PORT OF GREEN BAY

2018 Annual Report

Message from the Director

The Harbor Commission’s 2015 strategic plan identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and assembled them into strategic themes. From there, the strategic plan identified a few primary goals and a number of objectives to reach the agreed upon goals over a five year period. This annual report identifies work items and deliverables reflected in the strategic plan.
The Port of Green Bay consists of 14 Port businesses spanning over three miles of the Fox River. These businesses moved 2,087,391 metric tons during 2018, representing a 14 percent increase over 2017. The tonnage exceeded the 2 million mark for the first time in five years, which is considered a very good season and indicates the economy in Northeast Wisconsin remains strong. The 2018 season began with a movement of petroleum products on March 26, five days later than both the 2016 and 2017 season due to the late winter. A final shipment of petroleum products was imported on January 28, 2019, marking the end of the 2018 Port of Green Bay shipping season. The closing date of January 28, 2019 marks the latest closing date in the past 30 years and may very well be the latest closing in the history of the Port.
Major positive contributors to the 2018 season included increases in domestic imports of limestone (25%), petroleum products (13%), and coal (2%). The Port experienced foreign import increases of petroleum products (528%) and limestone (230%), domestic exports of petroleum products (151%) and foreign exports of petroleum products (16%). Growth in petroleum product movements continues to be exceptional year after year. Much of the growth can be attributed to the closure of a petroleum pipeline serving Northeast Wisconsin. The Port also saw the number of vessels increase by 8 percent to a total of 180, compared to 167 in 2017.
Decreases in tonnage were experienced in domestic imports of U.S. salt (84%) and foreign imports of salt (17%). Domestic exports of ash ceased and exports of limestone decreased (64%). The salt decreases can be attributed to a strike at a Canadian mine that reduced supply and increased demand on the U.S. salt mine. The demand resulted in some ocean-going deliveries of salt from South America. Overall, domestic imports increased by 3 percent, foreign imports by 61 percent and foreign exports by 16 percent, while domestic exports decreased by 13 percent.
Looking to 2019, the Port will continue to benefit from and enhance economic activities in the area. Cruise ships will be visiting in the summer of 2019, and the Tall Ships Festival will occur at the end of July 2019. Additionally, Brown County will be actively participating in the repurposing of the WPS Pulliam Plant property for port-related industrial property, and the End-Use Plan of Renard Island will be adopted. Stay Tuned!

Dean Haen
Port Director

Overview

The Port of Green Bay is the western-most port of Lake Michigan offering the shortest, most direct route for shipments between the Midwest and the rest of the world. The Port provides modern, state-of-the-art facilities, which have the ability to facilitate economical cargo handling and safe navigation. Nationally-known trucking lines provide overnight delivery within a 400-mile radius. Major railroads and highway infrastructure also connect the Port with America’s heartland. Waterborne transportation provides an efficient and environmentally-friendly mode of transportation.
The Port of Green Bay is a fundamental part of our local economy, our history and our lives. It plays an important role in the transportation of goods and commodities that are critical to the economic health of the region. The Port of Green Bay receives and/or sends commodities as far south as Sheboygan, Wisconsin, west to Wausau, Wisconsin, and north into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Commodities include coal, limestone, cement, salt, pig iron, fuel oil, forest products, petroleum products, liquid asphalt and many other essential commodities annually valued at over $300 million. Eight terminal operators located on the Fox River are capable of handling dry bulk commodities such as coal, cement, limestone, salt, gypsum, ash and others. Three terminal operators are capable of handling bulk liquids including tallow, petroleum products, chemicals and liquid asphalt. Three general cargo docks are capable of handling machinery, aluminum products, bagged agricultural commodities, wood pulp and other forest products. Based on the recently released 2017 economic impact study, the Port of Green Bay supports over 1,289 jobs resulting in $82 million in personal income, and a $147 million annual economic impact on Brown County. The 14 Port businesses pay over $32 million in local and state taxes.
The Port of Green Bay plays a vital role in providing Northeast Wisconsin with a natural competitive advantage for businesses to locate and prosper while paying good wages for families to live and thrive in our communities. The results illustrate the profound role the Port plays in our region and its value to both current and future businesses. It includes the direct jobs of dockworkers and ship crew members to the indirect jobs that are generated, such as equipment supplier jobs and jobs at office supply firms. Those who are directly employed use their wages, in part, to purchase goods and services in our community. In addition, businesses’ revenue is also used to hire people, purchase goods and services, and pay taxes, all adding up to make a significant contribution to our local economy.

The Port of Green Bay’s vision is to be an integral part of a healthy Northeastern Wisconsin economy and provides a critical link to national and global markets for Wisconsin enterprises.

Mission

The 2015 Port of Green Bay Strategic Plan serves as a long-range guiding document that identifies strategic issues to address, and establishes goals and objectives to strive toward. This annual report is adopted to ensure the strategic plan goals and objectives are being accomplished. The mission statement for the Port of Green Bay:
“The Port of Green Bay exists to enhance the prosperity of the people of Northeast Wisconsin by providing facilities and infrastructure able to effectively and efficiently move commodities and goods across the nation.”

Harbor Commission

The Port of Green Bay is operated by the Brown County Port & Resource Recovery Department. The Port’s aim is to promote harbor improvements and waterborne transportation resulting in economic development and employment using the safe, efficient and cost-effective waterways as transportation corridors while taking into consideration the recreational opportunities the waterfront provides.
The nine members of the Harbor Commission are appointed by the Brown County Executive and serve as an oversight committee of the Brown County Board. The Harbor Commission’s role is to develop public policy for the Port. The Harbor Commission sets policy for staff to implement that directs the commercial aspects of the harbor’s day-to-day operations.
Harbor Commission Members
Tom Klimek, President Wes Kornowske
Bryan Hyska, Vice-Pres. Ron Antonneau
Mike Vizer Bernie Erickson
Hank Wallace Tim Feldhausen
Pete Diemer

Port & Resource Recovery Department Table of Organization

Port’s Economic Impact

The Port of Green Bay is a critical link in Wisconsin’s transportation system and serves as a multi-modal distribution center connecting waterborne vessels with an extensive network of highways and railroads. The Port of Green Bay provides Northeast Wisconsin manufacturers a cost-effective way to receive raw materials from suppliers and to ship high-value finished goods to customers.
The marine shipping industry continues to be the most cost-effective method of transportation for commodities, generating employment opportunities for the region and bringing money into our communities. The Port of Green Bay is a vital component of our area economy and serves as a leading indicator of economic activity. Our strategic plan outlines new ideas and ways we can expand our reach beyond our existing markets to increase business in Northeast Wisconsin.

According to a 2017 economic impact study, the Port was responsible for:

$147 million economic impact
1,289 local jobs
$83 million in income

$9 million in state taxes
$23 million in Federal taxes
$105 million in business revenue

Port Tonnage

Port and the Environment

Waterborne transportation is the most cost-effective mode of transportation when compared to truck or rail. Per ton-mile, ships quietly move cargo farther and more efficiently than trucks or trains. Most importantly, ships move cargo more safely than trucks and trains.
Consider that a ship destined for the Port of Green Bay carrying 18,000 tons of coal from Sandusky, Ohio on Lake Erie will burn over 7,000 gallons of fuel. However, if that same amount of coal was delivered to Green Bay by rail, it would take almost 200 rail cars burning 36,000 gallons of fuel. If that same amount of coal was delivered to Green Bay by truck, an additional 700 trucks burning over 110,000 gallons of fuel would be using our already congested highways. Not only does waterborne shipping save fuel, but it also results in less pollution from fuel emissions. Using the coal example, moving the same amount of cargo by rail would result in 11 tons of emissions or 16 tons of emissions by truck. Transporting this cargo by ship would result in only one ton of emissions. With more than 150 ships entering the Port of Green Bay annually, it is quite easy to see that moving cargo by ship continues to be the “green” choice.
Waterborne transportation generates the least amount of air, ground and water pollution. Waterborne transportation offers lower fuel consumption, fewer accidents, less noise and reduces congestion on our highways. For these reasons, the Port of Green Bay has a bright future not only economically, but also environmentally, benefiting everyone.

Transportation Type	Amount of Coal	Fuel Used	Fuel Emissions
Ship	18,000 tons	7,000 gallons	1 ton
Rail	18,000 tons	36,000 gallons	11 tons
Truck	18,000 tons	110,000 gallons	16 tons

Financials

*Financials are unaudited and will be finalized by Administration in March.

*Financials are unaudited and will be finalized by Administration in March.

2018 Goals

Completed
Conduct a new Economic Impact Study for the Port of Green Bay.
Establish Oversize and Overweight Corridors in and out of the Port on both the north and south ends.
Lease all of the Bylsby Property for Port-related purposes.

In Progress
Pursue beneficial reuse of Bay Port Topsoil:
Beneficial use of Bay Port topsoil is making progress. Kurtz Bros. from Cleveland, OH was hired to review past efforts and determine how to make additional progress. Kurtz advised that a DNR work group should be created. An RFP will be developed and awarded in 2019.
Advance Renard Island End-Use Plans:
$100,000 in funding was raised from stakeholders and from a Wisconsin Coastal Management Grant to determine the end use of Renard Island. An RFP was developed and work was awarded to SmithGroup to develop a plan for the end-use of Renard Island. A 3-day Charette was held in October. The final end-use plan will be presented in 2019.
Pursue acquisition or involvement in the future WE Energies Pulliam Plant property to ensure the property is used for its highest and best use as industrial port-related property.
Research potential barge containers to and from Cleveland’s Northern Europe Liner Service and Muskegon’s Proposed Container Service.
Work toward making the Port of Green Bay a regular destination for Cruise Ships.

2019 Goals

The following list represents some of the Port’s major goals for 2019:
Pursue acquisition or involvement in the future WE Energies Pulliam Plant property to ensure the property is used for its highest and best use as industrial port-related property.
Advance potential service for barge containers to and from Cleveland’s Northern European Liner and Muskegon’s Proposed Container Service.
Advance Renard Island End-Use Plans including promotion, leasing of acreage, grants and other activities related to implementation.
Issue RFP for Engineering and Regulatory/Legislative Assistance to advance the Beneficial Reuse of Bay Port Dredged Material as topsoil.
Participate and assist with the 2019 Tall Ships Festival.
Work toward making the Port of Green Bay a regular destination for Cruise Ships.

Port of Green Bay Office
2561 South Broadway, Green Bay, WI 54304
Phone: 920-492-4950 | Fax: 920-492-4957
www.PortOfGreenBay.com

Brown County Port & Resource Recovery
2561 S. Broadway
Green Bay, WI 54304
Ph: (920) 492-4950
Fax (920) 492-4957
Email: BC_Port@co.brown.wi.us

#