By James Heinz
Port Milwaukee reports that overall tonnage for the municipal port and adjacent private docks in the Milwaukee Harbor rose more than 5%, led by agricultural exports and cement handling, during 2020.
In a press release, dated January 19, 2021, the port said tonnage at the municipal facilities on Jones Island was down 34,610 metric tons in 2020 from 2019. Tonnage at public docks in 2020 was 2,148,200 compared to 2,182,810 in 2019. Private docks reported total tonnage of 663,808 in 2020 and 485,814 in 2019.
Total port tonnage and waterborne tonnage at private docks was 2,812,008 in 2020 up from 2,668,624 in 2019.
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Although tonnage at the port’s municipal facilities was down a little more than 1% compared to 2019, the press release said, “that tonnage finished ahead of both the five-year and ten-year averages for Port Milwaukee. Led by outbound grain shipments and construction material, private docks in the Harbor handled nearly 37% more cargo” than in 2019.
Port Director Adam Tindall-Schlicht said, “Port Milwaukee’s resilience was on full display in 2020. We overcame flooding resulting from unusually high water levels on Lake Michigan at the start of the year. We also overcame the pandemic’s sustained effect on the economy and on the Port’s essential operations. Our workforce, our partners, and our customers deserve enormous credit for this past year’s successes.”
The media statement said Port Milwaukee welcomed the following major announcements of new activity in 2020:
• Viking expedition cruises will use the port as “a major Great Lakes turnaround destination” beginning in 2022.
• Pearl Seas Cruises signed a new agreement for its long-term operations in Milwaukee.
• The Delong Co. announced plan to build a new $31 million agricultural export facility at the port.
• Michels Corp. signed a new lease to expand its marine construction operation at the port.
“2020 brought Port Milwaukee its largest new investments in decades, and, looking forward, these projects will have an ongoing, positive impact across the regional economy,” Tindall-Schlicht said.
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Photo: Preparing to unload a ship at Port Milwaukee in 2010. Credit: Dan Patrinos
James Heinz is the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society’s acquisitions director. He became interested in maritime history as a kid watching Jacques Cousteau’s adventures on TV. He was a Great Lakes wreck diver until three episodes of the bends forced him to retire from diving. He was a University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee police officer for thirty years. He regularly flies either a Cessna 152 or 172.
