The shipping season has come to an end for the Port of Green Bay.

With a final shipment of cement on January 7, the shipping season came to an official end on January 13, 

The 2016 season started on March 21. This start date was 13 days earlier than the previous year due to the mild winter. 

The 2016 season totaled 1.8 million metric tons of cargo. This number was down about 9% from 2015.

“While the numbers didn’t quite reach the 2 million mark, being as close as they were means it was still a good season,” stated Port Director Dean Haen. “The numbers indicate that the economy in Northeast Wisconsin remains strong.”

In the 2016 season, domestic imports of petroleum products were up 1,421% and U.S. was up 40%. The big change in petroleum was due to the closing of a petroleum pipeline serving Northeast Wisconsin. 

“The most significant change resulting in those decreases, as well as the increase in domestic imports of petroleum products, can be attributed to the petroleum pipeline closure,” Haen explained. “Prior to the closure, US Venture exported diesel, gasoline and ethanol to other markets. With the closure of the pipeline, the exports flipped to imports to meet the demand for petroleum products.”

Haen says he expects increases in limestone and petroleum products, and decreases in coal and cement due to the low cost of natural gas and the completion of the Interstate 41 project.