Page header image of an ore ship on Lake Superior

Cargo and Trade

Global cargo. Local expertise.

The Port of Duluth-Superior is a global gateway for bulk and breakbulk cargo. Dry bulk commodities like coal, iron ore, grain and limestone have been the backbone of commerce in our region for well over a century. These bulk cargoes comprise a majority of the harbor’s commercial shipping traffic, moving through the 20 privately owned and operated docks. These docks also include a fueling depot, shipyard and tug/barge services.

The Duluth Superior Port Authority’s Clure Public Marine Terminal handles general cargo, breakbulk cargo and a variety of heavy-lift/project cargoes.

VIEW ALL PORT FACILITIES

Where Flexibility Meets Precision

Duluth-Superior is recognized as one of the most efficient, centrally located multimodal hubs in North America. Logistics experts rank it among the top 10 wind cargo transshipment ports in the U.S. and Canada. Duluth-Superior was also rated the No. 1 port in North America for overall service by the Railway Industrial Clearance Association (RICA). Additionally, Duluth Cargo Connect earned worldwide Port/Terminal Operator of the Year honors from Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International in 2019.

The Port of Duluth-Superior truly became a world port when the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway opened to deep-draft navigation in 1959. While the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway shipping season is limited to nine months, domestic shipping lanes are typically kept open for nearly 10 months with the help of tugboats and Coast Guard icebreakers.

The size of our port allows us to remain operationally flexible. The Port Authority welcomes new opportunities as markets develop along the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway for slab steel, renewable energy-related cargoes, containerization and other short-sea shipping options.

Contact Kate Ferguson, the Port Authority’s director of trade and business development, at kferguson@duluthport.com.

Delivering Commodities to the World

The cargo within the holds of vessels moving in and out of this port is the commercial lifeblood of America’s heartland. We move mountains of it every year – some 35 million short tons from nearly 800 vessels on average. Take a closer look at the commodities that move through our port.