Port of Toledo celebrates record aluminium tonnage with 30% growth in general cargo

Cargo through the Port of Toledo saw a slight overall decline of about 3 per cent in tonnage for 2024. However, the general cargo sector experienced a significant increase of over 30 per cent. This included a record-breaking year for aluminium, with 330,208 tonnes passing through the Toledo docks, according to Joe Cappel, the port authority's vice president of business development.

Image Source: Port of Toledo website

Record-breaking year for aluminium

Mr Cappel noted that it remains uncertain how the aluminium, which was entirely sourced from Canadian smelters, might be impacted in 2025 by President Trump's threat of tariffs on Canadian imports. He also stated that Toledo's status as a London Metals Exchange delivery point for aluminium has boosted traffic in the metal, which typically arrives via barges and ships from Canadian smelters.

"Canada is Ohio's biggest trading partner. Our economies are linked in so many ways. There will still be demand for aluminium," Joe Cappel pointed out that, in addition to impacting inbound cargoes, any retaliation to Trump's tariffs could also affect Toledo's exports.

The overall decline of 3.3 per cent last year, from 11.72 million tonnes in 2023 to 11.33 million tonnes, was primarily due to a drop in the coal and grain sectors, with bulk commodities falling by over 20 per cent and 25 per cent, respectively. In contrast, the port's general and miscellaneous cargo business, which includes mainly metals and products like sugar and specialised cargoes such as heavy machinery and industrial construction components, rose from 319,395 tonnes in 2023 to 417,269 tonnes last year.

Aluminium and other general cargoes generate higher revenue

According to the port official, aluminium and other general cargoes generate higher revenue for the port and create more jobs in loading, warehousing, and distribution to consumers. In addition to the aluminium business, the Toledo port saw its steel traffic reach nearly 68,000 tons, the highest since 2014, Mr Cappel reported.

Mr Cappel noted that he could not disclose the exact amount of ore sent to the Cliffs plant versus what was transported by rail to Cliffs' AK Steel mill in Middletown, Ohio. When the East Toledo plant reached full production in 2021, the Toledo port saw a significant increase in iron ore volume. Since then, the ore tonnage has remained relatively stable, becoming the port's heaviest tonnage commodity.

The port also finished reconstructing the dock face at the general-cargo docks, Mr Cappel said and is now exploring the possibility of expanding its land storage capacity by using property east of the current port grounds, which was once proposed for a coke works. While all the iron ore shipped to Toledo comes from domestic mines, many other commodities are transported to or from Canada.