North Star Port Magazine | FAQ | | BUSINESS COMMUNITY INFORMATION CONTACT US Port Statistics Welcome to the Great Lakes cargo capital. We move mountains of bulk material – an average of 35 million short tons each year. THE PORT OF DULUTH-SUPERIOR TRANSPORTS APPROXIMATELY 20 MILLION TONS OF IRON ORE EACH SHIPPING SEASON, MOST OF ANY NORTH AMERICAN PORT Minnesota provides 80% of the iron ore used in America's first-pour steel. MORE THAN 1 MILLION TONS OF GRAIN MOVE THROUGH THE PORT OF DULUTH-SUPERIOR EACH SEASON, MAKING IT OUR NO.1 EXPORT. Wheat from America's heartland comprises the bulk of that float, helping feed the world. Other typical grain cargoes from our port include sugar beet pulp pellets, flax and canola. Discover our complete list of commodities and the terminals that handle those materials in Duluth-Superior. LEARN MORE LET’S TALK TONNAGE The Port of Duluth-Superior’s navigation season runs from March through January, and the Duluth Seaway Port Authority creates monthly maritime tonnage reports to track what’s moving. Tonnage figures are reported in short tons. View the reports below to see monthly tonnage/vessel visit statistics, plus season-end reports. The historic tonnage figures document traces harbor statistics back to 1871 for major commodities shipped through the Port of Duluth-Superior. NAVIGATION SEASON / TONNAGE REPORTS 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 HISTORICAL TONNAGE FIGURES SINCE 1871 PORT FACTS PORT LOCATION Westernmost tip of Lake Superior, the WORLD’S LARGEST FRESHWATER LAKE (BY SURFACE AREA), and the greatest of the Great Lakes (though we might be a little biased). 2,342 MILES (3,769 KM) INLAND FROM THE ATLANTIC OCEAN; less than a week’s sailing time to arrive at North America’s furthest-inland seaport. Think of us as the Fresh Coast. 601 FEET (183 METERS) above sea level. WATERFRONT 49 MILES (79 KM) LONG with 17 miles (27 km) of dredged channels 19 SQUARE MILES (49 KM2) of water in a naturally protected harbor TONNAGE/PRINCIPAL CARGOES Approximately 35 MILLION SHORT TONS of maritime cargo annually. Principal cargoes: IRON ORE (55%), COAL (15%), LIMESTONE (10%), GRAIN (5-10%), OTHER (5-10%). Annual average of NEARLY 800 VESSEL VISITS. Primary Outbound Cargo: IRON ORE, COAL AND GRAIN. Primary Inbound Cargo: LIMESTONE, CEMENT, SALT, ENERGY-RELATED PROJECT CARGO. MAXIMUM SIZE THROUGH 15 SETS OF SEAWAY LOCKS MAXIMUM SIZE THROUGH SOO LOCKS (SAULT STE. MARIE, MICHIGAN) PORT OF DULUTH-SUPERIOR DOCKS/TERMINALS Major facilities include: 2 ORE DOCKS 1 COAL TRANSSHIPMENT TERMINAL 10 BULK TERMINALS 7 GRAIN ELEVATORS (55-MILLION-BUSHEL CAPACITY) 1 GENERAL CARGO TERMINAL/ DISTRIBUTION HUB 1 FUELING DEPOT 1 SHIPYARD W/2 DRY DOCKS RANKING BY CARGO LOADINGS* Port Ranking* (total cargo volumne) ORE NO. 1 nationally. COAL NO. 7 nationally. Largest dry bulk port in the U.S. NO. 1 Great Lakes NO. 19 nationally. *U.S Army Corps of Engineers 2018 NAVIGATION SEASON Oceangoing dates may be seasonally adjusted. GREAT LAKES TO OCEANGOING TO ABOUT LAKE SUPERIOR WORLD'S LARGEST FRESHWATER LAKE (by surface area) WATER SURFACE AREA 31,700 SQ. MI. (82,100 km2) LARGEST OF THE FIVE GREAT LAKES DEEPEST POINT 1,332 FT. (406 meters) VOLUME 3 QUADRILLION GALLONS OF WATER (i.e 3,000,000,000,000,000 gallons or 11.4 quadrillion liters) For more facts about Lake Superior, visit the Minnesota Sea Grant Website. CONTACT US 802 Garfield Avenue Duluth, MN USA 55802 Telephone: 218-727-8525 EMAIL THE PORT EXPLORE News and Updates FAQ Port Directory Harbor Lookout STAY CONNECTED