The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor is continuing its partnership with Federal Marine Terminals, the port's long-time marine terminal operating company, through 2023.
“FMT has been a vital collaborator with the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor since 1999,” Port Director Ian Hirt said in a statement. “This consolidated operating agreement underscores FMT's commitment to the greater northwest Indiana and Chicago markets.”
FMT has been handling cargoes in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River and along the East and Gulf coasts since 1960. FMT has 12 facilities in the Great Lakes, the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico.
The commodities FMT handles at Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor include steel, breakbulk cargoes, forest products and heavy lift/project cargo, including wind turbine components, massive beer tanks.
“FMT is solidifying our commitment to the port and our customers by investing in our fleet of equipment at Burns Harbor,” said Matthew McPhail, FMT's vice president of sales and marketing. “FMT has recently ordered a new crane and we are bringing in a second crane to accompany it.”
He said FMT strives to meet the needs of all its customers.
“Our ability to handle large-dimensional cargo is due to our safety-conscious staff, our modern equipment and the facilities the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor provides,” McPhail said.
Indiana's three-port system had its best year in 2018.
The Ports of Indiana, which includes the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, the Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville and the Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon, handled 14.8 million tons of cargo, a 25 percent increase from 2017 and a 21 percent increase over its previous record year in 2015.
