The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor handled 3.39 million tons in 2021, up nearly 50 percent from 2020 and its highest annual shipment total since it began operation in 1970. Photo provided / Ports of Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS — The Ports of Indiana handled more than 11.2 million tons of cargo in 2021, by the ports in Burns Harbor and Jeffersonville achieving their highest shipment totals to date
The state total represents a a 33.6 percent increase from 2020; and the past five years’ shipments (2017-21), including the hard-hit pandemic year of 2020, have totaled more than 58.7 million tons, setting a new five-year high for all three ports, according to the Ports of Indiana.
In comparison, the previous five years’ shipments (2012-16) totaled $49.1 million tons. In the history of Ports of Indiana, more than 259.8 million tons have now been shipped through the three Ports.
Major cargo increases in 2021 for the Ports of Indiana overall included a rebound in coal (213 percent), salt (141 percent), steel (40 percent), grain (39 percent), minerals (23 percent), oils (21 percent) and limestone (20 percent). Additional increases included coke and project cargo such as wind turbines.
“The Ports of Indiana recovered very well after a down pandemic year,” said chief executive officer Vanta Coda II.
“Burns Harbor and Jeffersonville had their best tonnage years ever thanks to our core businesses growing, a steady economy and new shipment opportunities taking advantage of our world-class infrastructure and value-add partners.”
On Lake Michigan, the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor handled 3.39 million tons in 2021, up nearly 50 percent from 2020 and its highest annual shipment total since it began operation in 1970.
The second-highest year was in 2014, and the past five years’ shipments (2017-21) totaled 13.77 million tons.
Limestone was up 92 percent from the previous year. Steel shipments continued to grow by 67 percent compared to 2020. Project cargo, including wind turbines and mega storage tanks, was down compared to its best year in 2020, but remained well above all other prior years.
“For Burns Harbor, 2021 was ripe for opportunities,” said port director Ryan McCoy. “We had several non-scheduled freight shipments that landed at just the right time. Our infrastructure was ready, and we were able to capture new projects. It was a banner year.”
The approximately $20 million Burns Harbor expansion, partly funded by a FASTLANE grant, will continue to be developed over the next few years, McCoy said.
They include new shipping berths, a truck marshaling yard, 1,200-foot expansion of a cargo dock and a new cargo terminal with multi-modal connections for handling cargo transfers between ships, barges, rail cars and trucks.
The construction of two new rail yards has already been completed, he said.
The Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville on the Ohio River handled 3.22 million tons, up 21.6 percent compared to 2020 and reached its highest annual shipment total since it began operation in 1985.
A $10 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant initiated substantial changes in Jeffersonville a few years back. The grant provided partial funding for $24 million in infrastructure enhancements that has added nearly four miles to the port’s existing 11-mile rail network.
Also on the Ohio River, the Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon handled 4.65 million tons, up 32 percent from 2020. Coal shipments were up 241 percent, especially in the third and fourth quarters, meeting export demand, yet down considerably compared to prior years. Salt (143 percent), minerals (73 percent), grain (90 percent), steel (32 percent) and fertilizer (21 percent) were also up in 2021.
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