b'THE UNCONTAINEDbe more efficient with flexible new developments, including theAmong the strengths is importing roadside salt, which is DeLong terminal. highly valued in the wintertime by many states of the Upper Several cruise companies now call on Milwaukee, with theMidwest.turnaround in passenger service ramping up in 2019 Tindall-Schlicht, who in June 2022 was appointed to the Building Business at Port Milwaukee Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee, said his port provides a valuable service in imports and exports There has been a very successful push to boost steel andfrom Americas heartland, the largest cities in the Upper Midwest passenger trade. and the vast expanse of south-central Canada.In 2022 Milwaukee has seen a 42 percent increase over lastWe have a strong working relationship with an array of year in European steel imports. manufacturers and ag sector customers, said Tindall-Schlicht. Furthermore in 2022, Tindall-Schlicht said, cruise shipI credit the Ports staff and stevedores for our reliable, safe, and business exploded for Milwaukee. The category isnt new:effective operations.Milwaukee has ferried passengers and vehicles on high-speedMilwaukee is a deep-water port serving Seawaymax vessels vessels to/from Muskegon, MI, for almost 20 years. (a maximum draft of 26 feet, six inches) in 16 berths. The port But in 2018, Milwaukee handled less than 1,000 passengersalso has two dedicated barge berths with drafts more than on international cruise ships. 18-feet.Several cruise companies now call on Milwaukee, with thePort Milwaukee is the northernmost Lake Michigan port turnaround in passenger service ramping up in 2019, with aapproved to serve the Mississippi River inland waterway system jump to 3,300. In 2022, Viking Cruise Lines started plying thewith direct river barge access to the Illinois River. This is a vital Great Lakes, with Milwaukee being an important hub. Betweenconnection between U.S. ports on the Gulf of Mexico and the May and October this year, the port expects to see 10,000 cruiseGreat Lakes region.visitors on Viking, Pearl Seas, and other cruise lines. Tindall-Schlicht indicates that Milwaukee is Wisconsins Next year, Milwaukee will be the terminus of a remarkablesecond-largest port, trailing only Duluth-Superior. He describes cruise embarking from Buenos Aires, Argentina, with stopsit as a consistently performing medium-sized Great Lakes port. in Antarctica and then up South Americas Pacific Coast toThe Great Lakes has 100 ports lining Canadian and U.S. shores.Panama and touring the Atlantic coast before running up the St.From 2018 to 2019, the ports tonnage grew 11 percent. Lawrence Seaway into the Great Lakes. Even through the Covid pandemic of 2019-2020, Port Resilience Milwaukees business grew five percent.Tindall-Schlicht, who grew up 10 minutes away fromIn 2020 Milwaukee enjoyed almost 2.5 million tons of cargo. the port, but worked for U.S. DOT in Washington, D.C., beforeThat volume was maintained in 2021.returning home, speaks of the importance of resilience to PortPort Milwaukee is served by two Class I railroads, the Union Milwaukee. The greatest example is the ports recovery from aPacific (UP) Railway and the Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway. once-in-a-lifetime storm which struck Jan. 10-11, 2020. StormBoth UP and CP provide direct pier delivery at all Port facilities surge across Lake Michigan pushed six feet of icy water overas well as necessary switching services daily. Port Milwaukee 70 percent of Port Milwaukee. The director indicates the portadditionally owns and maintains 14 miles of its own rail track, suffered $2 million in damage overnight. With a huge push,providing continuous service and connectivity to UP and CP.reconstruction of the port was 95% complete within two years. Port Milwaukee is 75 miles north of Chicago and 1,021 nautical miles from Montreal, Quebec with a transit time by Port Milwaukee by the Numbers water from Montreal of about 4.5 days.Milwaukee averages handling 2.5 million tons of cargo per year. The ports sweet spot is a specialty serving as a premiere distribution hub for bulk and break bulk, the director indicates.Adam Tindall-Schlicht, director of Several cruise companies now call on Milwaukee, with the Port Milwaukee turnaround in passenger service ramping up in 201911'