Port officials welcomed Indiana's first international ship of 2012 this
morning with a ceremony at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, the Ports of
Indiana said.
The MV Isadora, a Polsteam vessel, traveled from Ijmuiden,
Netherlands, carrying roughly 10,000 tons of steel coils to the port.
“The first ship signifies the start of the international shipping season,”
Port Director Peter Laman said. “While we are open year-round handling Great
Lake ships and river barges, the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway and
arrival of ocean vessels really energizes business at the port, creating
jobs for the longshoremen, operating engineers, truckers and others who move
our cargoes. We are looking forward to a solid shipping season in 2012.”
The Isadora was built in 1999 in Chiba, Japan, located on Tokyo Bay.
Flagged for the Republic of Cyprus, the Isadora is manned by Capt. Z.
Iwanowski and a crew from Poland.
During a presentation aboard the ship, Laman will give Iwanowski a “Port of
Indiana” steel stein, which symbolizes the enduring steel industry that
plays such a vital role in the Northwest Indiana economy. The port is home
to 16 steel-related companies.
“Steel products remain a prominent cargo on the Great Lakes and at the Port
of Indiana-Burns Harbor,” said Michel Tosini, executive vice president of
Federal Marine Terminals, the stevedore handling the cargo. “After a major
decline in the market in 2008 and 2009, we've seen a modest increase in the
market the past couple of years. We're hopeful it will continue in 2012 and
beyond.”
The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. celebrated the opening of the 54th
annual international shipping season on March 22 and announced projections
for 2012 Seaway cargo shipments to increase 3 percent over the previous
year's figures. A recently published economic impact study, conducted by
maritime economist Dr. John Martin, showcases the significant role that the
Great Lakes/Seaway system plays in the economies of both the U.S. and
Canada: 227,000 jobs and $34 billion in annual economic activity are
supported by Seaway shipments.
The Ports of Indiana is a statewide port authority that operates a system of
three ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan. More than 60 companies
operate at Indiana's three ports. The Ports of Indiana manages approximately
2,600 acres of property along the Ohio River and Lake Michigan and has 800
acres available for future development. For more information, visit
www.portsofindiana.com
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