Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor welcomed its first ocean vessel of the year by presenting its captain with the “steel stein.”
Polsteam’s Isadora, a bulk carrier from Ijmuiden, Netherlands, arrived via the St. Lawrence Seaway to the Great Lakes. It stopped off in Cleveland first before arriving in Burns Harbor, about a two-week voyage.
The ship, which was built in 1999, brought 8,350 tons of steal coils that workers from the International Longshoremen's Association and International Union of Operating Engineers will unload.
“We look forward to the first ocean vessel in Burns Harbor every year as a sign that spring is coming, and our port's international connection to the world is now open,” said Ryan McCoy, port director, in a press release.
The stein represents Northwest Indiana's reputation as the “steel capital of North America.”
Capt. Piotr Szczesniak and his 21 crew members will continue on to Milwaukee to deliver the rest of the ship’s cargo.
The St. Lawrence Seaway, which closes for maintenance in the winter, officially reopened its locks to ocean vessels for the 65th international shipping season March 22. The port at Burns Harbor remains open year round.
In 2022, the Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor handled 3.45 million tons of cargo, the largest amount since it opened in 1970.
