b'20American Journal of Transportation ajot.comNorth Americas leading iron ore export hub surging towards new peaks By Leo Ryan, AJOTOn the St. Lawrence River, look nohad virtually no impact on shipment further than the north shore Port of Sept- levels. He attributed this to what he lestowitnessanexceptionalgrowthcalledabigenterprisecultureof story fuelled by global demand for thelocal industries adapting to the health key raw material used in steel making.crisis challenges. There was no mas-North Americas leading iron ore mari- sive outbreak of the virus in company timegatewayisridingthewaveofapersonnel and no halt in production. global commodity boom that is coincid- In addition to the mining companies, ingwithmarkedly-increasingminingAluminerieAlouettehasbenefited productionintheLabradorTroughfrom an increase in output.region of Canadas Province of Quebec. Sparkingtheriseinironore MIDWEST PORTS 2021 After exceeding 33 million metricexportshavebeenRioTintoIOC, tons in 2020, we are heading for an all- Tacora, and Champion Iron at Bloom time record of 37 million tons in 2021,Lake. By May 2022, Champion plans After depositing a load of cement at port tenant LafargeHolcim, a vessel departs Port Milwaukee,predictsPierreC.Gagnon,Presidentto double production from 7.5 million which is seeking development of an intermodal container facility. andCEO. Theprevioussummitwastons to 15 million tons.34.9milliontonnesin1974.SuchaIn a related development, Labra-forecast would rank Sept-les immedi- dorMineshasannounceditsinten-Rail links keep cargo movingately behind Vancouver and Montreal. tion to re-open its Houston mine near The regions high-quality iron oreScheffervillewhichhadclosedin in and out of Midwest ports (above the 62% benchmark) is in great2013whencommoditypriceswere demand,with50%beingshippedweak.Theminesexistingreserves to Asia and 30% going to Europe toare estimated at 40 million tons.By Paul Scott Abbott, AJOT ports like Rotterdam and Port TalbotThebrightoutlookhas,infact, inWales(UK),Gagnonindicatedsparkedseveral major infrastructure Evenabsenttraditionalintermo- Milwaukees Lake Michigan port fiveduring an interview. projects. Just recently completed was a dal container activity, rail links offertimes a week and UP does so betweenWhile commodity prices can fluc- $20 million renovation and expansion of vitalconnectionsforproficientlythree and five days per week. Havingtuate regularly, spot rates in early Julyintermodal capacity at the Pointe-aux-moving cargo in and out of Midwestmultiple rail lines is part of our com- showed iron ore at US$219 a tonne Basques Terminal,aportofentryfor lake and river ports. And leadershippetitive advantage. more than double a year earlier. By latenorthbound freight and main facility for of Port Milwaukee is hoping a sought- Not surprisingly, Port MilwaukeeAugust, it had moderated to a US$167goods to and from isolated villages in afterintermodalfacilitywillfurtherhasexpressedtotheSurfaceTrans- a tonne level.Back in 2015, the spotthe Lower North Shore. And in progress, rails role in the region. portationBoarditssupportoftheprice languished at $40 a tonne. following $120 million funding support Whilebroadlydefinedintermo- merger of CP with Kansas City South- Not hiding his enthusiasm, Gagnonfor the Socit ferroviaire et portuaire de dalism is crucial to operations at suchern Railway. stated : We have recaptured our rankPointe Noire (SEPPN) announced last MidwestportsasthoseofCleve- For now, Port Milwaukee is rely- as the third-largest Canadian port, andDecember by the Quebec government, land and Indiana, it is in Milwaukeeing on the vast intermodal rail infra- more good things are on the horizon! istheexpansionoftheregionalrail-thatofficialsarespecificallyeyeingstructure of the Chicago area to meetHe stressed that COVID-19 hasways terminal installations.deployment of an intermodal containerlocaldemandsforcontainerized facilitytoprovideacost-effective,goods,includingforthebuildingof time-efficient alternative to movementthe 25-story Ascent MKE residential of boxes via coastal maritime hubs. tower, which is being ballyhooed asThe time is ripe for a reinvest- the worlds tallest mass timber struc-ment for smaller intermodal facilities,ture.Containerswithgoodsforthat including a much-needed intermodalendeavor are trucked to Port Milwau-container facility here at Port Milwau- kee from Chicagoland intermodal rail kee, given congestion issues at Easthubs, with delivery to the project site and West Coast ports and at Chicagowhen needed.area intermodal facilities, Port Mil- Also,Tindall-Schlichtseescom-waukees port director, Adam Tindall- petitive rail services furnishing essential Schlicht, told AJOT. linksforthe$31millionagriculturalSAVE SAVEShortlyafterPortMilwaukeesexport facility being built along PortTIME & MONEYintermodal container service was discon- MilwaukeesinnerharborbyThe tinued a decade ago as part of CanadianDeLong Co. Inc. The DeLong facil-Pacific Railways precision railroadingity is anticipated to be operational by initiativeimplementation,MilwaukeeApril2023,offeringwhatTindall-port executives began coordination withSchlicht termed a catalytic opportu-the Wisconsin Department of Transpor- nity for Wisconsin farmers to connect tation, as well as CP and Union Pacificwith worldwide markets. DIRECT ACCESSTRADING INBULK, BREAK BULK,SEAMLESS SUPPLY Railroad, on efforts to restore such ser- Rail cars have long served as con- INTO ALL OF NORTHOVER 50 GLOBALLIQUID & CHAIN WITH A vice through a dedicated installation. duits for grains and other exports fromAMERICA MARKETS SPECIAL CARGO CONNECTED NETWORK Our relationships with both UPMidwest ports, including the Ports of andCPremaincriticaltoourworkIndiana, where steel, potash and coalSIMPLE. atPortMilwaukee,saidTindall- are also part of the mix.Schlicht,whonotedthatCPserves(LINKScontinued on page 21) COMPETITIVE. CONNECTED.EUROPE U.S. MID-WESTTO SPECIAL CARGOTOU.S. MID-WEST ICON/BADGE NORTH AFRICASHIP WITH US TODAYCurrent rail operations at Port Milwaukee include those at the Lake Classification Yard, where rail cars are loaded, unloaded, staged and stored along 10,000 feet of track.'