(Green Bay, Wis.) – The Port of Green Bay saw 219,000 tons of cargo move through in September, well above the totals registered in July and August. The year-to-date totals, however, still lag behind last year (-21%) at 1.28 million tons.
On the import side, cement shipments are up 21% over last year, while foreign salt imports are up 8% with additional domestic salt shipments coming in. Coal imports are down 65% and domestic limestone is down 30% from a year ago. On the export side, an 86% year-to-date decline in foreign petroleum products is a major factor in the Port’s overall drop in tonnage.
“This is proving to be a difficult year for shipping on the Great Lakes,” said Dean Haen, Port Director. “Petroleum product shipments have fluctuated significantly and coal imports are down appreciably. With just a few more months left in the 2020 shipping season, it will certainly be a challenge for the Port to reach its goal of 2 million tons of cargo. We need to see an uptick on coal, salt and petroleum product shipments to have a chance to hit that mark.”
So far this year, 113 vessels have visited the Port of Green Bay, down from 127 at the same time in 2019. “While the number of ships moving through the Port is down, many of the ships have been able to carry more cargo due to the high water levels on the Great Lakes,” Haen added.
