Study Shows Indiana’s Role in Maritime Shipping
The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor runs along the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System. (photo courtesy the Ports of Indiana.)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA new study shows Indiana is playing a key role in cargo shipping along the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System. The study, conducted by Pennsylvania-based consulting firm Marin Associates, says cargo movements on the commercial waterway have more of a job impact on Indiana than other states.
The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System spans 2,300 miles from Minnesota to the Atlantic Ocean. Along the waterway’s path is the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, which the Ports of Indiana says is one of the busiest international ports in the Great Lakes.
The Ports of Indiana says despite only covering less than 1 percent of the shoreline, Indiana accounts of more than half of the U.S. economic activity related to shipping on the Great Lakes. The study says cargo movements on the Great Lakes in 2017 supported more than 66,000 Indiana jobs, created $13.7 billion in economic activity, and generated $4.9 billion in personal income for Indiana.
The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor handled 2.8 million tons of cargo in 2017. The port is also undergoing a $20 million expansion that will double its capacity to handle bulk commodities.
The study was sponsored by the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corp., the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp., the American Great Lakes Ports Association, the Chamber of Marine Commerce, the Lake Carriers’ Association, and the Shipping Federation of Canada. You can view the study’s executive summary below and connect to the full study by clicking here.