News

Ports of Indiana shipments up 20% in 2013

Over the past year, the Ports of Indiana handled 8.3 million tons of cargo, a 20 percent increase over the previous year.  Strong shipments of coal, steel, and agricultural-related products helped drive significant increases in the annual tonnage.

Ports of Indiana CEO Rich Cooper says, “Our ports finished the year on a record pace, which does create optimism for 2014.”  After the drought of 2012, he says ag cargoes had declined but rebounded well in 2013

Steel, ag products, and coal make up over 80 percent of the shipments at the state’s three ports.

• On Lake Michigan, the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor recorded its highest annual tonnage since 2006 and second highest since 1998 by handling 2.5 million tons of cargo. The 2013 shipments were 17 percent above the 2012 total and 23 percent over the previous five-year average. There were increases in shipments of steel, fertilizer, road salt, coal and limestone.

• On the Ohio River, the Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville recorded its highest annual tonnage since 2006 at 1.6 million tons, up 19 percent from 2012, with increased shipments of grain, steel, oils and minerals. As a result of a robust 2013 harvest, the port finished with its highest fourth quarter tonnage – nearly 80 percent more than the quarterly average for the previous five years.

The Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon also finished strong in 2013 with its highest quarterly shipments ever and handled 4.2 million tons for the year – up 21 percent from 2012. Key drivers for the Ohio River port were increases in coal, grain, fertilizer, coke and minerals. The fourth quarter was the first time port shipments exceeded half a million tons in three consecutive months and was more than 50 percent higher than the average quarter in the last five years.

Add Comment

Your email address will not be published.


 

Stay Up to Date

Subscribe for our newsletter today and receive relevant news straight to your inbox!