A report recently conducted by Minnesota’s Duluth Seaway Port Authority detailed the Port of Duluth-Superior’s robust fiscal impact, showing that the port generated $1.4 billion in economic activity and supported 7,881 jobs last year.
The report also determined the Port of Duluth-Superior handled 35 million short tons of cargo and generated over $504 million in total wages, salaries, and purchases of goods and services in the regional economy.
“The Port of Duluth-Superior anchors the westernmost point of this entire 2,340-mile System—a binational waterway that connects the heartland of North America to the global marketplace,” Deb DeLuca, Duluth Seaway Port Authority executive director, said. “As the largest tonnage port on the Great Lakes, we have long known the key role this port plays in the economic vitality of the entire region. Not only does this study validate that message, it also provides relevant data to share with policymakers, investors, business leaders and residents alike illustrating how indispensable our working waterfront is to job growth and economic sustainability in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.”
Cargo movement and vessel activity at the Port of Duluth-Superior also generated a total of nearly $240 million in federal/state tax revenues.
“The value of the Port of Duluth-Superior cannot be overstated,” Jason Serck, City of Superior economic development, planning and port director, said. “When you look at the number of jobs in this area related to maritime commerce, it is clear that the working waterfront drives the economies of this entire region.”