Port of St. Helens to hear Morrow Pacific proposal bringing jobs, school funding and economic growth to Columbia County
Portland, Ore. — On January 25, Ambre Energy North America will present a proposal to the Port of St. Helens for developing transloading operations at Port Westward, bringing much-needed jobs, increased funding for schools and significant economic benefits to both Columbia and Morrow counties in Oregon. Ambre will propose that its subsidiary, Pacific Transloading LLC, enter into a lease agreement with the Port of St. Helens.
The proposal is part of the Morrow Pacific project, which Ambre is developing to provide an export route for Powder River Basin coal to U.S. trade allies in the Asia-Pacific market.
The project will create 20 to 25 family wage jobs with benefits in Columbia County and 15 to 20 family wage jobs with benefits in Morrow County. Ambre will make a voluntary contribution of $300,000 to $350,000 annually to schools in Columbia County and an equal contribution to Morrow County schools, based on a 10 cents per-ton contribution.
The annual contributions to schools are above and beyond the support the Morrow Pacific project will provide through property and payroll taxes, and port revenue, which will further benefit Columbia and Morrow counties. A lease agreement with the Port of St. Helens is a key part of the project and the benefits it will provide.
When the Morrow Pacific project is operational, coal from two Ambre co-owned mines will be shipped by train from the Powder River Basin to an enclosed transfer and loading facility at the Port of Morrow. The coal will then be loaded onto covered barges and shipped downriver. In addition, there is the potential for 55 or more jobs involved in barge and rail transportation. Earlier this year, the Port of Morrow voted unanimously to enter into a lease option agreement with Ambre for the project.
The presentation at the Port of St. Helens on January 25 concerns the next stage of the export route – moving the coal from covered barges to oceangoing Panamax vessels.
“Ambre is committed to using the most effective transloading equipment and systems at Port Westward to ensure that we meet or exceed all state and federal requirements,” said Clark Moseley, chief operating officer of Ambre Energy North America. “We will work with the Port and the regulatory agencies to be sure that the project meets all environmental standards, including Oregon’s high standards for doing business.”
At Port Westward, coal will be transferred directly from covered barges to oceangoing Panamax vessels. Ambre will have no coal piles or storage facilities at the Port of St. Helens. At all stages of the transloading process the project is designed to eliminate dust and spillage.
The processes being proposed are not new. Bulk commodities such as grain and wood chips have been shipped by barge on the Columbia River for decades. The Morrow Pacific project will use the same basic, proven shipping methods and procedures.
Additionally, barging offers greater cargo carrying capacity, reduced rail and traffic congestion, reduced emissions (including greenhouse gas emissions) and greater energy efficiency. Ambre is developing a special covered barge design for the project, which will protect the product from wind and prevent escape of coal dust during transit.
“The Morrow Pacific project has the potential to begin creating jobs and delivering economic benefits in a relatively short time frame – as early as 2013,” Moseley said. “That’s one of the major advantages of our project for Columbia and Morrow counties.”
When the Morrow Pacific project begins operations, Ambre expects to ship 3.5 million metric tons annually. The full operational capacity is 8 million metric tons annually.
For more information, visit www.MorrowPacific.com.
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Ambre Energy North America is a subsidiary of Ambre Energy, founded in 2005 by CEO and Managing Director Edek Choros and headquartered in Brisbane, Australia. Ambre Energy North America is an emerging energy leader with head offices in Salt Lake City. Ambre’s strategy is to acquire coal assets and develop the infrastructure required to serve strong and growing export markets.
The goal of the Morrow Pacific project is to develop an export route for low-sulfur coal from the Powder River Basin to U.S. trade allies in the Asia-Pacific market. As the Morrow Pacific project moves forward, Ambre Energy expects to be held to high standards and to do business the Oregon way by respecting the environment, communicating honestly and operating transparently.
