The amount of material shipped through Port Milwaukee was down slightly in 2024, according to the port’s annual report.
Last year, the overall tonnage that passed through Port Milwaukee was 2,232,529. That’s down 5.2% from total tonnage of 2,355,343 shipped through the port in 2023.
The first cargo ship at Port Milwaukee in 2024 arrived on April 8 and the last departure was on Dec. 28, the latest departure the port has had of a vessel during an international shipping season.
The number of vessels that passed through Port Milwaukee in 2024 was 372, down 5.6% from 394 vessels in 2023, according to the report. Port Milwaukee served 236 barges, 67 American/Canadian lakers, 42 foreign cargo ships and 27 cruise ships in 2024.
The 42 foreign cargo ships that came to Port Milwaukee in 2024 carried more than 324,000 metric tons of cargo, and increase of about 70% from 2023.
The first international cargo ship of 2025 arrived at Port Milwaukee on March 30. The Singapore-flagged Patagonman arrived after unloading cargo in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. After loading Milwaukee, the ship headed to the United Kingdom.
Despite attracting 3 fewer cruise ship visits in 2024, cruise ship passenger traffic at Port Milwaukee was up 18% to 13,568, just short of the port’s all time cruise ship passenger record of 13,611 in 2022.
“Early estimates forecasted nearly 12,500 passengers visiting Milwaukee over the six-month season,” the Port Milwaukee annual report states. “It only took a handful of vessel visits to realize nearly every ship was sailing with more guests than projected, a sure sign of demand for Great Lakes cruising and a boost in tourism for the City of Milwaukee.”
In hopes of bolstering its cruise ship business, the city plans to build a new cruise ship dock. The $17 million project will create a new cruise ship dock just east of the Lake Express Ferry Terminal at 2320 S. Lincoln Memorial Drive. Construction will start this spring for the facility, which is expected to be operating next year.
The 2025 cruise ship season at Port Milwaukee will begin with the arrival of the Viking Octantis on April 28. Port Milwaukee is expecting 22 cruise vessel calls this season, with a total of 44 itineraries in Milwaukee, between late April and mid-October. There will be five companies with six vessels. Port officials estimate 11,000 global passengers will visit Milwaukee this season.
Port Milwaukee expects cruise ship activity to increase in 2026 with 18,500 passengers expected.
More articles about Port Milwaukee:
- Cruise ship passenger visits to Milwaukee up 18% in 2024
- Cruise season arrives in Milwaukee
- Port Milwaukee saw return to increasing tonnage levels in 2023
- DeLong Co. celebrates opening of $40 million export facility
