Two ports in Southeast Arkansas have received grant funds for building repairs and cleaning.

According to the McGehee Dermott Times-News newspaper, Yellow Bend Port near Arkansas City received $72,274 and the Port of Crossett received $38,692 from the Arkansas Waterways Commission’s Arkansas Port, Intermodal and Waterways Development program.

Yellow Bend will use the grant funds for structural painting of the facility crane and building repairs while the Port at Crossett will use their grant for liquid product tank cleaning and inspection.

Helena Harbor also received a grant from the Waterways Commission, the newspaper reported. That grant, for $287,000 will fund the Helena Harbor’s 2021 Port Development project in preparation for container on barge operations in 2023.

Money for the grant programs comes from taxes paid by barge lines on the value of the barges traveling Arkansas’ navigable waterways.