges can moor at Northern Metal's portion of the dock wall where they receive scrap iron and steel, petroleum coke, and feed additives. The scrap metals are then distributed to steel mills in Alabama, Tennessee, and Arkansas. The coke is left over from refinery processes and is delivered to downriver power plants.

Barge Terminal #2 was the Port of St. Paul's second river terminal. Used primarily for cleaning and repairing barges, Barge Terminal #2 is also used for breakbulk fleeting and dry-docking services for the Port of St. Paul's customers.

The Red Rock Industrial District was included in the almost two thousand acres acquired by the Port of St. Paul at Pig's Eye Lake. The Port of St. Paul Port Authority developed 371 acres to create the Red Rock Industrial District to be used for intense industries. The Red Rock Industrial District in the Port of St. Paul contains businesses manufacturing, managing, or processing materials like steel scrap, grain, asphalt, fertilizer, coke, and coal.

Upper River Services LLC operates the Port of St. Paul's Red Rock and Pig's Eye West Fleet to moor barges for fleeting. The two berths have berthing distance of 8.2 and 11 meters (27 and 39 feet) with alongside depth of 2.7 and 3.0 meters (9 and 10 feet).

Peavey, a ConAgra Company, operates the Red Rock River Terminal Loading Dock in the Port of St. Paul to ship grain and potash. Four concrete silos with total capacity for 240 thousand bushels of grain are located at the rear of the dock, and potash goes directly from truck to barge through the truck pit. Seven surface rail tracks support the plant and join two more holding tracks. With total capacity for 100 cars, the surface rail tracks connect with the CP Rail System.

The two berths at the Port of St. Paul's Red Rock River Terminal Loading Dock each have berthing distance of 142 meters (466 feet) with alongside depth of 3 and 3.7 meters (10 and 12 feet). Two buildings are connected at the rear of the wharf have capacity for 32 thousand tons of fertilizer, and two additional buildings have capacity for 16 thousand tons of feed-grade phosphates. A 30-inch electric belt-conveyor system connects the wharf hopper to three rail pits and two truck dumpers. There is also an open storage area with capacity for 75 thousand tons of coal and other bulk materials.

Peavey also operates the Red Rock River Terminal Unloading Dock at the Port of St. Paul to receive dry bulk commodities like coal, fertilizer, pig iron, and feed-grade phosphates. The Dock also ships steel products and petroleum coke. Seven surface rail tracks support the plant and join two more holding tracks. With total capacity for 110 cars, the surface rail tracks connect with the CP Rail System. The Port of St. Paul's Red River Terminal Unloading Dock has berthing distance of 152.4 meters (500 feet) with alongside depths of 3 and 3.7 meters (10 and 12 feet).

The Port of St. Paul's Southport is a 99-acre business center near the St. Paul Municipal Airport. The Port of St. Paul Port Authority dug and maintains a barge channel used by port tenants. The Southport Industrial District supports industries managing or processing chemicals, chemicals for drinking- and wastewater treatment, and recyclable materials. In 2010, the Port of St. Paul installed a new dock and stormwater management system at Southport.

Upper River Services operates the Port of St. Paul's Southport Slip Fleet Mooring to moor barges for fleeting. The mooring has berthing distance of 4.6 meters (15 feet) with alongside depth of 3.7 meters (12 feet).

The Port of St. Paul Port Authority owns all of the following facilities. The Port of St. Paul owns and operates Lambert's Landing to moor vessels on exhibit, towboats, and excursion vessels and to provide temporary mooring for visiting vessels. The Port of St. Paul's Lambert's Landing has berthing distance of 195 meters (640 feet) with alongside depth of 2.7 and 3 meters (nine and ten feet).

Hawkins Inc. operates the Port of St. Paul's Hawkins' Terminal No. 1 Dock to receive liquid caustic soda. Six pipelines extend from each unloading station to six steel storage tanks with total capacity for 4.8 million gallons at the plant to the rear of the dock. Three surface tracks support five unloading stations at the plant and connect with the Union Pacific Railroad. The Port of St. Paul's Hawkins Terminal No. 1 Dock has berthing distance of 122 meters (400 feet) with alongside depth of 3 and 3.7 meters (10 and 12 feet).

Hawkins Inc. also operates the Hawkins Terminal No. 2 Dock to receive caustic soda and, on occasion, caustic potash. Three pipelines connect the wharf to four steel storage tanks with total capacity for 2.5 million gallons, and one surface track serves the plant and the rear and connects with the Union Pacific Railroad. The Port of St. Paul's Hawkins Terminal No. 2 Dock has berthing distance of 68.6 meters (225 feet) with alongside depth of 3.7 meters (12 feet).

Harvest States Cooperatives operates the Port of St. Paul's Terminal No. 2 Wharf to ship grain. A grain elevator with capacity for almost 1.5 million bushels is located at the rear of the wharf. Two surface rail tracks with capacity for 11 full and 11 empty cars serve the elevator and carpit and connect with the Union Pacific Railroad. The Port of St. Paul's Terminal No. 2 Wharf has berthing distance of 178 meters (585 feet) with alongside depth of 4.3 meters (14 feet).

LaFarge North America operates the St. Paul Cement Terminal Dock to ship fly ash. One pneumatic pipeline connects the wharf to six storage silos at the rear with total capacity for 5100 tons of fly ash. One surface rail track serves the terminal at the rear of the Dock and connects with the Union Pacific Railroad.

Padelford Packet Boat Company Inc. operates the city's Harriet Island Regional Park Showboat Dock to moor the Minnesota Centennial Showboat Captain Frank M. Whiting. The Port of St. Paul's Showboat Dock has berthing distance of 91.4 meters (300 feet) with alongside depth of 2.7 meters (nine feet).

Padelford also operates the Port of St. Paul's Harriet Island Regional Park Excursion Boat Dock to moor excursion boats and board passengers. The excursion boats Harriet Bishop and Johnathan Paddleford operate from this Port of St. Paul wharf. The Excursion Boat Dock as berthing distance of 105.2 meters (345 feet) with alongside depth of 2.7 meters (nine feet).

Upper River Services LLC operates the Port of St. Paul's Twin city Fleet Mooring to moor barges for fleeting. Upper River Services tows, moves, cleans, and repairs barges. The Port of St. Paul's Twin Cities Fleet Mooring has berthing distance of 11.6 meters (38 feet) with alongside depth of 2.7 and 3.7 meters (nine and 12 feet). Upper River Services also operates the Hangar, Airport, and Dakota Fleet Moorings in the Port of St. Paul to moor barges for fleeting. The Moorings have three berths with alongside depths of 2.7 and 3.7 meters (nine and 12 feet). The first has berthing distance of 4.6 meters (15 feet). The second has berthing distance of 18.3 meters (60 feet), and the third has berthing distance of 6.4 meters (21 feet).

Upper River Services also operates the Harvest States No. 1 High Bridge and Omaha Fleet Moorings in the Port of St. Paul to moor barges for fleeting. The mooring has three berths with alongside depths of 2.7 and 3.4 meters (nine and 11 feet). Berth 1 has berthing distance of 3.7 meters (12 feet), and Berth 2 has berthing distance of 6.4 meters (21 feet). Berth 3 has berthing distance of 3.7 meters (12 feet).

Upper River Services operates the Port of St. Paul's Northport and Mid-America Fleet moorings to moor barges for fleeting. The moorings offer berthing distance of 20.1 meters (66 feet) and 9.1 meters (30 feet) with alongside depths of 2.7 meters (nine feet). Upper River Services LLC operates the Robert Street Mooring in the Port of St. Paul to moor barges for fleeting. The Port of St. Paul's Robert Street Mooring has berthing distance of 4.6 meters (15 feet) with alongside depth of 2.7 meters (nine feet).

Upper River Services operates the State Street Yard Dock in the Port of St. Paul to moor barges for cleaning and repair and for floating drydock. A 500-ton floating drydock is moored at the wharf, and a marine repair plant is located at the rear. The Port of St. Paul's State Street Yard Dock has berthing distance of 401.1 meters (1316 feet) with alongside depth of 2.7 meters (nine feet).

Upper River Services also operates the Valley Line and Beltline Fleet Moorings in the Port of St. Paul to moor barges for fleeting. The two berths have berthing distance of 10.1 meters (33 feet) and 8.2 meters (27 feet) with alongside depths of 2.7 and 3.0 meters (9 and 10 feet). Upper River Services operates the Port of St. Paul's Kaposia Fleet Mooring to moor barges for fleeting. The Kaposia Fleet Mooring has berthing distance of 11.9 meters (39 feet) with alongside depth of 2.7 meters (9 feet).

Aggregate Industries operates the Yard A Wharf in the Port of St. Paul to receive crushed stone and sand and gravel. The open storage area at the rear of the wharf can accommodate about 400 thousand tons of material. The Port of St. Paul's Yard A Wharf has berthing distance of 381 meters (1250 feet) with alongside depth of 3.7 meters (12 feet).

The Great Western Dock & Terminal Company operates the Port of St. Paul's Barge Wharf to receive steel products and dry bulk commodities and to ship coal, fertilizer, and petroleum coke. Dry bulk commodities received at this Port of St. Paul wharf include coke, coal, slag, and salt. Morton Salt Company operates two storage buildings at the rear of the wharf with capacity for 50 thousand tons of salt. Another storage shed has about 743 square meters (8000 square feet) of storage space for bulk cargoes, and an open storage area offers capacity for 100 thousand tons of coal and other dry bulk. The Barge wharf in the Port of St. Paul has berthing distance of 487.7 meters (1600 feet) with alongside depth of 2.7 meters (nine feet).

Lametti & Sons operates their dock in the Port of St. Paul to moor company-owned floating equipment. Lametti & Sons has a contractor's storage area at the rear of the dock. The Lametti & Sons Dock in the Port of St. Paul has berthing distance of 61 meters (200 feet) with alongside depth of 2.7 meters (nine feet).

The Westway Terminal Company Inc. operates the Port of St. Paul Terminal No. 1 Wharf to receive vegetable oils, caustic soda, and propylene glycol. Seven pipelines connect the wharf to nine storage tanks at the terminal with capacity for almost 7.9 million gallons. Two surface rail tracks serve the tank car rack at the rear that has capacity for eight cars. The tracks also connect with the Union Pacific Railroad. The Port of St. Paul Terminal No. 1 Wharf has berthing distance of 61 meters with alongside depth of 2.7 meters (nine feet).

The Westway Terminal Company operates the Port of St. Paul Terminal No. 2 Wharf to receive and occasionally ship molasses. Two pipelines connect the wharf to six storage tanks at the rear of the wharf with total capacity for seven million gallons. One surface rail track serves the plant and connects with the Union Pacific Railroad. This Port of St. Paul wharf has berthing distance of 61 meters (200 feet) with alongside depths of 2.7 and 3.0 meters (9 and 10 feet).

A reminder of the Port of St. Paul's early history, the Saint Paul Municipal Grain Terminal was built between 1927 and 1983 to support the Equity Cooperative Exchange. The terminal was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. The six-story grain elevator is located on Mississippi River piers in the Port of St. Paul. The Port of St. Paul Municipal Grain Terminal was the first grain terminal elevator in the United States to be successfully owned and operated by a farm cooperative during the cooperative movement of the 1920s and 1930s.

At its height, the terminal included 90 grain silos, a facility for loading grain onto barges and trains, a mill, and a sack house for sacking milled flour. The Port of St. Paul's historic Municipal Grain Elevator Terminal has since been renovated and renamed "City House." Managed by Port of St. Paul Parks and Recreation and open from dawn to dusk, it is available for meetings, gatherings, and events. The complex is cantilevered over the Mississippi River and offers breathtaking views of the Port of St. Paul downtown skyline and the river valley.

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