RALEIGH — State officials want the N.C. Railroad Company to promise to contribute $70 million for a new storage facility at the Morehead City port.

Officials said they would like to see a promise of the money over the next decade to allow the port to start shipping wood pellets to European electric utilities as early as 2014.

Supporters say the port project would give the state a significant share of the biomass fuel market. They say it could create 200 jobs and increase freight yard traffic in Morehead City by 300 percent.

N.C. Railroad president Scott Saylor says it will be weeks before a decision is made. Tom Bradshaw with the State Ports Authority had hoped for a decision this week.