Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Chairman Mario Cordero recently traveled to Cleveland to meet with executives, officials and mariners involved in endeavors in and relating to Great Lakes supply chain, port, shipping and manufacturing.
Cordero visited Cleveland Monday and Tuesday where he held meetings with the Port of Cleveland, Interlake Steamship Company, the Great Lakes’ Carriers Association and a group of shippers. Additionally, Cordero met with the crew of Great Lakes bulk carrier M/V Buffalo owned by the American Steamship Company; and visited the ArcelorMittal USA Cleveland plant.
“By the nature of the work the Commission does, much of our attention is focused on the Nation’s top 11 ports and the infrastructure and networks that support them; however, the Great Lakes ports are also important gateways playing a critical role in our economy,” Cordero said. “I am grateful to have had this opportunity to meet with individuals who are manufacturing and exporting goods from the Heartland and using Great Lakes ports.”
One issue Cordero wanted to examine during his visit was the Cleveland-Europe Express, a direct regular container service from Cleveland to Antwerp that has operated since 2014.
“It was very interesting to learn more about the container service the Port of Cleveland is offering and their efforts to expand this line of business,” Cordero said. “If international trade volumes continue to grow at the rates predicted, finding new ways to move more containers is going to be key to maintaining economic competitiveness. It will be worth monitoring the experiences the Port of Cleveland has with this service and if it becomes a reliable option for exporters to use to reach Europe and markets beyond.”