The number of ships entering the Port of Milwaukee year-to-date through November 1 totaled 207, up from 191 for the same period a year ago. The increase is said to be attributed to higher steel imports. According to Port of Milwaukee director Eric Reinelt, purchases of specialty steel products through the port were up 50 percent over last year.
The port handled 1.9 million metric tons (mt) of cargo year-to-date through November 1, down 20.8 percent compared with 2.4 million mt handled for the same period a year ago. A 32 percent decline in shipments of one of the port's largest commodities, road-salt, was blamed for the decrease.