The Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor started the 2023 international shipping season on a high note with the arrival of Polsteam's Isadora, a bulk carrier that sailed from Ijmuiden, Netherlands, through the St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes. To commemorate the first ocean vessel of the year, the captain was presented with the Ports of Indiana ‘Steel Stein.’
The Isadora, which is owned and operated by Polsteam and built-in 1999, picked up its steel cargo from the Netherlands before stopping in Cleveland and finally arriving at the Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor.
The trip lasted around two weeks. Upon arrival, workers from the International Longshoremen's Association and International Union of Operating Engineers will unload more than 8,350 tons of steel coils at the port. Captain Piotr Szczesniak and his 21 crew members will then continue to Milwaukee to discharge the ship's remaining cargo.
“We look forward to the first ocean vessel in Burns Harbor every year as a sign that spring is coming and our port’s international connection to the world is now open,” said port director Ryan McCoy. “Our unique deep-water terminal has tremendous capabilities for shipping everything from grain to steel to salt to wind component cargoes on ocean vessels to and from the Heartland of America and global markets.”
The Ports of Indiana 'Steel Stein' is a special recognition that honors Northwest Indiana's identity as "The Steel capital of North America." The Ports of Indiana is recognized as one of the top steel ports in the country for handling steel and metal-related products.
The St. Lawrence Seaway opened its locks to ocean vessels for the 65th international shipping season on March 22, following its closure in late December for maintenance. However, the Ports of Indiana operates year-round, handling cargoes by river barges, lake vessels, trains, and trucks.
In 2022, the port handled 3.45 million tons of cargo, which was its highest annual shipment total since it began operations in 1970.