Wisconsin Ports Look to Build on 2025 Shipping Totals

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Shipping on the Great Lakes got underway in earnest at the end of March. It’s the start of a season Port of Green Bay Director Dean Haen hopes will build on an uptick in cargo volumes late last year. “It was just not that great of a shipping season,” he said about 2025. “We had tariff concerns to start the year. We had a reduction of construction, manufacturing and ag in the area, which were reflected in the port tonnages.”

Green Bay handled about 1.6 million tons of cargo last year. That was down about 6% from the previous season. Some commodities, like road salt and wood pulp, saw late-season surges that could carry into this year.

“The port really can only see six months into the future, it seems,” Haen said. “But the fact we ended strong, and we’re starting out strong, that bodes well between here and the middle of the shipping season. The rest of the shipping season is to be determined.”

The Lake Carriers Association reports cargo totals on U.S. flagged lakes freighters were down about 9% from the 2024 season. The association reports, with the exception of salt, all commodity groups dropped. That includes products like grain, coal and iron ore.

“As we look ahead at 2026, we’re definitely hoping for an uptick, but there’s a lot of uncertainty. It’s just really hard to predict right now,” said Jayson Hron, who handles communications for the Duluth Seaway Port Authority.

“We see some signs there could possibly be a domestic steel increase, which would certainly help iron ore tonnage from the port, but beyond that it’s just a little too early to tell,” he added.

While bulk commodities face challenges, he said other cargoes are faring better. “It was another good season for the break-bulk cargos,” Hron said. “It marks our 20th anniversary of the very first shipment of wind-energy cargo that we received in the Port of Duluth-Superior. It was a strong year for wind cargos and other types of project cargos.”

Ports and carriers are also keeping an eye on lake levels, which fluctuate. Haen said the Green Bay’s port is down six to eight inches from the long-term average. “For every inch that is available, or not available, those vessels using the Port of Green Bay are carrying an extra 100 tons or not,” he said.

Spectrum News