Calling it the first step of a new partnership, officials from Indiana and Quebec, Canada, announced Tuesday the launch of a joint study that will look at opportunities to ship more products between the two regions by water, through the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway and Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor.
"Today's agreement moves the Port of Indiana into a greater role in the state's economy. This effort will benefit both Indiana and Quebec," said Indiana Lt. Gov. Sue Ellen Ellspermann, one of the speakers at a press conference held at the port's office in Burns Harbor.
Jody Peacock, vice president of the Ports of Indiana, said the Burns Harbor port currently is operating at 50 percent capacity and has plenty of room to accommodate additional ships that would come in as a result of the study.
He said one key area that would be looked at is short-sea shipping, which involves moving cargo by water over a relatively short distance, such as a shuttle across Lake Michigan.
Indiana currently handles nearly 30 millions tons of cargo per year through short-sea shipping, according to the Port of Indiana. It pointed out that short-sea shipping provides economic benefits as well as environmental advantages as it helps to reduce the number of products shipped by truck or rail.
Peacock said the study would look at the key products already being moved on the lake, such as grain and iron ore, as well as other products that they're now seeing and possible future ones.
"We're seeing craft beer tanks being moved, mostly from Europe," Peacock said.
Christine St-Pierre, Quebec's minister of International Relations and Francophonie, said Quebec and Indiana already have a great business relationship, due to maritime shipping.
"This agreement bodes well for the future. It raises the profile of maritime transportation," said St-Pierre, who pointed out the Great Lakes region is the third largest economy in the world.
Peacock said there is no time frame for the study or launch date for the next step, but said it is on the fast track.
He said the collaboration between Indiana and Quebec is the result of the work of the Conference of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers' Regional Maritime Initiative, the unveiling of the Quebec Maritime Strategy in July and the Indiana Blue Ribbon Panel on Transportation Infrastructure.