Spliethoff’s multipurpose vessel Hudsongracht called at the port of Monroe in April, delivering a shipment of project cargo from Antwerp, Belgium.
The port of Monroe and DRM Terminal Management worked closely with its partners to offload the heavy lift and breakbulk pieces, stage them and transload the components for last mile delivery.
The port and DRM hailed the operation as proof that Monroe can be a solution for any cargo operation, having worked to position the port as a destination for international cargo. “This cargo marks the first page in the next chapter of our port’s history,” said port director Paul LaMarre III. “After nearly a decade of advocacy and planning, the port of Monroe is one step closer to establishing itself as Michigan’s premier intermodal marine terminal.”
Further developments are also in the works. The port secured funding for USD30 million of improvements, including Michigan’s Maritime Gateway, the state’s first cargo inspection facility capable of screening international maritime containers.
The Lake Erie Renewable Energy Resilience Project funded by the USDOT Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP), meanwhile, will rehabilitate existing infrastructure and construct new facilities to enhance cargo operations.
A ro-ro dock extension, funded by the Michigan Maritime and Port Facility Assistance Grant Program within the Michigan Department of Transportation, will streamline the handling of oversized, wheeled, and modular cargo.
