FMT | News clippings and press releases

By: Alex Brown | Multimedia Journalist

PORTAGE - The Port of Indiana Burns-Harbor has extended a partnership with its longtime stevedore and marine terminal operating company, Federal Marine Terminals. The Ports of Indiana says the deal will run through at least 2023.

FMT is responsible for loading and unloading cargoes to and from ships that come into the port. Some of the commodities it handles at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor include steel, breakbulk cargoes, forest products, and heavy lift/project cargo such as wind turbine components and massive beer tanks.

Matthew McPhail, vice president of sales and marketing for FMT, says the company is solidifying its commitment to the port by investing in its fleet of equipment at Burns Harbor.

"FMT has recently ordered a new crane and we are bringing in a second crane to accompany it," said McPhail. "FMT strives to meet the needs of all its customers, regardless of shipment size. Our ability to handle large-dimensional cargo is due to our safety-conscious staff, our modern equipment and the facilities the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor provides."

The announcement comes weeks after the Ports of Indiana reported record shipments in 2018. The state's three ports handled 14.8 million tons of cargo last year, a 21 percent increase over the previous record in 2015.

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By: Leo Ryan | Issue #678 | Nov 12 2018 at 08:03 AM | Channel(s): Ports & Terminals Terminals

During an interview with AJOT, Michel Tosini, executive vice-president of Federal Marine Terminals (FMT) appeared to be trying to catch his breath, and it was not from doing something arduous like running up stairs! No, he was just sparing a few moments like someone navigating through a hectic business schedule.

"Things are going gangbusters, it's as simple as that," said Tosini, who oversees the extensive network of 12 FMT facilities in the Great Lakes, the US East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico. Exceptionally robust steel demand (accompanied by high prices), despite the Trump Administration tariffs on imported metals from Canada and the European Union, has been a major contributing factor.

"Our 2018 global tonnage should show an increase of between 12% and 15% over 2017," he predicted.

"As far as 2019 is concerned," Tosini indicated, "we would be happy to maintain our 2018 tonnage. Looking back, there has been an abnormal growth of volume this year – higher than expected."

A subsidiary of Montreal-based Fednav Limited, FMT has for over 50 years been operating stevedoring facilities at ports in the United States and Canada, serving the needs of customers in handling breakbulk, bulk, containerized and general cargoes. The wide range of commodities handled includes steel, cement, cocoa, containers, gypsum. machinery, sugar, wood pulp, forest products and various agricultural products.

FMT terminals are located at Albany, Burns Harbor, Cleveland, Eastport, Hamilton, Lake Charles, Milwaukee, Port Manatee, Tampa and Thorold (Ontario).

Hamilton, which is Canada's leading Great Lakes port and home to the country's largest steel complex, is a major center of activity for FMT.

"At Hamilton," Tosini said, "we are on track to run 10% above 2017. It's notably steel coils and slabs (chiefly from Europe) plus a good chunk of bulk cargo, mostly salt, alloys and fertilizers."

Robust Steel Demand

Regarding the Trump 25% tariffs on imported steel, Tosini said "some cargo may be on hold in Canada, but the overall impact seems to have been minimal. Frankly, it's overseas cargo that has been affected to some limited extent. But steel production in the U.S. has not been able to keep up with demand, so they don't have a choice but to import."

In fact, Tosini suggested the 2018 steel demand environment came as somewhat of a surprise. "We were expecting a steel decrease that has not happened. The demand was still there and somebody is paying."

Steel, general cargo and project cargo are all showing similar volume this year to 2017 for FMT at the U.S. Great Lakes ports of Cleveland, Milwaukee and Burns Harbor.

At Port Manatee, Tosini said there has been strength in forest products, aluminum and containers from Mexico to U.S. markets.

Bagged Rice from Lake Charles to Iraq

And at Lake Charles, Louisiana, there has been a nice surprise in agricultural products.

"We have seen a sudden surge of agricultural products, mostly bagged rice, going to Iraq," Tosini disclosed. "There are a lot of rice producers in southwest Louisiana. Between now and the end of January, we estimate there will be about 120,000 tons of bagged rice going to Iraq from Lake Charles."

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By: Peter Buxbaum | Issue #667 | Apr 09 2018 at 07:13 AM | Channel(s): Ports & Terminals Ports

The port commission also eyes future, allocating resources to explore logistics hub scenarios.

Thanks to its proximity to manufacturers like GE Energy, in Schenectady, New York, project cargo has been a mainstay for the Port of Albany for some time. In fact, “We call ourselves the premier heavy lift and project port in the northeast,” said Tony Vasil, the business development and marketing manager at the Albany Port District Commission.

And that’s why the port is investing in improving and expanding its heavy and oversize cargo capabilities, with a number of projects in progress.

The BBC Aquamarine sails through New York Harbor on its way up the Hudson River to the Port of Albany. The BBC Aquamarine sails through New York Harbor on its way up the Hudson River to the Port of Albany. Although project cargo makes up a hefty proportion of Albany’s volume, it’s not the only kind of cargo that it handles. The port took a hit in the last year when Cargill announced it would no longer export grains through Albany. But another company, Ardent Mills, saved the day when it announced it would take over the Cargill facility and repurpose it to handle grain imports, in a deal finalized within the last few days.

New Warehouse and Wharf Reconstruction

A big lift warehouse at the port is currently under construction and should be completed by the end of June of this year. The new, 45,000 square-foot climate controlled facility will have a 2,000-pound per square foot load factor, enabling it to handle heavy cargo from shippers like GE Energy.

The warehouse project is tied in with a wharf reconstruction project on the south end of the Port of Albany. “We anticipate receiving barges of GE products that are too large to move by rail, from a height rather than weight basis,” said Vasil. “They will come down the Mohawk River and through the locks to be offloaded at a new ro/ro slip.” From there, the big pieces will be loaded on 18-wheel articulated trailers, which will move them to the new project cargo warehouse, located at the north end of the port. The roll-on/roll-off ramp is expected to come online in 2019.

Power plant components are becoming larger, noted Bill Ring, general manager Federal Marine Terminal in the Port of Albany, meaning that fewer can move by rail and making ro/ro options critical for a port like Albany that specializes in project cargo. “It’s easier to handle project cargo when it can roll on and off,” he said. “The ro/ro slip will also avoid the costs of some of the heavier barge cranes. There is a definite interest in this kind of expansion throughout the project industry.”

The facility is not for GE’s exclusive use, however, and Vasil noted that the port, and FMT, specifically, have handled project cargo from many other companies, including Siemens, Bechtel, Ericsson, Babcock & Wilcox, and others. “In the last year and half, many coal-fired electric plants in the northeast have been phased out and older gas plants are being refurbished,” he said, “so we are seeing a good amount of cargo related to those projects.”

These improvements are going to benefit the operations of FMT, which handles much of the project cargo traffic at the port. “The new warehouse was originally built for GE’s use,” said Ring. “This will give GE the opportunity to store generators and turbines at the port. If they are produced ahead of schedule, the new warehouse will give them a local option for storage so we will get the work when it comes time for exporting.” Without the new facility, GE would ship its components for storage to another port with the required capabilities in advance of shipping.

FMT Lease

In November of last year, the Albany Port District Commission signed a new 10-year agreement with FMT to provide longshore and other cargo handling services at the port. FMT has provided those services at the port for over 10 years. The new contract, with three five-year renewal options, means FMT could operate in Albany for another quarter century.

In 2017, the Port of Albany handled components for steam generation plants in Lordstown, Ohio, and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Vasil expects that this year, similar work will come through for the port for a plant near Poughkeepsie, New York. These kinds of projects are massive, noted Ring, with total volume for each, to include generators, turbines, and other components, reaching tens of thousands of cubic meters.

Cargill, Incorporated, the massive food and agricultural products company headquartered in Minneapolis, was one of the initial companies to operate at the Port of Albany when it opened in 1932. However, in recent years, the Fortune 500 company has decided to funnel their export product form the Midwest through ports on the US gulf and west coasts, to the detriment of Albany.

“We used to handle a quarter of a million tons a year for Cargill,” said Vasil.

Ardent Mills, which is owned in part by Cargill, and is based in Denver, will be taking over the lease on the Cargill facility. Instead of using the facility for exporting, it will be receiving imports from places like Turkey, Egypt, Argentina, and Brazil. The facility will become active under the aegis of its new operator “within a couple of years,” according to Vasil.

Another project at the port will see an existing old warehouse, referred to as Shed Number One, which is not cost-effective to refurbish, torn down to be replaced by a new structure. The port received some funding for that project from the US Maritime Administration.

Ring expects more import project cargo this year and next through the Port of Albany to make up for a shortfall in exports seen since the beginning of this year. He has also seen upticks in the handling of scrap and wood pulp and expects some inbound wind energy projects this year and into 2019.

No question, the port will continue to focus on heavy lift and project cargo. “We’re always looking for that type of opportunity,” said Vasil, “and we have an excellent reputation in that area.”

Meanwhile the port commission is looking to expand the port’s horizons. Its 2018 budget includes resources to retain firms for engineering and consulting work “on possible expansion opportunities.” Some of that activity could include land acquisition, through which the port “could position itself to meet warehousing/distribution facility/logistics hub demand.”

MONTREAL - Governor Eric Holcomb's fourth international trade mission is complete. The Indiana delegation wrapped up the three-day trip to Canada by meeting with officials from the province of Quebec in an effort to advance international partnerships in logistics and business.

Holcomb and Indiana Secretary of Commerce Jim Schellinger met with Quebec Minister for Maritime Affairs Jean D'Amour in an effort to, according to governor's office, reinforce each region's commitment to economic development, research and innovation, specifically through their maritime connections.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. says Indiana and Quebec share "robust maritime economies and trade connections."

"As the gateway to the St. Lawrence Seaway, Quebec is a critical maritime partner of Indiana," Holcomb said in a news release. "The opportunity to explore increased investment and job opportunities with Quebec businesses and government leaders was the perfect capstone to our first economic development mission to Canada."

The delegation, which included Ports of Indiana Chief Executive Officer Rich Cooper, met with Paul Pathy, CEO of Montreal-based Fednav. The company is the largest dry-bulk shipping company in Canada and the parent of Federal Marine Terminals, the general cargo terminal operator at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor and the Port of Indiana's largest customer.

The group also met with officials from the Port of Montreal, which is the last port of call before ocean vessels travel to Indiana.

The stop in Quebec ended the trade mission, which included meetings with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. Ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft on Monday. The second day of the trip featured the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne to strengthen the economic relationship between Indiana and the province.

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PORTAGE, Ind. - The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor completed a landmark year in 2017 and is poised for significant future growth as a result of several historic developments. In addition to handling an 8 percent increase in cargo shipments in 2017, the port doubled the size of its bulk terminal, attracted a nationally-renowned stevedore in Metro Ports, handled its most valuable cargo ever, and announced a $20 million expansion made possible by earning one of only 10 “FASTLANE” small project grants awarded in the U.S. last year.

“We had a strong year in part because our world-class companies continue to drive new business through our port,” said Port Director Ian Hirt. “Going forward, we plan to build on this success and make sure this port is well positioned for the future. The continued growth of general cargo shipments managed by our partners at Federal Marine Terminals, the addition of Metro Ports taking over our bulk cargo operations and our strong labor force are all critical elements in this port’s success.”

The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor handled 2.8 million tons in 2017 completing the highest four-year total in the port’s history, a 27 percent increase over the previous four-year period. Cargoes contributing to the 2017 increase included limestone, steel-related products and heavy lift/project cargoes, such as refinery tanks, laboratory equipment and windmill components.

The most valuable shipment ever to cross the port’s dock was called “ICARUS” - the world’s largest liquid argon particle hunter - which was unloaded from an ocean vessel in July by Federal Marine Terminals (FMT). Hundreds of Twitter users followed the device via #IcarusTrip as it was shipped in two semi-truck sized containers from Switzerland to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (“Fermilab”) in Batavia, Ill. The port is a preferred hub for oversized cargoes being shipped by ocean vessels into the Midwest.

“FMT strives to meet the needs of all its customers, regardless of shipment size,” said Matthew McPhail, FMT’s vice president of sales and marketing. “Our ability to handle large-dimensional cargo is due to our safety-conscious staff, our modern equipment and the facilities the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor provides.”

In 2017, the port was awarded a $9.85 million grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation that will supplement an approximately $20 million expansion, which includes the construction of two rail yards, a new shipping berth, a truck marshalling yard, a 1,200-foot dock expansion, and a new bulk cargo terminal with multimodal connections for handling transfers between ships, barges, rail cars, and trucks.

“This expansion will allow our current companies to continue to grow and help us attract new business for our port and the Northwest Indiana economy,” Hirt said.

Source: https://www.ajot.com/news/port-of-indiana-burns-harbor-plans-for-major-growth-after-landmark-year

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PORTAGE, Ind., (February 19, 2018) - The Port of Indiana Burns Harbor welcomes a unique visitor today. Big Hope 1, a bright pink barge owned by Ceres Barge Line, makes its first appearance at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor travelling from the Tulsa Port of Catoosa up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers to reach the port. The barge's cargo - a large storage tank measuring 171 feet in length and 342,000 pounds bound for a refinery in the Midwest - is being unloaded by port stevedore Federal Marine Terminals (FMT).

Big Hope 1 has generated more than $861,000 in donations to Mary Crowley Cancer Research since its launch in 2012. The mission of Mary Crowley Cancer Research is to expand treatment options for all cancer patients through investigational vaccine, gene, and cellular therapies. Ceres Barge Line employee, Vince Schu and his wife Julie, conceived Big Hope 1 to bring cancer awareness to the shipping industry as they both have family members affected by cancer.

Big Hope 1 was built by Ceres Barge and painted pink for cancer awareness," said Vince Schu. "She launched in 2012 from Jeff Boat in Jeffersonville, Ind., after she received her pink paint, which was donated by Sherwin Williams. Since then, the barge has been traveling the inland waterways raising funds and awareness for cancer research.

"The money is used to help offset costs for patients receiving clinical testing," he added. "The name Big Hope was selected as most of the patients at Mary Crowley have some type of stage 4 cancer and this is their last hope for treatment. Mary Crowley Cancer Research creates a medicine based on patients' individual DNA and cancer type. They have made great strides and with continued support may someday find a cure."

Both FMT and the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor contributed a portion of the revenues generated by the shipment to Mary Crowley Cancer Research.

"It's an honor to have Big Hope 1 at our port," said Burns Harbor Port Director Ian Hirt. "We are proud to help promote awareness and support for this important cancer research effort."

About the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor: The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor opened in 1970 and is operated by Ports of Indiana, a statewide port authority operating three ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan. Established in 1961, the Ports of Indiana is a self-funded enterprise dedicated to growing Indiana's economy by developing and maintaining a world-class port system. Information: portsofindiana.com. Follow us on Twitter: @PortsofIndiana

Media Contact: Mehgan O'Connor, 317.232.9204, mconnor@portsofindiana.com

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By Eric Anderson

The Albany Port District Commission signed a new 10-year agreement with Federal Marine Terminals to provide longshore and other cargo handling services at the port. FMT has provided such services for the past 11 years, and the new contract, with three five-year renewal options, could see it operate there for another quarter century, port officials said.

Montreal-based FMT provides services to a dozen ports, nine in the United States, said Michel Tosini, the company's executive vice president. The length of the new contract should offer stability to the local longshore workers and shippers who use the port, he said.

Tosini said the goal at Albany is to continue to increase business, tonnage and labor hours at the port.

One concern: The impact the Trump administration might have on the shipping business. The administration is in the midst of renegotiating terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement, something that hasn't gone smoothly.* "We are concerned because we're not sure what changes (Trump) really wants," said Tosini after the Thursday morning contract signing ceremony. "Until then we can't determine what impact that will have on imports to America."

The Port of Albany's business includes a considerable amount of international shipments, from scrap metal to Asia to heavy-lift cargoes from Schenectady's General Electric power generation factory to customers in the Mideast and elsewhere.

"Will there be barriers? Tariffs? Fees? Duties? That can have a serious impact," Tosini said.

Tosini and Richard Hendrick, the port's general manager, said the port has expertise in handling such project cargoes as the power generation equipment from GE and commodities from several shippers at the port.

"We bill ourselves as a premier heavy lift and project cargo port," Hendrick said.

The Port of Albany handles wind turbine equipment for wind farms throughout the Northeast. The wind blades have grown larger, adding logistical challenges to shipping them to construction sites.

"We're moving a lot of wires underground" at the port to increase clearances, Hendrick said.

FMT will pay $200,000 a year in rent to the port commission, with additional payments for additional work that comes in.

"FMT recognizes the economic value of being here," Hendrick said.

*Correction: Mr. Tosini was not referring to NAFTA, but rather that FMT is still waiting to see what trade barriers (with Europe/ Asia), if any, the current US administration would put in place before being able to determine whether there would be any impact of import/export activities at the Port of Albany

Source: Times Union

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The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor landed a $9.85 million grant that will let it move more cargo, including more multimodal containers.

The U.S. Department of Transportation signed off on partial federal funding for a $19.7 million expansion that will boost the port's cargo handling capacity. The Indianapolis-based Ports of Indiana, a quasi-government agency that's run like an independent business, would fund the other half of the cost.

“Indiana’s ports are critical hubs for jobs and economic growth and this expansion will help our state attract even more business to Northwest Indiana,” Governor Eric Holcomb said. “This new investment will not only improve the region’s economic vitality, but also the international competitiveness of our entire state.”

The planned expansion would include a new 2.3-acre cargo terminal for transfers of multimodal containers, 4.4 miles of rail, and two new rail yards that could store 165 rail cars, accommodate a 90-car train and switch trains onto other tracks. Other projects would include the addition of 1,200 feet of usable dock space, a new 6-acre truck marshaling yard, the extension of a retaining wall on the west dock and the repaving of a dock apron.

“With these investments, companies using water to move cargo will have new options for their inbound raw materials, outbound finished products and transferring shipments between ships and barges, rail cars and trucks,” Ports of Indiana CEO Rich Cooper said. “Strategic investments in port infrastructure produce a foundation for long-term growth, bring a positive economic impact to the area and support trade throughout the state.” The work is expected to relieve congestion along port roads and increase operating efficiency for post companies, such as the stevedores Federal Marine Terminals and Metro Ports.

“I was proud to support the Ports of Indiana application, because this major federal grant will allow Burns Harbor to move forward with an expanded, increasingly-efficient operation," Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Indiana, said. "I’m looking forward to seeing these upgrades in action because we know it will bring more economic opportunities to the region and our state.”

The international deepwater port on Lake Michigan, which is home to many steel and grain companies, is coming off the highest three-year total volume of cargoes such as steel, coal, limestone, fertilizer and grain in its 47-year history, and is on pace for a near-record year so far in 2017. Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana, said the investment could help boost business even more.

“Improving infrastructure is one of the best ways we can foster growth, and our federal and state governments continue to make investments to attract new business and help existing businesses expand,” Young said. “Our ability to move raw materials and finished products is critical for economic success and this FASTLANE Grant will help our Lake Michigan port strengthen the Hoosier economy.”

The port in Portage and Burns Harbor, which handles everything from river barges to international ships that pass through the St. Lawrence Seaway into the Great Lakes, managed to secure one of just 10 FASTLANE small project grants for 2017.

“This port is an essential component of a strong and growing northwest Indiana economy and these federal funds will help improve its ability to create jobs and generate additional economic activity throughout our region and our state,” Congressman Pete Visclosky, D-Merrillville, said.

Source: http://www.nwitimes.com/

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World Direct Shipping (WDS) recently extended FMT Port Manatee's terminal and stevedoring operations agreement for an additional two years. WDS offers a weekly container service between Mexico and Florida.

FMT continues to seek higher levels of operational efficiency and security while reducing its environmental impact by continuing to invest in modern equipment. In recent months, the terminal has acquired new reach stackers, spreader bars, and additional container chassis.

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PORTAGE – ICARUS, the world’s largest liquid argon particle hunter, arrived at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor on the ocean vessel M/V Frieda earlier this week, successfully completing the maritime portion of its trip from Europe. The instrument, the size of two semi-trucks, used by particle physicists to study neutrinos, among the smallest building blocks in nature and by far the most abundant particles in the universe, will be used for some of the most advanced science experiments in the world. ICARUS’ final destination is the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in Batavia, Ill.

“The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor is a major hub for large-dimensional and mega project cargo shipments,” said Port Director Ian Hirt. “The port’s facilities and location allow companies to ship cargoes by water directly into the Midwest, which can significantly reduce the transportation costs and permitting requirements for moving large loads over the highway. Because of the experience of Federal Marine Terminals, our general cargo terminal operator, this port has developed an enviable track record for handling large cargoes and established a world-wide reputation as a port-of-choice for specialty shipments.”

ICARUS was separated into two identical pieces before being loaded onto the Frieda in Antwerp, Belgium. When the two containers, each 66-ft. long and weighing 63 tons, arrived at Burns Harbor, they were transloaded by the ship’s cranes directly onto waiting over-sized truck trailers. A neutrino detector, ICARUS’ job is to observe and record the results of neutrino collisions with particles of matter set in motion by another scientific instrument, an accelerator. By studying how neutrinos interact, scientists hope to understand more about the universe at the smallest scales. When reassembled at Fermilab and filled with 760 tons of liquid argon, ICARUS will be the world’s largest particle hunter of its kind and will also be the biggest of three neutrino detectors at the facility.

Members of the International Longshoremen’s Association unloaded the ICARUS and have been especially busy this shipping season handling over-sized cargoes. From January through May, project cargoes at the port are up more than 225 percent over the same period last year. Most of the large dimensional shipments this season have been wind tower sections, blades and other wind energy-related components from Spain and Brazil.

Since leaving Geneva, Switzerland on June 10, ICARUS’ journey has been tracked via an interactive map on Fermilab’s website, icarustrip.fnal.gov, as well as on Twitter, hashtag #IcarusTrip. The detector will depart from the port by truck and arrive at Fermilab on July 26.

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Long Beach, California-based Metro Ports is setting up shop as the new bulk terminal operator at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, and the company hopes to double cargo volumes there in the next two years.

Ports of Indiana Chief Executive Officer Rich Cooper said the presence of Metro Ports, the country’s oldest stevedoring company, could be a "game-changer" that will make the already bustling port even busier.

"We now have a world-class stevedore at the port with such a national presence — they operate on the West Coast, the East Coast and the Gulf Coast," Cooper said. "They see the same tremendous opportunity we do up here in Northwest Indiana. I think we were very successful in selecting a business partner who has a common interest with us in growing this business."

Metro Ports President Michael Ferguson said the 165-year-old company saw the Great Lakes as a potential growth market 18 months ago, and ended up choosing the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor. "We've got 27 operations around the United States, but nothing on the Great Lakes," he said. "We've got some pretty strong growth plans."

He said Metro Ports could double cargoes by increasing volumes, finding opportunities with its current client list, and bringing back shipments that once arrived at the deepwater Lake Michigan port but no longer do. The company will load and unload bulk cargoes such as steelmaking, agricultural, manufacturing, energy and construction products on the port's East Harbor.

Federal Marine Terminals serves as the stevedore on the port's West Harbor, where dock workers largely handle steel imports for the cluster of steel-processing plants based at the port that's in both Portage and Burns Harbor.

Last year, the port handled nearly 2.6 million tons of cargo, capping the highest three-year total in its 52-year history.

Metro Ports is well-positioned to bring even more cargo in because it's got a lengthy list of clients who are interested in getting products from the manufacturer to the consumer as quickly and efficiently as possible, Ferguson said. The company handles a slew of different cargoes across the country, including aggregates, potash, coke, coal, cement, fertilizer, borax, bauxite, vehicles, machinery, military hardware, steel products, wind turbine blades, yachts and project cargo.

"This is a great opportunity to add a great company that will bring greater capacity to the market," Northwest Indiana Forum President and Chief Executive Officer Heather Ennis said. "That means being able to attract more businesses, and an exciting future for the community."

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Icarus famously flew too close to the sun, but ICARUS, the world's largest liquid argon particle hunter, is safe and secure in Portage.

The ocean vessel M/V Frieda brought the massive scientific instrument, called ICARUS, from Europe to the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor last week. It's headed for the U.S. Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois, where particle physicists will use it to study neutrinos, elementary particles that help make up the universe.

"The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor is a major hub for large-dimensional and mega project cargo shipments," said Ian Hirt, port director.

"The port's facilities and location allow companies to ship cargoes by water directly into the Midwest, which can significantly reduce the transportation costs and permitting requirements for moving large loads over the highway. Because of the experience of Federal Marine Terminals, our general cargo terminal operator, this port has developed an enviable track record for handling large cargoes and established a worldwide reputation as a port-of-choice for specialty shipments."

Fermilab, the nation's premier national laboratory for particle physics and accelerator research, will use the liquid argon particle-hunter in some of the world's most advanced scientific experiments as it tries "to solve the mysteries of matter, energy, space and time for the benefit of all."

The national laboratory said on its website researchers will use the ICARUS, or Imaging Cosmic and Rare Underground Signals, detector to seek evidence of a fourth type of neutrino that scientists previously have not been able to detect.

"As neutrino detector, ICARUS' job is to observe and record the results of neutrino collisions with particles of matter set in motion by another scientific instrument, an accelerator," the Ports of Indiana said in a press release.

"By studying how neutrinos interact, scientists hope to understand more about the universe at the smallest scales. When reassembled at Fermilab and filled with 760 tons of liquid argon, ICARUS will be the world's largest particle-hunter of its kind and will also be the biggest of three neutrino detectors at the facility."

ICARUS, which is the size of two semi-trucks, had to be divided into two containers, each 66-feet long and 63 tons, as it began its journey in Geneva, Switzerland last month. It was trucked to a port at Antwerp, Belgium, where it sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, through the St. Lawrence Seaway, into Lake Michigan and onto Northwest Indiana.

The particle-hunter, which records collisions on neutrinos, will soon be loaded onto semi-trucks and is slated to arrive at Fermilab on July 26.

Its trip has been tracked at icarustrip.fnal.gov and on Twitter with the hashtag #IcarusTrip.

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Signet Maritime Corporation is currently wrapping up an important phase of a major project at the Federal Marine Terminal in Port Manatee, Florida. FMT’s attention to detail, its cargo handling experience, and the company’s safe work practices played a substantial role in the project’s success. Several thousand work hours were accumulated during the mat transport phase of the operation without incident or injury. The Assistant Manager, Subsea Business Development, Operations & Logistics, Marine • LNG • Shipbuilding & Repair sector of Signet Maritime, Captain Alexander L. Babbin, had this to say: “I would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone at Federal Marine Terminals, who we look forward to working with in the near future.”

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Long Beach, California-based Metro Ports was hired as the new bulk terminal operator at the deepwater port on Lake Michigan, replacing Lakes and River Transfer after its contract expires at the end of June. Metro Ports will load and unload bulk cargoes, including shipments of steelmaking, agricultural, manufacturing, energy and construction products.

Montreal-based Federal Marine Terminals, which has invested millions of dollars in the port over the years, will remain on as the port’s general cargo stevedore for freight such as steel and heavy equipment. Metro Ports is the country’s oldest stevedoring company, and it has a long established presence on the west, east and gulf coasts.

“We’re honored to be selected as the bulk terminal operator at the Port of Indiana,” Metro Ports President Michael Ferguson said. “We see tremendous potential here to leverage the port’s connections to ocean ships, Great Lakes vessels, river barges and multiple rail carriers, as well as the region’s powerful industrial base located within sight of downtown Chicago. Indiana was the obvious choice for us to expand our business into the Midwest and establish a Great Lakes presence. We could not have asked for a better business partner than the Ports of Indiana and are already working together with their team to develop new shipments that could significantly grow business in this region.”

Metro Ports is expected to invest in bulk terminal upgrade that increase throughput capacity at the port, which handled 2.6 million tons of cargo like steel and beer tanks last year. Get breaking news sent instantly to your inbox

“Having a 165-year-old company like Metro Ports select Indiana to launch its Great Lakes operations is a tribute to our state’s business climate and our extremely successful port system,” Ports of Indiana Chief Executive Officer Rich Cooper said. “Indiana’s robust maritime economy leverages shipping connections to domestic and international markets through the Great Lakes and the inland river systems to support 155,000 Hoosier jobs and generate $21.5 billion in annual economic activity. We’re happy to see Metro Ports recognizes tremendous economic opportunity in establishing a port terminal at the ‘Crossroads’ and ‘Cross-waterways’ of America.”

About 30 companies, like Cargill, Feralloy Processing and Carmeuse Lime & Stone, operate at the 47-year-old port in Burns Harbor and Portage. It largely receives internationally shipped industrial products like steel coil that pass through the St. Lawrence Seaway into the Great Lakes, and ships out grain to foreign markets. Source: NWI”

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Pursuing Project Cargoes

[Excerpt]

Michel Tosini, executive vice president of Federal Marine Terminals, which operates stevedoring facilities at Burns Harbor and 11 other North American ports, notes that the traditional cargo on the Great Lakes has been steel.

“For as long as the St. Lawrence Seaway has been open, steel has been the far dominant type of cargo carried. That commodity has fluctuated, especially in the last 10 or 15 years, dramatically from very high years of tonnage to very low years of tonnage. It was a conscious decision, not only from the steamship side and terminal side, to try to diversify our cargo — more so in the last 10 years. Rather than just the traditional steel cargoes, which are still there, we’ve really gone after other kinds of breakbulk and project cargoes — including a lot of wind energy components,” Tosini said.

At Burns Harbor, brewery equipment still comprises only a tiny share of general cargo — perhaps 1 percent — compared with much higher volumes of lumber and steel, grain, chemicals, fertilizers, and other major cargoes. But while brewing tanks are still a small niche at Burns Harbor, they deserve attention because of the fashionable nature of the product, and their potential for further growth.

Peacock said that craft brews seem to be “the thing,” much like wind energy equipment was a few years ago, “when so many wind farms were going up, and there weren’t enough ports to handle all the blades [and other related components]. Now, in the last two years, we’ve seen brewery” activity that mirrors that phenomenon in the world of alternative energy.

When all is said and done, the best thing about craft brews is their unique appeal as a product. “We are all beer enthusiasts,” concludes Robbins. At Triple R, “we take pride in what we do, and it is special to think that you get to help deliver a tank that brews one of your favorite styles of beer. We think of ourselves as almost an extension of the brewery, because not only do we want to deliver it; when one of their tanks is in our possession, we treat it like it’s our own.”

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Portage, IN, August 23, 2016 - Fednav Limited, the largest international bulk shipowner in Canada, today welcomes to the Port of Indiana – Burns Harbor, the Federal Caribou, one of seven new oceangoing lakers equipped with a ballast water treatment system—a first for the Great Lakes. This vessel protects the Lakes by treating its ballast water two times: by conducting an exchange in the North Atlantic, and through filtration and a chlorine disinfection treatment on the ship.

The Federal Caribou is part of a series of 16 Handysize vessels, representing an investment by Fednav of more than $400 million and designed specifically for the Great Lakes. The company is the leading international operator in the Great Lakes, has one of the most modern fleets of bulk carriers in the world, the average age being under 10 years. Of particular interest is that the Federal Caribou and its sister-ships have box-shaped holds in order to facilitate the handling of general cargo.

In April 2015, Fednav announced the signing of an agreement with JFE Engineering Corporation for the installation of ballast water treatment systems (BallastAce) on board its new ocean-going lakers. The Federal Caribou is one of those ships, and its voyage to Burns Harbor highlights the fact that Fednav is the first shipping company in the Great Lakes to treat ballast water using an onboard system. JFE is now pursuing US Coast Guard certification, with expected approval in 2017.

Other outstanding environmental characteristics of these vessels include:

• 25% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than similar vessels built less than 15 years ago
• A decrease of over 15% nitrogen oxide emissions
• A CLEAN notation from the DNV/GL classification society

At the ceremony on board the ship, Paul Pathy, President and Co-CEO of Fednav Limited and Chairman of Federal Marine Terminals noted: "This vessel confirms that the protection of the Great Lakes is a priority for Fednav and demonstrates the confidence we have in the region’s future. These ships will allow us to offer our customers in Indiana and throughout the region an unparalleled service at a higher standard.”

“We commend and congratulate Fednav for its commitment to make these long-term investments that benefit so many on the Great Lakes,” said Rich Cooper, CEO for the Ports of Indiana. “The company has always taken the Lake’s environment very seriously and being the first to outfit its newer ships with on-board ballast water treatment systems further validates just how committed it really is. We are proud to call Fednav a ‘true partner’ at our port on Lake Michigan and salute the company for their innovation and leadership in the maritime industry.”

Fednav Limited, established in 1944 is a privately owned international shipowning and operating company based in Montreal.

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The first shipment of salt at the Port of Eastport was unloaded at a much faster rate than expected, and the much anticipated inaugural use of the $10 million bulk conveyor system, after an initial glitch, went off without a hitch. "We are beyond pleased, as was the customer," says Chris Gardner, executive director of the Eastport Port Authority. "That system ran after a minor glitch for a day and a half flawlessly."

Beginning on May 31, a total of 14,452 metric tons of salt was unloaded at Eastport from the Star Zeta, which had previously unloaded about 27,000 tons in Searsport. William Massow, vice president of operations for New England Salt Company, which imported the salt from Morocco, is hoping that another shipment will be made in the fall, with perhaps 25,000 coming to Eastport and 35,000 to 40,000 tons to Searsport. The salt unloaded at Eastport was tarped and is being stored at the bulk storage pad at the port until it is sold and distributed to be used on the roads in eastern and northern Maine.

"We wanted to start with a partial vessel and see how everything works out," says Massow. "There were a few glitches, but everything since has been smooth, which is expected."

It was anticipated that the operation could take 43 hours, and it ended up being finished in 34 hours. Al Day, general manager of Federal Marine Terminals (FMT), which operates the port terminal, says it was expected that the salt would be unloaded at the rate of 300 tons an hour, and the longshoremen ended up averaging 425 tons an hour, which surprised those who were watching the operation. "I'm proud we did such a good job. Everybody put their best foot forward here," says Day of the longshoremen and FMT staff. For a product that had not been handled previously in Eastport and for the first use of the conveyor system, Day says, "They more than beat our expectations, which we find they often do for us."

Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner David Bernhardt, who watched the operation for two days, notes that the salt shipment is the first time that the conveyor system in which the state and the port authority invested has been used. The state invested $4.5 million, the federal government $2.5 million and the port authority the remainder of the funding. "It shows that the investment was the right thing to do," he says.

The commissioner says the state will continue to make investments in the port, noting the recent funding for the new port access road. Eastport is one of the three cargo ports in Maine to which the state has made a commitment. "It's important to make the investments so things like this can happen," the commissioner notes. With PotashCorp closing its Picadilly Mine near Sussex, New Brunswick, salt needs to be imported closer to where it will be used, he points out. Along with supplying salt in New Brunswick, the Picadilly Mine also provided salt for parts of eastern and northern Maine. With the closing of the mine, New England Salt has been receiving inquiries about supplying salt into New Brunswick, which could be imported through Eastport.

Bernhardt adds, "We hope to see in the near future biomass like wood chips" being exported through the port. "It will help the fiber industry in Maine, since we've lost some paper-making and biomass plants." Of the port's conveyor system, Bernhardt says, "We hope to be pushing the button more often."

Bernhardt considered the operation very successful, says Gardner. The port director notes that several days were spent fine-tuning the conveyor system beforehand and that it performed well. The belt tension on the shiploader ended up having to be adjusted, but that was fixed in 45 minutes and "the system ran flawlessly ever since."

The operation used both the conveyor system and trucks to increase the offload rate. "The faster we can do it, the better," notes Gardner. Federal Program Integrators, which is working on the new port access road, provided trucks at the beginning, and then local trucking firms were used. Gardner believes the offload rate was highly competitive and at times exceeded the rate at Searsport, which has offloaded salt from hundreds of ships, although there was an expected slowdown near the end of the Eastport operation. "We learned a lot on how we can maximize this further."

Noting that in its operations to offload salt Searsport uses trucks that have to drive a distance to the storage pile, Gardner says of Eastport's setup, "Having the bulk yard effectively right at the pier is a tremendous advantage." However, he adds, "We're not trying to take business from Searsport but to get more business for Maine. We're hoping that New England Salt can find advantages by importing it through Eastport." Gardner notes that employees at the Sprague terminal at Searsport were helpful with advice about the offloading process.

"There was a lot of angst about getting this turned on," Gardner says, referring to the conveyor system that was completed three years ago. "We thought it would be in 2015, but due to the market conditions on wood chips, it didn't happen." The salt shipment gave the port the chance to show that the system can work and is not only capable "but quite an asset to us."

Other potential customers who would use the conveyor system for exporting cargo were brought in to view the operation, and Gardner says they were pleased. "So much is to be brought out of this," he notes of salt operation. "We had a lot to prove to a lot of people. We made a lot of promises over the past two years, and we are going to make good on them."

The port director adds, "A big tip of the cap to the men and women of the longshoremen's association. At the end of the day someone has to turn it on and make it all work." While there was a steep learning curve, Gardner says, "Two or three hours into this and you would have swore we had done 100 ships. At the end of this if it wasn't for the people who work there, none of this would work."

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QUEBEC, QC--(Marketwired - May 31, 2016) - This morning Green Marine, a North American environmental certification program, unveiled its participants' environmental performance results for the year 2015 as part of the opening session of its GreenTech 2016 conference taking place at the Hilton Québec until tomorrow.

Green Marine's participants maintained an overall average of 3.2 on a 1-to-5 scale, with Level 1 indicating monitoring of regulations and Level 5 reflecting excellence and leadership. Green Marine participants are ship owners, port authorities, Seaway corporations, terminal owners and shipyard operators. To assure the program's rigour and transparency, participants must undergo an external verification every two years, and each participant's individual results are published annually. The voluntary environmental program has 12 performance indicators that address environmental issues such as air pollution emissions, greenhouse gases, aquatic invasive species, waste management and community impacts.

"Improving from an average of 2 in 2008 to 3.2 in 2015 is no small feat," says David Bolduc, Green Marine's executive director, explaining that the program has significantly augmented its criteria every year, as well as welcomed quite a number of new participants. "Ports and terminals, for instance, have a new performance indicator this year: waste management."

Performance levels are not the only thing on the rise. Green Marine's membership is also enjoying a strong upward curve! The environmental program has tripled the number of its participants since its inception in 2007. There are currently 103 participants compared to 34 when the program started nine years ago.

"This increase demonstrates that an increasing portion of the marine industry is committed to pursuing sustainable development through Green Marine," says Paul Gourdeau, who chairs Green Marine's Board of Directors and is the president of Federal Marine Terminals. Green Marine achieved a milestone in February by welcoming its 100^th participant: Port Canaveral in Florida. "This continued expansion is proof that a voluntary certification program meets a need," notes Bolduc, "and that we are making progress in the mission that we have set to advance North America's marine industry environmental excellence."

The 2015 Performance Report, containing the individual results of all of the program's participants, is available at www.green-marine.org.

Green Marine overview

Founded in 2007, Green Marine is a North American environmental certification program. The program guides a voluntary effort by the maritime industry to surpass regulatory requirements. The Green Marine program's uniqueness stems from the support it receives from environmental and governmental organizations. The more than 50 supporters contribute to shaping and revising the program.

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Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 3, 2016 – Federal Marine Terminals (FMT) announces $3.7M in investments to ensure that its terminal cargo handling facilities meet their promise to deliver higher standards in safety and efficiency, and by doing so, remain at the forefront of the industry.

These investments include $1.7M for a new crane, $1.3M in new forklifts, and $700K in other equipment and gear for 7 of its 12 terminals.

The new crane, a Kobelco CK2750G model, to be delivered this summer to the company’s terminal in the Port of Cleveland, will significantly improve production. It will feature a Tier 4 Final engine, the newest generation of motors for this type of equipment, and is expected to achieve 90% reduction of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter emissions when compared with the Tier 3 engines.

The new forklifts acquired for FMT’s Burns Harbor, Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Hamilton operations will also feature Tier 4 Final engines as well as urea-based Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) controllers, thereby achieving near-zero emissions. In addition, they will be equipped with Hyster wireless monitoring systems to ensure increased safety and efficiency. FMT aims to install the system on all forklifts owned by FMT throughout 2017–2018.

Other equipment on order for Burns Harbor, Cleveland, Eastport, Calvert, Milwaukee, and Lake Charles to improve safety and productivity include coil trays, street sweepers, side-by-side vehicles, skid steers, and rubber spray for forks and coil rams.

These $3.7M in investments will enable FMT to make strides in production while reducing emissions, thereby living up to its promise to customers to meet its commitment to respect community and environment.

FMT is also proud to announce the release of its corporate video and invites readers to view it at www.fmtcargo.com.

-30-

Contact: 
Michel Tosini, Executive Vice-President
514.878.6415 | mtosini@fedmar.com

www.fmtcargo.com

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IBJ visited the port of Milwaukee, located on Lake Michigan, and discovered that the thriving bulk and general cargo port has a distinct logistical advantage

Port Director at the Port of Milwaukee Paul Vornholt recently told IBJ that the port had a great location advantage, "We can offer two major options for routing cargo; either through the St Lawrence/Great Lakes system or the Mississippi." Vornholt formally assumed the duties of Municipal Port Director last year. He had served as Acting Port Director for the past two-and-a-half years.

The Port of Milwaukee is located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, about 75 miles north of Chicago. The Port is 1,021 nautical miles from Montreal and serves as a regional transportation and distribution centre with a primary market including the State of Wisconsin, northern and western Illinois and eastern Minnesota. The Port is also capable of cost effectively reaching Iowa, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Missouri and Indiana; and the western Canadian Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Also, as Vornholt highlights, the Port of Milwaukee is capable of serving river areas as far as the US Gulf by inland river barges. Transits cross lower Lake Michigan to the Illinois River and thence to the Mississippi River at St Louis to the US Gulf. Transit times by barge to the US Gulf average about 30 days in a combined tow, or approximately 10 days with a dedicated tow.

"The port averages around 2.5m tonnes annually," said Vornholt, "and coal has taken it to over 3m tonnes. We have some big names, such as Cargill, using the port and, as well as traditional bulk cargoes, Miller-Coors and various other brewers are headquartered in Milwaukee, we handle a diverse mix of general cargoes."

The Port of Milwaukee has devoted over 50 acres to dry bulk storage and handling facilities, including four storage domes totalling 50,000 tonnes of storage. Dry bulk handling services include storage and stock piling, direct transfer truck/rail/barge, vessel loading and unloading, packaging, palletising and processing. Kinder Morgan is the Port's bulk stevedore and handles a wide variety of dry bulk materials including salt, construction aggregates, coal, and fertilisers.

"We are doing well with project cargo at Federal Marine Terminals," said Vornholt, "Which is the Port 's general cargo stevedore and the steel they handle from Europe is very high grade." Other general cargoes handled at Milwaukee include forest products, bagged materials, heavy machinery, farm and construction machinery. The Port is well known for its heavy lift capability. Its stiff leg derrick is capable of lifting a total of 440,000 pounds at a 52ft radius. The port provides over 330,000ft2 of covered warehouse space for bulk, steel and general cargoes, including 30,000ft2 of heated space. All facilities are steel frame buildings with brick/aluminium exteriors. All general cargo piers are paved with concrete and asphalt and each is rail served. Total general cargo facility exceeds 20 acres, plus additional backup storage as needed.

"The port is investing in infrastructure including a $2.4m rail project", said Vornholt. The port is served by two railroads, the Union Pacific Railroad and the Canadian Pacific Railway. Both railroads provide direct pier delivery at all Port facilities as well as necessary switching services. The port owns and maintains 13.5 miles of rail track within the port, which connects main lines at the port property edge. "

Federal Interstate Highway System 1-94/794 leads directly into the port, assuring delay-free pickup and delivery of commodities by truck. There are exit/entrance ramps direct to Port service roads. Transits to/from the Interstate to major Port terminals take less than five minutes. Highway connections to cities within a 350-mile radius are accomplished within a few hours.

Regarding liquid bulk, the port has about 300,000 barrels of storage capacity with the capability of service by vessel, pipeline, rail and truck. Products handled include clean petroleum, heavy oils and lubes, asphalt and vegetable oils. Both US Oil and South Harbor (Tanco Terminals) are port tenants.

A full roster of distributive services can be provided at Milwaukee including but not limited to warehousing, sorting, re-cooping, de-canning, palletising and container stripping and stuffing.

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PORTAGE, Ind. – The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor opened the 2016 international shipping season today with the arrival of the M.V. Lubie, a 623-foot bulk carrier from Europe. To commemorate the first ocean vessel of the year, the captain was presented with the Port of Indiana ‘Steel Stein.

“Our port handles lakers and river barges year-round, but the first ocean vessel is always energizing for businesses and our workforce at the port,” said Port Director Rick Heimann. “The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway provide a global connection for Indiana companies to ship goods to and from world markets. Having access to this international trade route is vitally important for the U.S. and Indiana economies as well as numerous transportation and logistics jobs.”

Owned and operated by the Polsteam Shipping Co., and built in 2011, the Bahamas-flagged Lubie picked up its steel cargo in Ijmuiden, Holland, and stopped in Cleveland before coming to the Port of Indiana. Dock workers will unload over 6,600 tons of steel at the port before Captain Jacek Kurpiel and his 21 Polish crew members continue to Milwaukee to discharge the ship’s remaining cargo. The Lubie will then go to Thunder Bay in Ontario to load grain for shipment to world markets.

Port Director Heimann presented Captain Kurpiel with the ‘Steel Stein,’ which commemorates Northwest Indiana’s identity as “The Steel capital of North America.” The Port of Indiana is recognized as one of the top steel ports in the country for inbound and outbound shipments of steel and metal-related products.

The steel was unloaded by port stevedore Federal Marine Terminals with local workers from the International Longshoremen’s Assoc. and the International Union of Operating Engineers.

“The significance of the first ship arriving at the port at the start of the new shipping season is threefold,” said Brian LaRue, general manager for Federal Marine Terminals/Burns Harbor. “It represents the positive economic impact on our community, it symbolizes the enduring role of the industry and it demonstrates the commitment and collaboration of all those involved in the shipping trade. Our staff and the local longshoremen workforce are both excited about the first ship of the season and what will hopefully be a strong 2016 shipping season.”

The St. Lawrence Seaway opened its locks to ocean vessels for the 58^th international shipping season on March 21 after closing in late December. The Seaway closes for maintenance in the winter, but the Port of Indiana is open year-round handling cargoes by river barges, lake vessels, trains and trucks. The port handled 2.8 million tons of cargo in 2015, the second highest tonnage in over two decades. Following 2014’s all-time record volume, 2015 marked only the third time the port handled 2.8 million tons or more in the port’s 45-year history.

About the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor: The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor opened in 1970 and is operated by Ports of Indiana, a statewide port authority managing three ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan. Established in 1961, the Ports of Indiana is a self-funded enterprise dedicated to growing Indiana’s economy by developing and maintaining a world-class port system. Information: portsofindiana.com.

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Media contact: Rich Allen, 574.361.7597, rallen@portsofindiana.com

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Excerpt from: http://www.greatlakes-seawayreview.com/digital-dateline/#201603144
Source: Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority  

. . . The board also approved renewal of Federal Marine Terminals, Inc. (FMT) as a terminal operator for the 2016 shipping season. FMT will again lease warehouses A, 24, 26 and the maintenance shed. FMT handles primarily non-containerized steel shipments and various project cargoes.

“We are pleased to renew FMT for 2016 and plan to work aggressively with them to maximize their throughput despite ongoing headwinds in the steel and commodities markets,” Friedman said.

“ …our continued partnership with FMT sets the stage for growth and sustainability as we continue connecting Cleveland, the Great Lakes and the Midwest to the world,” said Chris Ronayne, Chair of the Port of Cleveland’s board of directors.”

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Port of Milwaukee Cargo Again Tops 2-Million Tons

2015 Was a Year of Changes at the Port

The Port of Milwaukee’s cargo numbers held their own in 2015. Milwaukee’s port again topped 2-million metric tons of cargo in a year when ports across the Great Lakes and around the world saw declines in volume. Milwaukee’s tonnage in 2015 totaled nearly 2.3-million tons, down approximately 3-hundred-thousand tons from the previous year.

Grain volume grew significantly last year, and cement tonnage moving through the Milwaukee Harbor also increased. Salt remained the top commodity handled at the Port of Milwaukee. 2015 steel volumes at the Port of Milwaukee ranked as one of the highest totals in the past decade, although down from near record levels in 2014.

“Cargo at the Port of Milwaukee is affected by world markets and local demand, and we certainly saw that last year,” Milwaukee Port Director Paul Vornholt said. “2016 begins with some uncertainty, but there is reason for optimism.”

The biggest change at the Port of Milwaukee last year was the decline in coal tonnage. With WE Energies conversion of the Valley Power Plant to natural gas, coal tonnages dropped by more than 80%.

Because Milwaukee handles a variety of cargoes, a big change in one commodity’s volume is often balanced by changes in other products.

The Port of Milwaukee is an economic entity of City government governed by the seven-member Board of Harbor Commissioners, a panel appointed by Mayor Tom Barrett and confirmed by the Common Council. It administers operations on the 467 acres that make up the Port. It promotes shipping and commerce throughout the region by providing access to domestic and international ships, rail, and over-the-road transportation. ###

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Quebec and Indiana partner on Great Lakes shipping initiative

Rick Heimann, Port Director

Portside, A Ports of Indiana Publication – 2016 Issue 1

PORTAGE, Ind. - The province of Quebec and the state of Indiana recently launched a new partnership to explore the development of increased maritime trade between the districts. Quebec is a key trading partner for the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor because the province serves as a gateway between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean.

In September, Quebec's Minister of International Affairs and Indiana's Lieutenant Governor joined officials from the Ports of Indiana and Fednav Limited at the port to announce the new initiative.

"The province of Quebec and the state of Indiana are connected by more than just water," said Indiana Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellspermann, "We share strong manufacturing sectors, robust multimodal transportation systems, and a heavy reliance on Great Lakes shipping. As two of the leading maritime economies on the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway, Quebec and Indiana represent a large part of the business activity generated by shipping in this region. We hope this maritime partnership will lead to increased opportunities for collaboration between our economies."

Since the announcement, the Port of Indiana has logged two export shipments to Quebec terminals and hosted a 20-person trade mission from Quebec which included the province’s directors of North American markets and economic affairs, and leaders from several Quebec ports and logistics companies.

This new partnership followed the recent unveiling of the Quebec Maritime Strategy, which is an ambitious plan that seeks to generate more than 30,000 jobs and $9 billion in the province's maritime industry by 2030.

"Indiana is a significant economic partner of Quebec in the Midwest, especially with respect to maritime transportation," stated Christine St-Pierre, Quebec Minister of International Relations and Francophone, during her visit to the port, "This partnership with Indiana shows that the new Quebec Maritime Strategy already has a strong, positive impact in our relations with our largest trading partner, the United States. This bodes well for the future, as Quebec's exports to the Midwest have grown by .30 percent since 2010."

The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor also shares a strong business partnership with the Quebec-based Fednav Limited, a leading Great Lakes shipping line, Fednav provides regular ocean service to the Port of Indiana and is the parent company for the port's general cargo terminal operator, Federal Marine Terminals.

Within the new initiative, Quebec and Indiana have identified short-sea shipping as a factor of regional economic development that would benefit from greater regional collaboration. Short-sea shipping is especially important because it facilitates the delivery of supplies along trade routes that have rail and highway capacity constraints and infrastructure challenges.

In Quebec, under the leadership of the Marine Industry Forum, the Quebec Short-Sea Shipping Round Table is fully engaged in the promotion and the development of short-sea shipping, acting as a hub of short-sea related information and expertise. Short-sea shipping currently accounts for 20 percent of shipping traffic in St. Lawrence River ports and its development is one of the key priorities of the Quebec Maritime Strategy.

Indiana currently handles nearly 30 million tons of cargo per year on short-sea shipping movements across the Great Lakes, predominantly consisting of iron ore for the steel mills located in Northwest Indiana.

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