Cargo volume exceeded 33.5 million tons at the port of Duluth-Superior for the 2019 shipping season, ranking as the port’s third-highest throughput since 2015, reports Morgan McClean.
General cargo – comprised of project cargoes, breakbulk and heavy lift pieces – led the way with a tenfold tonnage increase at the US gateway. As HLPFI reported here, the port of Duluth saw 306,000 freight tons of wind energy components traverse its docks in 2019 – a single-season record for the North American gateway.
Overall, international shipping volume through the St. Lawrence Seaway declined 6.4 percent in 2019, compared to the same period last year, said Duluth-Superior. Contributing factors included international trade conflicts, crop-hindering weather and challenging navigational conditions due to high water levels.
“Despite some headwinds, it was a solid tonnage season for the port of Duluth-Superior, and record-breaking for wind energy cargo,” said Deb DeLuca, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. “Looking ahead, we have reason for optimism in 2020, with the prospect of greater international trade certainty and more project cargo scheduled to arrive. The outlook is mostly upbeat.”
