The Port of Duluth-Superior experienced a significant decline in cargo shipments last year, reflecting broader economic challenges and trade disruptions. As the effects of shifting trade policies take hold, ports like Duluth-Superior are grappling with reduced volumes and altered trade routes.
In 2025, the port handled 25.3 million tons of cargo, marking a 14.6% decrease from the previous year. This volume is the lowest recorded since 1938, according to data from the Duluth Seaway Port Authority.
Trade activities with Canada and overseas partners saw a steep decline, significantly affecting overall cargo numbers. Canadian trade dropped by 41%, and overseas trade fell 30%, reaching its lowest point since the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959. Grain shipments were particularly affected, plummeting to approximately 560,000 tons, the lowest since 1890.
Iron ore, a vital component of the port’s throughput, also saw substantial reductions. The port saw a 15% drop in iron ore shipments, down to 16.5 million tons, largely due to a decrease in exports to Canada.
Kevin Beardsley, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, noted the challenges faced from the beginning of the shipping season. “Mines were being idled in the spring before we even started,” Beardsley said. “The auto industry and steelmaking industry were already in a challenging position.”
The U.S. auto industry’s struggles, exacerbated by tariffs on steel and aluminum, contributed to the hardship. The industry, heavily reliant on iron ore from Minnesota’s Iron Range, faced billions of dollars in losses. Cleveland-Cliffs idled two mines there early in the year.
In a related development, Algoma Steel in Ontario shut down its blast furnace operations due to tariffs affecting its U.S. market access. This impacted iron ore exports from Duluth-Superior, although specifics on the 2.5 million-ton drop remain uncertain.
Daniel Rust, a transportation and logistics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, emphasized the impact of trade wars. “When trade wars break out, I believe this is one of those casualties,” Rust commented.
The port also faced setbacks in grain shipping due to CHS, Inc.’s decision to close its grain terminal in Superior during 2025. Rust noted, “Once they stopped, it’s no surprise that those numbers are much lower than they would have been if CHS had continued to operate that facility.”
Coal shipments followed a downward trend, totaling 4.7 million tons, as the energy sector shifts away from coal. Jayson Hron, spokesperson for the port authority, attributed this to “changing energy trends and policies.”
Midwest Energy Resources Company announced its coal terminal’s closure in Superior, further decreasing coal handling. Since 2008, coal shipments have decreased by 75% from their peak.
Despite these challenges, the port saw growth in specific areas such as wind turbine components and break bulk cargoes. The C. Reiss Company opened a new bulk cargo terminal, and Spliethoff expanded its container shipping service, hinting at future opportunities.
Rust expressed optimism for the port’s adaptability, hoping for growth in these new ventures. “I would anticipate in years to come that the port will lean into that even more,” he stated.
