b'22American Journal ofTransportation ajot.comAsset renewal plan a capital ideaBy Brenda Silva, AJOTAsacityofMilwaukeedepart- MaritimeExportFacility(AMEF), ment,PortMilwaukeeiseligibletooperatedbytheDelongCompany, take advantage of financial resourcesInc., coming online at Port Milwau-thatareavailableforcurrentandkee in 2023, there is an opportunity future projects. One of the citys plansto bring international cargoes in, and thataddressesinfrastructuremainte- send the vessel back out loaded with nanceistheCapital AssetRenewalexports from another Port Milwaukee Plan (CARP), which will be a greattenant,whichwouldbeideal.That assetforthePortsdiversificationsituationcreatesanefficiencythat plans, according to Carter. savestimeandmoneybutrequires The Capital Asset Renewal Plancommunicationandcollaboration (CARP) is used internally as a guidebetween Port tenants.to plan capital project requests eachCarter summed up, As I learned budgetcycle.Whiletheplanlaysmore about the businesses that oper-outwhatinfrastructuremaintenanceate at and through Port Milwaukee, shouldbeaddressed,unexpecteditbecameevidenttomethatour Project cargo move at the Port Milwaukee repairsmayrequirethatwemakeconnectionwithourtenantswas adjustments from time to time. very transactional. I often say that (PLANcontinued from page 20) incuradditionalservicefeeswithCarter continued, With the planwhen our tenants do well, Port Mil-ofdiversecargothroughitsfacili- increased tonnage. for Port Milwaukee, we are focusedwaukeedoeswell.Itwouldmake ties. The largest breakbulk commod- Carter acknowledged this financialondiversifyingthecargoeshandledsensethenthatwewouldworkto ityissteel,whilethelargestbulkchallengefacedbyPortMilwaukee,andelevatingouroverallbusiness.supporttheirbusinesseshowever commodity is road salt, and salt forand how a plan focused on collabora- Currently, Port Milwaukee is heavilywe can. With that being said, Port water softening use. Other commodi- tive marketing efforts and operationaldependent on salt, as it is the commod- Milwaukeeisworkingtoshiftthe ties moving through the Port includediversity may be the key to the Portity handled in largest volume by cur- perspectiveofourrelationships cement, limestone, bottom ash, slag,becomingmorecost-effectiveandrent tenants. As we think ahead aboutwithtenantsfromalandlord-ten-and liquid bulk. Once products arrivecompetitive in the near future. the types of businesses we would likeant exchange to be more reflective atPortMilwaukee,theyaretrans- Alongwithcurrenttariffs,theto attract, we are thinking about theof a business partnership. We have portedthroughoutthecountryviapilotage fees raise the cost of doingoverall supply chain and looking forbeenworkingtounderstandtheir truck (65%) and railroad (35%), alongbusiness at Port Milwaukee and makebusinesses that are complimentary tomessaging and ideas so that we can with barges when necessary. Tonnageit harder for us to be competitive forcurrent tenants. bring them into the many rooms we statisticsshownotablegrowthfrompotential tenants. Part of our efforts toShe added, We also know thatenter through our presence there. If 2022 to 2023, with increased importscompete with other ports is in the waygrowingourbusinessmeansbeingI can carry their elevator pitch and expected to continue; however, whilewe get to know our tenants and helpcompetitive, and a big part of beingunderstandtheiraudience,Ican increased tonnage would bring moremarket their businesses in the industry.competitiveinvolveskeepingcostsspeak about their business in a way revenue for the Port, shippers would(PLANcontinued on page 23) down.WiththenewAgriculturalthat they wouldthats the goal.HWYH2O.COMW I T HOOUURR N E WAANNDDI M P R O V E DGGAATTEEWWAAYYI N C E N T I V E ,TTHHEERREE HHAASSN E V E RBBEEEENN AA BB E T T E RE T T E RT I M ETTOO SSTTAARRTT SS PP PNNHHI I P I I GGO NTTHHEE GGRREEAATT LL A K E SA K E SW I T HHHWWYY HH OO2For mmoorreeiinnffoorrmmaattiioonn::E ail [email protected]'