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Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor


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The most efficient deep-water port on the Great Lakes

The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor is located in Portage, Ind., on the south shore of Lake Michigan just 30 land miles and 18 nautical miles from Chicago.

    The port offers:

  • Year-round barge access to Midwestern markets and the Gulf of Mexico through the Inland Waterway System

  • Direct access to the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence Seaway

  • 560-acres with more than 30 tenants

  • Capacity for Great Lakes bulk carriers up to 1,000 feet in length and saltwater vessels capable of transiting the locks on the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway system

  • Service by the nation's nine class one carriers

  • Foreign Trade Zone classification

  • 12 modern shipping berths

  • Special design allowing any vessel that navigates the 27-foot draft of the St. Lawrence Seaway to dock and turn around at the port

  • Tenant services including tug, barge fleeting, railroad switching, waste disposal/sanitation, security and fire protection

  • Heavy industry, light manufacturing and warehousing businesses

  • Service for major cargoes including iron, steel, grain, chemicals, fertilizers, coal and heavy lift project cargo (up to 230 tons)

    Access

    Waterways - The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor provides ship and barge connections to the world through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, including year-round access to the Inland Waterway System, connecting the Midwest to the Gulf of Mexico. The port currently has the capability to simultaneously berth ten ships and has a 27-foot draft.

    Rail - The Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad, Norfolk Southern, CSX, and South Shore Railroad all service the port. The Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad is the largest switch carrier in the U.S. with 54 miles of main track and 266 miles of additional yard and siding track. The South Shore Line rail passenger service is the last electric interurban line in the nation and transports 3.4 million passengers annually from Chicago to as far as South Bend, Ind.

    Highway - Direct access to the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor is provided via IN-249. Along with this direct port access, four major interstates transect Northwest Indiana including I-65, I-80, I-90, I-94, offering routes to both coasts, the Gulf of Mexico and Canada. In addition, Chicago I-55 and I-57 connect Northwest Indiana with other Midwest and southern destinations.

    Air - Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, Meigs Field and Midway Airport are all easily accessible from the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor. The Gary/Chicago Airport, 14 miles away, has the second-longest runway in the Chicago metro area and serves more than 65,000 flights per year. Other regional airports include Michigan City Municipal Airport and Bannwart Airport in Michigan City, LaPorte Municipal Airport in LaPorte, Griffith-Merrillville Airport in Griffith and the Hobart Sky Ranch in Hobart.

   
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