Still i find the stat remarkable.  You would think it would be faster to keep it on a train to the east coast, then have open ocean to traverse rather than locks and river traffic. 

 

Then again, I bet things move a little slower at those ports than they do in Cleveland....

 

Some rail traffic out of Cleveland bound for the East Coast takes a truck to Chicago (which is a road and rail traffic nightmare) and then a train past Cleveland to the East Coast. And the ports of Newark/New York are pretty jammed. Zoom in on them in Google Earth. Most of the intermodal container rail traffic from Chicago and Cleveland goes to intermodal port facilities on the east side of I-95 from Newark Airport regardless if its on the NS-owned line (via Pittsburgh) or the CSX-owned line (via Buffalo) because they used jointly owned trackage in the vicinity of the Port of NY/NJ. CSX also has invested more than $1 billion to improve overhead clearances on its rail corridor (some of which is 180 years old) via Akron, Youngstown, Pittsburgh and Washington DC to reach either the port of Baltimore or south to Portsmouth VA.

 

The point of all this -- except for ice-up waterways in the winter -- putting containers on a ship (admittedly a small one) in Cleveland is just easier and quicker.

Still i find the stat remarkable.  You would think it would be faster to keep it on a train to the east coast, then have open ocean to traverse rather than locks and river traffic. 

 

Then again, I bet things move a little slower at those ports than they do in Cleveland....

 

Some rail traffic out of Cleveland bound for the East Coast takes a truck to Chicago (which is a road and rail traffic nightmare) and then a train past Cleveland to the East Coast. And the ports of Newark/New York are pretty jammed. Zoom in on them in Google Earth. Most of the intermodal container rail traffic from Chicago and Cleveland goes to intermodal port facilities on the east side of I-95 from Newark Airport regardless if its on the NS-owned line (via Pittsburgh) or the CSX-owned line (via Buffalo) because they used jointly owned trackage in the vicinity of the Port of NY/NJ. CSX also has invested more than $1 billion to improve overhead clearances on its rail corridor (some of which is 180 years old) via Akron, Youngstown, Pittsburgh and Washington DC to reach either the port of Baltimore or south to Portsmouth VA.

 

The point of all this -- except for ice-up waterways in the winter -- putting containers on a ship (admittedly a small one) in Cleveland is just easier and quicker.

 

Very interesting. 

 

How do the new intermodal facilities in places like Toledo that we've all read about on these forums fit in?  We really have to truck to Chicago to send it back east?

Still i find the stat remarkable.  You would think it would be faster to keep it on a train to the east coast, then have open ocean to traverse rather than locks and river traffic. 

 

Then again, I bet things move a little slower at those ports than they do in Cleveland....

 

Some rail traffic out of Cleveland bound for the East Coast takes a truck to Chicago (which is a road and rail traffic nightmare) and then a train past Cleveland to the East Coast. And the ports of Newark/New York are pretty jammed. Zoom in on them in Google Earth. Most of the intermodal container rail traffic from Chicago and Cleveland goes to intermodal port facilities on the east side of I-95 from Newark Airport regardless if its on the NS-owned line (via Pittsburgh) or the CSX-owned line (via Buffalo) because they used jointly owned trackage in the vicinity of the Port of NY/NJ. CSX also has invested more than $1 billion to improve overhead clearances on its rail corridor (some of which is 180 years old) via Akron, Youngstown, Pittsburgh and Washington DC to reach either the port of Baltimore or south to Portsmouth VA.

 

The point of all this -- except for ice-up waterways in the winter -- putting containers on a ship (admittedly a small one) in Cleveland is just easier and quicker.

 

Very interesting. 

 

How do the new intermodal facilities in places like Toledo that we've all read about on these forums fit in?  We really have to truck to Chicago to send it back east?

 

Hell, there's one in Maple Heights a literal stone's throw from my old plant....

Depends on who the carrier is. Most freight shipments are arranged by third-party "brokers" who look for the cheapest transportation options. Think of these brokers as the Expedia, Orbitz or Kayak of the freight business. Except some of these brokers have their own shipping containers. They arrange for space on trucks and trains where it is available and where the cost is least. As we know, sometimes its cheaper to book air travel from Cleveland to Atlanta by flying through Chicago O'Hare (delays, risk of lost luggage, etc) because of the volume of seats the airlines are trying to fill. But some of us hate O'Hare so we pay a little more to fly direct. Sometimes its cheaper to send an ocean-going container of product on a truck to Chicago because there's lots of them going back and forth to Chicago so not only there is there availability, but also the cost benefit of volume. And the multitude of container trains from Chicago to the Port of NY/NJ are cheaper and have more space available. And while the double-stack container train that originates in Chicago may make a stop in Cleveland at CSX's Collinwood Intermodal Yard or Norfolk Southern's Maple Heights Intermodal Yard to pick up or set out containers, there's no guarantee you get space on that train by the time it pauses in Cleveland (or if it pauses in Cleveland).

 

Here's how it works for many shipments. A company with factory or assembly plant and a product to ship 3,000 miles across the country to a port or other receiver may call a trucking company or a freight broker. If they call a trucking company, arriving at your factory/plant is a truck cab from a company like Schneider, hauling a Schneider trailer with a Schneider container on it. At the arrival end, a different Schneider truck with a different Schneider trailer but the same Schneider container shows up. The shipper/receiver has no idea that the trucking portion of the shipment was only 50-250 miles while the other 2,750+ miles was by train. They never saw the train. Things get even more interesting when a freight broker like Landstar or Hub Group is contacted. Arriving at your factory/plant is a Schneider, or Yellow or Roadway or an independent owner/operator truck hauling a trailer owned by any of the previous firms or more, but hauling a container owned or leased by Landstar (containers are owned and leased by damn near everybody). And then Landstar hauls the container filled with your product to an intermodal rail terminal where Landstar has booked space on a train. In landlocked cities, brokers try to minimize the trucking portion and maximize the rail portion to reduce costs. Even though Cleveland is on an international waterway, shipping companies treated it no differently than Columbus or Indianapolis or Denver. Interestingly, cities like Cleveland are too close to the East Coast ports to economically ship by rail but too far to ship economically by truck.

 

So most often a train originating in Chicago and destined for the East Coast isn't going to have containers added/subtracted to it at a short-distance enroute market like Cleveland. The railroads want to fill that double-stack train which is made up with a mix of articulated "well" cars (3 wells for 53-foot containers, 5 wells for 40-foot containers). A single double-stack train can accommodate 500 containers (or 1,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units), so they have a lot of room to fill. And like those last unsold seats on an airplane, the last available unsold wells on a train can be had for less, especially if you can get it loaded at Chicago which has more volume than at Cleveland (or other enroute major cities -- every metro area over 1 million population that I can think of has an intermodal truck-train transfer yard).

 

BTW, most of the intermodal containers lifted at eastern inland intermodal terminals like Cleveland are bound from/to West Coast ports. This will change with CSX's new North Baltimore facility south of Toledo on I-75 which is being built to capitalize on the widening of the Panama Canal, which will send ships away from congested West Coast ports to East Coast ports, especially Portsmouth, Norfolk, Baltimore and NY/NJ. It will also be cheaper to transport containers via ship to East Coast ports and then by rail or truck to final destinations in the eastern third of the nation where most of America's population is located than to unload at a West Coast port and ship by train across at least two-thirds of the nation.

 

Here's some interesting math. It takes at least several hundred trucks to fill one train full of containers. And it usually takes 10 trains (sometimes up to 15!) to fill one ocean-going container ship. A train usually is dispatched from a yard whether its full or not to protect schedules and the "balancing" of equipment and crews on a rail system. So if the railroads see a train schedule not filling up they may lower their price and notify brokers who will reroute shipments to fill that train. I'm not familiar enough with ocean-going shipping to know if ships leave port before they're full. But the point is that with Pacific Rim shipping soon to descend on East Coast ports with the widening of the Panama Canal makes container shipping to/from Cleveland a little more attractive.

 

Sorry for the long message.

No need to apologize!  That's why I asked. Very imformative!

 

Now how did the Port Authority, as a "public" body, get the authorization to gamble money by chartering their own ship?

Stan Bullard ‏@CrainRltywriter  6m

Container ship back in #CLE as of 5.20.2014. Liner service #Cleveland-Eur 4 real.  ICYMI:

http://youtu.be/UT7zF7AMoek 

 

pic.twitter.com/q5SN8pqYzZ

Repeat Business:

 

The Cleveland-Europe Express is looking reliable as Dutch ship returns on schedule: the Mix

 

By Robert L. Smith, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer

Email the author | Follow on Twitter

on May 22, 2014 at 7:00 AM, updated May 22, 2014 at 10:21 AM

 

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio--The appearance of the Fortunagracht on the lakefront this week did not spark the commotion and celebration of last month, when the Dutch ship heralded the start of international container shipping on the Great Lakes.

 

Soon after the 12,500-ton vessel docked in Cleveland Harbor on Monday night, longshoremen and seamen went quietly to work unloading cargo, unwatched by cameras or newspaper reporters. But executives of the Cleveland Cuyahoga County Port Authority smiled just as brightly.

 

One trip does not blaze a trail in the shipping industry. But a second voyage can win believers.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2014/05/the_cleveland-europe_express_i.html

Port of Cleveland ‏@portofcleveland  35m

Busy week at #PortCLE RT @DaveGutheil: Loading containers at @portofcleveland

 

Volumes Up for Cleveland’s New Liner Service

 

Posted by Eric Haun

Thursday, July 17, 2014, 4:17 PM

 

Cleveland Europe Express shows major increase in volume, while established maritime and development finance revenues also up substantially

 

The Port of Cleveland announced that its Cleveland-Europe Express, the dedicated monthly liner service that launched in April, had its best month to date in June. This start-up service doubled its revenues in June when compared to either April or May.

 

The Port’s traditional maritime and development finance services are also seeing increased demand and are forecasted to have a record year. Vessel calls at the Port of Cleveland are up 75% through June, another indicator that the Greater Cleveland economy continues to grow. Additionally, revenues from the Port’s financing business are forecasted to be at an all-time high. The Port has recently supported critical regional projects, such as The 9, the Flats East Bank Development and the world headquarters of American Greetings, helping to further fuel the momentum in the regional economy.

 

http://www.marinelink.com/news/clevelands-volumes-liner373185.aspx

 

 

Im not too familiar with the port, but from what I have seen it seems rather quiet down there. Not much activity. I feel like the port has far more land than what is actually needed. Is this the case or do I happen to see it when nothing is going on? Still seems like a lot of empty useless land to me.

Im not too familiar with the port, but from what I have seen it seems rather quiet down there. Not much activity. I feel like the port has far more land than what is actually needed. Is this the case or do I happen to see it when nothing is going on? Still seems like a lot of empty useless land to me.

 

Catch it when three or four ships are in port simultaneously. Plus there needs to be room to maneuver trucks and trains down there.

Volumes Up for Cleveland’s New Liner Service  :clap: :clap: :clap:

 

Cleveland Europe Express shows major increase in volume, while established maritime and development finance revenues also up substantially

 

The Port of Cleveland announced that its Cleveland-Europe Express, the dedicated monthly liner service that launched in April, had its best month to date in June. This start-up service doubled its revenues in June when compared to either April or May.

 

“The Port of Cleveland is booming and we are very encouraged by the performance of the new Cleveland-Europe Express service, which is still in its infancy,” said William D. Friedman, president and CEO. “The large increase in volume in June bodes well for the remainder of the year as we continue to offer companies and shippers throughout the interior U.S. a faster, more cost-effective and greener shipping alternative to Europe and the world.”

 

http://www.marinelink.com/news/clevelands-volumes373185.aspx

"@portofcleveland: Vessels from around the world expected this week in #CLE: http://t.co/7TlseCv4mT #PortCLE"

Port of Cleveland ‏@portofcleveland  1m

Vessels from Finland, Germany, and more expected this week at the Port of Cleveland #portCLE #CLE http://ow.ly/zW8wN

International traffic speeds up 28% @portofcleveland (via @CrainsCleveland): http://t.co/eZuCfu39Vs

International traffic speeds up 28% @portofcleveland (via @CrainsCleveland): http://t.co/eZuCfu39Vs

 

 

“The boats into Baltimore can get there from Europe in nine days; here, it's 12 days,” Brown said. “But they can sit there for as much as a week (waiting to be unloaded), and it's longer rail routes from there.”

 

 

“The boats into Baltimore can get there from Europe in nine days; here, it's 12 days,” Brown said. “But they can sit there for as much as a week (waiting to be unloaded), and it's longer rail routes from there.”

 

 

And therefore cheaper, too. I really hope this takes off. Our lake port and its interchange with inland water, rail and roadway routes is what made Cleveland a big city. And that was with mostly intra-lakes shipping. This is international shipping, which 'should' be even bigger for us -- even with a skinny seaway.

Money-losing Cleveland-Europe Express will sail more often - The Plain Dealer http://t.co/sVlCF2GDkn

The Diane Rehm Show (NPR) gave a shout out to the Cleveland-Europe Express this morning, pointing to it as an example of local economies helping themselves in spite of economic policy gridlock on a national level.  The guest who brought it up (whose name escapes me) mentioned that the Port was dredging the shipping channel deeper to accommodate ocean-going vessels.  I was under the impression that this is not actually the case, but I was wondering if anyone here could confirm it.

http://www.wkyc.com/story/news/local/northeast-ohio/2014/10/21/cleveland-port-economic-impact-more-than-lebron-and-rnc-combined/17701493/

Good news for the Great Lakes international port cities like Cleveland....

 

Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway to get $7-billion facelift

ERIC ATKINS

The Globe and Mail

Published Wednesday, Jan. 14 2015, 6:30 AM EST

Last updated Wednesday, Jan. 14 2015, 6:30 AM EST

 

One of Canada’s most important transportation and trade networks, the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway, is undergoing a transformation that will see more than $7-billion worth of investments by 2018.

 

The upgrades include new docks, locks and freighters on the 3,700-kilometre trade route that links the centre of North America to global markets.

 

The improvements come as shipping on the seaway has been soaring with cargo volumes hitting 40 million tonnes last year, the highest since the recession.

 

“I was here half a dozen years ago and the future wasn’t quite as rosy then,” said Stephen Brooks, president of the Ottawa-based Chamber of Marine Commerce.

 

MORE:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/great-lakes-st-lawrence-seaway-to-get-7-billion-facelift/article22437770/

Good news for the Great Lakes international port cities like Cleveland....

 

Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway to get $7-billion facelift

ERIC ATKINS

The Globe and Mail

Published Wednesday, Jan. 14 2015, 6:30 AM EST

Last updated Wednesday, Jan. 14 2015, 6:30 AM EST

 

One of Canada’s most important transportation and trade networks, the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway, is undergoing a transformation that will see more than $7-billion worth of investments by 2018.

 

The upgrades include new docks, locks and freighters on the 3,700-kilometre trade route that links the centre of North America to global markets.

 

The improvements come as shipping on the seaway has been soaring with cargo volumes hitting 40 million tonnes last year, the highest since the recession.

 

“I was here half a dozen years ago and the future wasn’t quite as rosy then,” said Stephen Brooks, president of the Ottawa-based Chamber of Marine Commerce.

 

MORE:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/great-lakes-st-lawrence-seaway-to-get-7-billion-facelift/article22437770/

 

This indicates confidence that New York State (actually the NYC area acting through same) has backed off on (or been thwarted in) its efforts to choke off Seaway trade through artificially tight bilge water standards.  It's huge for the whole Great Lakes region, but especially for their only container port.

^What was NYC saying re bilgewater standards? And was it to not lose business through the St. Lawrence?

http://michiganradio.org/post/new-york-state-backs-away-stricter-ballast-water-regulations

 

Any regulations that make the Great Lakes ports less competitive would necessarily benefit the east coast ports, including (perhaps especially) the Port of New York.

This indicates confidence that New York State (actually the NYC area acting through same) has backed off on (or been thwarted in) its efforts to choke off Seaway trade through artificially tight bilge water standards.  It's huge for the whole Great Lakes region, but especially for their only container port.

 

And we know what Great Lakes port that is.

 

BTW, New York state probably got some political heat from upstate interests, notable the port cities of Oswego and especially Buffalo.

I thought the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway was iced-shut?

 

Port of Cleveland ‏@portofcleveland  14m14 minutes ago

Shipped by @ROKAutomation, this rotary kiln arrived in Cleveland from Germany & was loaded to Canton on Saturday

 

I had noticed the Coast Guard doing some ice breaking in the channel to the mouth last week, but never saw a vessel in port: 

 

http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/zoom:14/centerx:-81.6945/centery:41.5125

For Immediate Release

Contact: Melisa Freilino

Port of Cleveland

216.338.3865

[email protected]

 

Port of Cleveland Board Approves Agreement to Expand Cleveland – Europe Express Liner Service

Dynamic board agenda also includes milestones in development finance and environmental stewardship

 

Cleveland, Ohio (March 31, 2015) – The Board of Directors for the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port

Authority met today and approved a dynamic agenda of items in maritime commerce, development

finance, and environmental stewardship that will produce benefits for Northeast Ohio’s economy and

citizens.

 

The Board approved a new service agreement with the Spliethoff Group to continue operating the

Cleveland – Europe Express, the only direct, scheduled maritime service from the Great Lakes to Europe.

The new agreement will double the frequency of the service and continue the momentum from 2014, the

inaugural season of the service.

 

The innovative liner service was launched last year to leverage the Port of Cleveland’s strategic location

and infrastructure to create a direct maritime link between the Midwest and global markets. Early

bookings for 2015 are robust, and a planned awareness campaign coupled with improvements to terminal

efficiency and capacity will combine with to position the liner service for an impressive shipping season.

 

“The Port’s new agreement with Spliethoff is a sure sign that the Cleveland-Europe Express is gaining

traction in the market,” said Friedman. “We already compete on transit time and cost, and now we offer

the frequency of sailings to meet the needs of the market. The Port built this service to provide Ohio

exporters with a better alternative to congested coastal ports and railroads, and now is the time for them

to start using the Ohio gateway to the world. “

 

MORE, including info on financial support for local developments:

http://www.portofcleveland.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/2015.03.31-Press-Release.pdf

BTW, note that UCI director Chris Ronayne is now the port authority board's new chairman.

^^That's awesome news.

BTW, note that UCI director Chris Ronayne is now the port authority board's new chairman.

 

Wow. That's great news. I guess it's also worth mentioning that Chris is a huge proponent of Lakefront redevelopment.

 

I just wish he was a more viable mayoral candidate.

Port is riding swell of prosperity

Cleveland dockyard to get $8 million in upgrades, including a warehouse, as cargo ship traffic increases

By JAY MILLER

April 26, 2015 4:30 AM

 

With the shipping season off to a fast start — nine vessels already have docked at the Port of Cleveland in the first two weeks of the season — the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority is gearing up for a busier cargo business this year and beyond.

 

Last Wednesday, April 22, the port authority’s board of directors approved plans for nearly $8 million in improvements on the docks, including construction of a warehouse and the purchase of cranes and other support equipment.

 

Last year at this time, seven ships had been in and out of the lakefront docks, and that was up from four in 2013.

 

“Business at the port is as strong as we have seen in many years, and we expect it to keep growing,” port authority president and CEO Will Friedman told the board.

 

MORE:

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20150426/SUB1/150429880/port-is-riding-swell-of-prosperity

That's awesome! Four international ships/month? Having such a massive economic anchor downtown could provide a ton of vitality for the Flats East Bank and any future lakefront mixed-use development. I know moving the port was desireable for some, but with it staying in place, having it succeed will help the nearby developments. Yahoo!

Ahoy Europe! Cleveland-Europe Express doubles calls @portofcleveland http://t.co/n9HJOZNdjy reports @opinfo

$31.4 million repair work on Cleveland Harbor East Breakwater underway

 

Posted 6/23/2015

Release no. 15-013

 

Contact

Andrew Kornacki

716-879-4349

[email protected]

 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Buffalo District has begun repair work to the Cleveland Harbor East Breakwater to repair the $31.4 million worth of damages caused by Superstorm Sandy, October 2012.

Repair work to the 4,275linear feet of breakwater is being completed by Great Lakes Dock & Materials L.L.C., Muskegon, MI and includes the placement of armor stone as well as 16,813 precast 8-ton dolos that began in the beginning of June.

“The Cleveland Harbor East Breakwater experienced extensive damage during Sandy because of the oversized waves and the extreme angle they were hitting the structure,” said Captain Kelly Polashenski, USACE project manager.  “Because the damage was caused by Sandy, the breakwater was eligible of funding to repair the structure using Superstorm Sandy appropriations.”

As part of the $31.4 million dollar contract, 16,813 dolosse will be cast by Anthony Allega Incorporated, located in Valley View, Ohio in forms fabricated by Lindsay Concrete Products Co., located south of Cleveland in Canal Fulton, Ohio.

 

“The Cleveland Harbor Breakwater infrastructure restoration work has proved critical to Cleveland Harbor keeping the navigation system on track for meeting the needs of the nation. Historical and ongoing effort has resulted in over $3.6 billion per year in transportation savings,” said LTC Karl Jansen, USACE Buffalo District commander. “The breakwater also contributes to flood damage protection for the City of Cleveland, valued at approximately $1 billion of regional value.”

A dolosse is a concrete block in a complex geometric structure and is being used because of their proven durability to interconnect with each other and withstand constant wave action.  Their design deflects most wave action, thus making them more difficult to dislodge.

Bulk commodities that pass through Cleveland Harbor generate $1.7 billion annually in direct revenue while supporting 15,003 direct, indirect, and induced jobs that produce over $1 billion per year in personal income.

 

http://www.lrb.usace.army.mil/Media/NewsReleases/tabid/6147/Article/601449/314-million-repair-work-on-cleveland-harbor-east-breakwater-underway.aspx

For something "so important" one would think it would have been a little sooner than nearly three years. Glad they're finally repairing the damage.

For something "so important" one would think it would have been a little sooner than nearly three years. Glad they're finally repairing the damage.

 

The fact they were able to get through the permitting so quickly and find that much funding from an agency (the corp of engineers) that's been gutted by Congress is remarkable. Our nation's infrastructure (and by extension our economy) is being flushed down the toilet by a government in stalemate. I can tell you that the series of crumbling locks and dams on the Ohio River are very jealous that our Lake Erie breakwall got money and they didn't. There are industries near Pittsburgh that are worried the river will no longer be navigable.

For something "so important" one would think it would have been a little sooner than nearly three years. Glad they're finally repairing the damage.

 

The fact they were able to get through the permitting so quickly and find that much funding from an agency (the corp of engineers) that's been gutted by Congress is remarkable. Our nation's infrastructure (and by extension our economy) is being flushed down the toilet by a government in stalemate. I can tell you that the series of crumbling locks and dams on the Ohio River are very jealous that our Lake Erie breakwall got money and they didn't. There are industries near Pittsburgh that are worried the river will no longer be navigable.

 

Well look at the names doing the work.  It's not exactly shocking.

@portofcleveland continues growth; busiest May since 2004 http://t.co/Hzc8uGETtg

Port sees spike in international shipping in 2015

July 10, 2015 UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

By JAY MILLER

 

The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority reports that international shipping tonnage is up 37% for the first half of 2015 compared with the like period of 2014.

 

More importantly, container shipping on the Cleveland-Europe Express (CEE) liner service operated by the Dutch Spliethoff Group is up over 300%.

 

“Last year, the CEE attracted mostly break-bulk cargo, but this year we are making significant inroads to the containerized cargo market,” said Port Authority president and CEO Will Friedman in a news release. “This is further proof that the service is a winner and here to stay.”

 

MORE:

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20150710/NEWS/150719974/port-sees-spike-in-international-shipping-in-2015

Port sees spike in international shipping in 2015

July 10, 2015 UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

By JAY MILLER

 

The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority reports that international shipping tonnage is up 37% for the first half of 2015 compared with the like period of 2014.

 

More importantly, container shipping on the Cleveland-Europe Express (CEE) liner service operated by the Dutch Spliethoff Group is up over 300%.

 

“Last year, the CEE attracted mostly break-bulk cargo, but this year we are making significant inroads to the containerized cargo market,” said Port Authority president and CEO Will Friedman in a news release. “This is further proof that the service is a winner and here to stay.”

 

MORE:

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20150710/NEWS/150719974/port-sees-spike-in-international-shipping-in-2015

 

Are the loads reasonably balanced in each direction?

Don't know, but Cleveland makes the national shipping news...

 

Port of #Cleveland container volume quadruples http://t.co/2gJLunemOl #shipping http://t.co/AuW8XaoKf5

Our newest blog: How @portofcleveland connects #CLE to #global #business. http://t.co/BySsvNO26R

 

Our newest blog: How @portofcleveland connects #CLE to #global #business. http://t.co/BySsvNO26R http://t.co/JyBUEYHBL0

 

"Cleveland is the closest major port on the Great Lakes for ships transiting the St. Lawrence Seaway and is within an eight-hour drive of over half of all U.S. businesses."

 

Rochester and Buffalo aren't considered major ports?

Rochester and Buffalo aren't considered major ports?

 

Not anymore. Buffalo let its port facilities go idle for everything except aggregates (stone, sand, and dry bulk cargo) at the elevators on Ganson Street by the arena. But given how crowded that area has gotten with marinas for recreational boating, I can't see how big ships can get in there anymore. On Google Earth, I don't see any aggregate piles anywhere nor any other evidence of recent transloading. South of downtown Buffalo there is one dock with a warehouse on Fuhrmann Boulevard but its inactive and streetviews suggest it's been inactive for quite some time. The waterfront just south of downtown looks like a damn ghost town.

 

The Port of Rochester is actually 8 miles downriver at the mouth of the Genessee River which isn't navigable (except for the mouth). There is only one riverside dock at the Genessee's mouth which is being redeveloped with housing, hotel and commercial uses. The rest of the docks are for recreational boating: http://www.cityofrochester.gov/portofrochester/

Rochester and Buffalo aren't considered major ports?

 

Not anymore. Buffalo let its port facilities go idle for everything except aggregates (stone, sand, and dry bulk cargo) at the elevators on Ganson Street by the arena. But given how crowded that area has gotten with marinas for recreational boating, I can't see how big ships can get in there anymore. On Google Earth, I don't see any aggregate piles anywhere nor any other evidence of recent transloading. South of downtown Buffalo there is one dock with a warehouse on Fuhrmann Boulevard but its inactive and streetviews suggest it's been inactive for quite some time. The waterfront just south of downtown looks like a damn ghost town.

 

The Port of Rochester is actually 8 miles downriver at the mouth of the Genessee River which isn't navigable (except for the mouth). There is only one riverside dock at the Genessee's mouth which is being redeveloped with housing, hotel and commercial uses. The rest of the docks are for recreational boating: http://www.cityofrochester.gov/portofrochester/

 

This would explain (further) why the state of New York apparently tried to use impractical bilgewater standards to choke off Great Lakes port traffic.

This would explain (further) why the state of New York apparently tried to use impractical bilgewater standards to choke off Great Lakes port traffic.

 

I think the railroad industry and/or trucking industry got to state government there. Those two sectors win when international shipping ultimately bound for the American and Canadian interiors is off-loaded at coastal ports. The port of Montreal is the farthest inland that the large container ships can travel before they're off-loaded onto trucks and trains. CSX gave up its Boston intermodal connections (even selling off their rail line east of Worcestor to the MBTA) in exchange for beefing up their rail line from Syracuse to Montreal. And of course CSX increased the clearances on its lines from northern Ohio to the ports of Baltimore and Portsmouth, VA to handle full-sized double-stack container trains.

 

But all of those ports are very busy and congested. So if you want to save some time and money and you don't have a huge volume of container traffic, bypass them and come to Cleveland instead.

Port of Cleveland ‏@portofcleveland  7m7 minutes ago

The Floragracht working at the Port of Cleveland today. #GlobalReach #LocalBenefits #thisisCLE

 

 

 

This would explain (further) why the state of New York apparently tried to use impractical bilgewater standards to choke off Great Lakes port traffic.

 

I think the railroad industry and/or trucking industry got to state government there. Those two sectors win when international shipping ultimately bound for the American and Canadian interiors is off-loaded at coastal ports. The port of Montreal is the farthest inland that the large container ships can travel before they're off-loaded onto trucks and trains. CSX gave up its Boston intermodal connections (even selling off their rail line east of Worcestor to the MBTA) in exchange for beefing up their rail line from Syracuse to Montreal. And of course CSX increased the clearances on its lines from northern Ohio to the ports of Baltimore and Portsmouth, VA to handle full-sized double-stack container trains.

 

But all of those ports are very busy and congested. So if you want to save some time and money and you don't have a huge volume of container traffic, bypass them and come to Cleveland instead.

 

If this continues to succeed, will it be practical to upgrade the Port's facilities to handle larger ships like in Montreal?  Or are there Seaway related constraints?

If this continues to succeed, will it be practical to upgrade the Port's facilities to handle larger ships like in Montreal?  Or are there Seaway related constraints?

 

Can't get a big ship through the Seaway and the Welland Canal.