Ports of Indiana opened its first dock in 20 years during a ceremony Sept. 5 at the Lake Michigan port.
The $6 million 500-foot dock will be used by ocean vessels, lake carriers and river barges.
“Today marks a historic day for this Region, our workers and this port,” said Ports of Indiana CEO Jody Peacock in a press release. “This is the first new dock Ports of Indiana has opened in 20 years, and it signifies our commitment to support economic growth for our state.”
The Berth 5 dock is on the northeast side of the harbor in Portage. It was partially funded by a U.S. Maritime Administration FASTLANE Grant.
“This new dock will provide critical global connections for Indiana companies and farmers as well as important jobs for local workers and their families,” Peacock said. “But the best part is, this new dock is just the beginning of our major growth plans for this port, and there is much more development to come.”
The new Berth 5 dock is one project among $77 million in upgrades to the Port of Burns Harbor. Other projects under construction include doubling capacity for trucks that use the port, increasing rail storage by 1,200%, two more docks and creating a sea cargo container terminal — a first for Indiana.
“This port is well positioned to grow business and provide critical freight solutions for a variety of industrial and transportation sectors,” said Port Director Ryan McCoy. “The combination of our outstanding workforce and top-notch infrastructure creates a sustainable competitive advantage for our customers. This new dock will help bulk cargo shippers serve the road salt, agriculture, steel and construction markets in Indiana, Michigan and the greater Chicago area.”
The new dock will allow bulk ships to quickly transfer cargo to rail cars, trucks, barges and storage facilities. Commodities that will be unloaded at the new dock will include salt, fertilizer, limestone, taconite, foundry coke and grain products.
The celebration also honored workers in honor of Labor Day.
The Ports of Indiana operates three ports, two on the Ohio River and one on Lake Michigan. It was established in 1961 as the state's port authority.
