Because of demand, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority (CCPA) is doubling the frequency of its service between Port of Cleveland and the Port of Antwerp this year. (The ship makes one stop, near Montreal.)
A report in AP says, so far this shipping season, not only have the number of calls increased, but so has the amount of cargo. It has tripled since last year.
It was a novel concept when the CCPA came up with the idea last year. Local businesses could have their products loaded on a ship in the Port of Cleveland and send them directly to Europe.
It has been smooth sailing for the Cleveland-Europe Express (CEE).
The CEE handles an assortment of containerized cargo including scrap metal, foodstuffs, retail goods, and even machinery.
David Gutheil, the port's vice president for maritime and logistics, said vessels traveling Lake Erie and the other Great Lakes have traditionally carried non-containerized cargo. For example, they would bring in industrial items, such as steel coils from Europe and returned with grain.
He said port officials knew the potential demand for containerized shipping existed. It just had to be cultivated.