GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) -A very good shipping season at the Port of Green Bay continues.
Port Director Dean Haen says the port in benefiting from high water levels on the Great Lakes.
“The water is significantly higher which means ships are able to carry full payloads.
Haen says there is a 20% increase in year-to-date tonnage after 267,978 tons were moved in July (compared to the same timeframe in 2018).
That brings the year-to-date total to almost a million tons, at exactly 983,703 tons.
“We have had four consecutive years of increasing tonnage.”
Positive contributors to the increase included a 58% rise in limestone domestic imports and a 43% rise in coal domestic imports.
Foreign imports of salt and wood pulp/forest products and foreign exports of petroleum products increased by 37%, 39%, and 61% respectively.
On the other end, domestic exports of limestone, petroleum projects, and project cargo were all down compared to this time last year.
“For every inch of water that is available, a ship can carry about 100 more tons.
Haen says the port in benefiting from high water levels on the Great Lakes.
“July water levels for Lake Michigan tied a record July high from 1986. One of the results of this high water is the ability to move more cargo.”
Haen goes on to say that while the higher water is good for shipping, ports are well aware there can be downsides.
“Like everyone else on the Great Lakes, we know the high water can impact landowners and the shoreline; so we’re carefully monitoring the situation.”
He says it also means there could be more need for tug assistance and other operational concerns.
“If it could just stay average it would be good, but Mother Nature does not play that game.”
So far this year, 76 vessels have moved through the Port of Green Bay, four more than the same time last year.
