The Arkansas River flood, in June of 2019, caused severe damage to the Port of Fort Smith. A recent grant from the Arkansas Waterways Commission worth nearly $2 million has been confirmed to help fund a new warehouse and other extensions.

Manager of the Van Buren-based Five Rivers Distribution, Mary Shell, says that the grant will cover the cost of the brand-new 20,000-square-foot warehouse and a concrete pad to store bulk products. Acting City Administrator Jeff Dingum is the one who advocated for the grant and has been working with Shell to improve the rebuilding of the port.

Shell praised Dingum for the port’s remodel and has called it “essentially a brand new port.”

The new port has been planned with flooding in mind, therefore it won’t sustain flood damage again. This proactive approach not only aims to safeguard the infrastructure but also to enhance the overall efficiency of the shipping operations.

This is not the first grant given to the Port of Fort Smith, and Dingum said that grants such as this one “have been critical to the rebuilding of the port and the additions.”

 With these new extensions, the port is expected to attract more businesses. These new improvements will restore the Fort Smith Port to its status as a major shipping hub before the flood. 

 Shell said, “The Port of Fort Smith is the newest terminal…with the rebuild of what was originally built back in 1969.” 

Dingum says that rebuilding the port has also helped “modernize the function and make it more attractive to customers.” Demand is already increasing, and Dingum has predicted the need to expand even more in the near future. 

The once vital trade hub was damaged by a flood six years ago, and now it is finally getting a much-needed makeover thanks to the collaboration of Mary Shell, manager of the Five Rivers Distribution, Jeff Dingum, acting city administrator, and the $2 million grant given to them by the Arkansas Waterways Commission. Together, they have ensured the success of the new and improved Fort Smith Port.