The port of Duluth has seen 306,000 freight tons of wind energy components traverse its docks in 2019 – a single-season record for the North American gateway.
The final wind energy delivery of 2019 saw BigLift Shipping’s Happy River call at the Clure Public Marine Terminal to offload 42 wind turbine tower sections, helping Duluth surpass its previous 2008 record of 302,000 freight tons of wind energy cargoes.
Duluth Cargo Connect, which was recognised as the Port/Terminal Operator of the Year at HLPFI's Heavy Lift Awards 2019, managed the unloading, storage and dispatch of the wind energy components for project sites throughout the Midwest.
“This has been a banner year for wind energy cargo and also for the Clure Public Marine Terminal and Duluth Cargo Connect,” said Deb DeLuca, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. “We have made more than USD25 million in strategic investments to the terminal over the past four years, enhancements that help support the excellent work Duluth Cargo Connect does in handling these oversize wind cargoes.”
Jonathan Lamb, president of Duluth Cargo Connect, added: “Wind energy has been an important part of our cargo portfolio, dating back to our first shipments more than a decade ago.
“As the farthest inland port in North America, we are geographically well-situated to support wind farm installations in the Upper Midwest and central Canada."
