Ports Of Indiana-Burns Harbor Welcomes First Ocean Ship Of Year
Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor opened the shipping season earlier this month with the arrival of the mv. Jamno.
The bulk carrier sailed from the Port of Ijmuiden, Netherlands, on March 21, traveling through the St. Lawrence Seaway. It unloaded cargo at the port April 12.
Port Director Ryan McCoy presented a steel stein to Capt. Dariusz Buczek on board the Bahamas-flagged ship to celebrate the arrival of the first ocean vessel of the year. The stein commemorates northwest Indiana’s identity as the “Steel Capital of North America.”
“We look forward to the first ocean vessel in Burns Harbor as a sign that spring is upon us, and our port’s international connection to the world is now open,” McCoy said. “The arrival of ocean vessels creates jobs for our dockworkers and crane operators and access to world markets for Indiana businesses.”
Owned and operated by Polish marine line Polsteam, the Jamno is a general cargo vessel built in 2018 with a length of 656 feet and width of 78 feet. The ship delivered more than 6,200 tons of specialized steel products to Burns Harbor that will be used by local manufacturers.
The steel was unloaded by port stevedore Logistec with local workers from the International Longshoremen’s Association and the International Union of Operating Engineers.
The port handles more than 3 million tons of cargo each year, and steel-related materials represent more than 50 percent of throughput. The port handles finished steel for various manufacturers and raw materials for steel production such as limestone, coking coal and iron ore pellets.
The St. Lawrence Seaway opened March 22 for the 2024 international shipping season—the 66th year of operations on the marine superhighway. It closes during winter for routine maintenance on the system’s 15 locks. Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor is open year-round to handle cargo via river barge, lake vessels, rail and truck.
