Tom Peters 2023-02-08 11:12:51
Commercial vessels have been calling the Great Lakes Port of Milwaukee since 1835 and to this day, the Wisconsin port on Lake Michigan continues to thrive as its maritime commerce continues to grow.
The port’s history has been marked with many milestones such as the completion of the new harbor entrance, also known as the “Straight Cut” in 1857 and of course, the acquisition and development of Jones Island.
And the latest milestone is also of historic significance, the recent appointment of Jackie Q. Carter as Port Director. With her confirmation, Carter becomes the first woman and the first Black person to serve as director of what is now branded Port Milwaukee. She will also be the only Black person to serve as director of a port authority in Wisconsin.
“I’m excited about it,” she said in an interview. “I think it is probably important for my family and for the people in the community because there is a lot of talk about diversity and ethnic inclusion, so it is important we see people of all different cultures, ethnicities, and races in different industries.”
Carter continued, “I know the transportation industry, and specifically the maritime industry, is one where you don’t see a lot of folks that look like me, but we are changing that, starting now.”
Port Milwaukee, the second largest port in Wisconsin, is basically a commodities port and handles approximately 2.5 million tons of cargo annually. Served by two Class 1 railroads, Union Pacific and CP Rail, Carter says Milwaukee moves a lot of salt, steel out of Europe and project cargoes.
Agriculture products are also important to the port, and that sector is getting a boost. “We have some development happening with The DeLong Company so we could see an increase in tonnage there and see some opportunities to do business with other companies,” she said.
The DeLong Company, Inc. of Wisconsin, a major supplier of food grain corn and soybeans, is building a nearly $35-million agricultural maritime export facility on the port’s Jones Island.
DeLong previously announced the new facility will be one of the first on the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway (GLSLS) system to handle various agricultural commodities via truck, rail, and international vessel. The facility will open Wisconsin’s maritime and agricultural economies to new international markets for this and other products. The facility is expected to be fully operational by April of this year.
Carter said one of Port Milwaukee’s strengths is working with companies like DeLong, “making sure that the businesses in our region are served well and of course through the (St. Lawrence) Seaway, we have international reach. While we may be small in size, our reach might be a lot larger than one might think.”
The new port director is quick to point out that Milwaukee “is not just a commercial port. We are also recreational,” which, she says, gives the port some advantage when marketing its facilities. There are people, she suggests, who may not be interested in the commercial side but very interested in the recreational benefits of the port.
Although the cruise industry has been a part of the port for many years, it has become a growth sector in recent times.
“We had a pretty big cruise season last summer and are looking forward to growing that business,” Carter said. In 2022, the port hosted 33 ship calls bringing 15,610 passengers to Milwaukee.
The port sees a prosperous future in cruise and one of the investments Milwaukee is making is a $7.2 million upgrade of its South Shore Cruise Dock to handle the larger cruise vessels, which presently berth at commercial docks. Work is expected to begin in spring or early summer.
“We are excited about that, and we will continue to grow our relationships with our cruise partners,” she said.
While Port Milwaukee doesn’t have the big dollars to throw at the environmental issues, the port has mapped out its own strategy in working to become a “greener” port.
“We prioritize and promote as best we can,” Carter said. “One of the things we implement every year is our stewardship program, which is kind of an environmental incentive that we offer to vessel operators. So, if they work to modernize their vessels, reducing carbon emissions” or meet a requirement to be part of a greener marine community, Port Milwaukee offers those owners a reduction in dockage fees.
“Last year, we had about 18 vessels apply and approved for that program,” she noted.
Other green topics for the port going down the road could include LNG or green hydrogen storage facilities and electric dock vehicles.
All those topics are “not off the table,” says Carter, who also cautions, “with all these types of things you really must think about the amount of investment required.” If things can be done without putting financial strain on the city of Milwaukee, she says, “we are open to those conversations.”
But in the meantime, Port Milwaukee has its asset renewal plan as its top priority.
The new port director says the plan ensures “we are investing in our infrastructure, that we are in the best position to accept new business, that we can serve our present customers and grow the things that we are doing well here.”
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