Tulsa's Port System Poised For Growth, Attracts Top Employers

Tulsa's Port system, even after landing what will be one of the state's largest new employers, is positioned for growth.

Leaders at the Port met Friday to talk about possibilities.

This waterway connects the nation's most inland port with the world's oceans.

The companies here connect 2,600 people with better-than-average jobs because of the decision to build a Tulsa Port long ago.

“Well, I think we all know we're here today experiencing the boom of Northeast Oklahoma because of this channel we're seeing right now,” said Dewey Bartlett with the Tulsa Ports Board.

The leaders of the Port marked some of the accomplishments tied to the port on Friday while talking about what's coming.

 “We're bringing a lot of other prospects and showing them these ports, especially the Port of Inola, the Port of Muskogee, so they're a lot of major companies looking at our three ports, as we speak, today,” said Mike Neal with Tulsa Regional Chamber.

The primary industries at the Port today are agricultural products and steel manufacturing.

With rail access, large and heavy products can be shipped out, and raw materials shipped in by land or water.

The combination of low-cost shipping and plentiful land gives the Tulsa Port system a big advantage in recruiting new employers. Though it's 50 years old, boosters of the Port believe it's never had more potential than right now.

Ports Director David Yarbrough says the Tulsa system can accommodate the largest manufacturing sites being built.

“This is not 5- and 10-acre sites like we have here at the Port of Catoosa,” he said. “These are companies looking at 400, 500, 1,000 acres. They're looking at Oklahoma, they're looking at the Port of Inola, and that excites us about the opportunities.”

With the possibilities of other large employers coming, the Port staff is focused on developing the workforce to ensure employers will have the people they need.