The stevedoring company, which operates at 27 US ports and has roots dating back to 1852, will take over management of the loading and unloading of shipments along the port’s East Harbor for port tenants and outside companies shipping bulk cargoes from July 1.
The stevedore handles a number of different bulk and breakbulk cargoes, such as aggregates, ro-ro, steel, wind energy and project cargo.
Commenting on the decision, Michael Ferguson, president of Metro Ports, said: “We see tremendous potential here to leverage the port’s connections to ocean ships, Great Lakes vessels, river barges and multiple rail carriers, as well as the region’s powerful industrial base located within sight of downtown Chicago.”
Rich Cooper, chief executive for the Ports of Indiana, said: “Metro Ports is recognised as a world-class stevedore and terminal operator for handling bulk commodities.
“We’re excited to partner with such a high-calibre team of professionals and are looking forward to working shoulder-to-shoulder with them to grow business at the port.”
The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, situated on the Lake Michigan shore of Indiana, opened in 1970 and is mainly concerned with steel manufacturing.
Maritime operations at the port create almost $4.9bn per year in economic activity and support over 39,000 jobs in total.
In 2016, the port handled nearly 2.6m tons of cargo, which completed the highest three-year total in its history.