Shipping Season Impacted by COVID, October is Great for Tonnage
It’s been a wild ride for the shipping industry in the Twin Ports as the pandemic continues to impact that business.
DULUTH, Minn. – It’s been a wild ride for the shipping industry in the Twin Ports as the pandemic continues to impact that business.
While this year has been a tough season because of COVID, October had some of the best numbers the Port Authority has seen this season in terms of total tonnage.
Some highlights from this season have been grain along with wind cargo, which was above the freight record that was set last season.
The port welcomed 30 ships of wind energy cargoes this year that has come from eight different countries and four continents.
However, COVID has made its mark on the port, which is down about 28 ½% in tonnage compared to last season, and due to that, leadership from the Lake Carriers’ Association tells us some ships were pulled this year but workers didn’t lose their jobs as much as they lost more hours.
The Port Authority added the cargo leader in the port remains to be iron ore as it has been for years, despite being substantially behind what it was last season, but they have hopes it will rebound in 2021.
“The port of Duluth Superior is the Great Lakes’ top tonnage port and one of the nation’s top 20,” said Jayson Hron, the director of communication and marketing with the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. “In terms of the cargo that it moves, the crucial raw materials that we need for our everyday life, the port of Duluth Superior plays a key role in moving that so it’s a great contributor to our region’s economy and really all of North America’s economy in that regard.”
Hron adds that with regards to COVID, they hope that tonnage levels will eventually go back to normal.
“It’s really hard to predict 2021 in terms of where we’ll be when it relates to COVID and things like that but there’s certainly reason for optimism, we expect to have another strong season of cargo shipments and we have every hope that iron ore returns to normal levels in terms of demand in shipping,” said Hron.
The Soo Locks will close on January 15, 2021, and the last departure through the Lake Ontario section of the seaway has to be complete by December 31st.
