Duluth Cargo Connect combines heavy-lift strength, inland access and a can-do approach to handle everything from routine breakbulk to complex, high-value project cargo, keeping shipments on schedule and supply chains moving forward.
Breakbulk
Delivering flexibility, precision and experience, we handle cargo of all shapes and sizes using heavy-lift docks and specialized equipment, six Seawaymax berths and skilled stevedores who manage complex loads safely and efficiently.
Our general cargo portfolio commonly includes:
- Steel products: coils, bars, beams, pipes and plate
- Forestry products and paper-related cargo
- Machinery and equipment for mining, manufacturing, agriculture and industry
- Vehicles and rolling stock/ro-ro cargo
- Bagged minerals and other commodities
- Consumer goods for import and export
Project Cargo
Project cargo requires more than capacity—it requires expert coordination. Duluth Cargo Connect specializes in managing complex, time-sensitive, dimensional freight moves for large-scale installations, providing end-to-end handling that supports tight schedules and high-value components. Our facilities are purpose-built for handling the high, wide and heavy, and our hinterland rail and road clearances are award-winning.
Our project cargo portfolio commonly includes:
- Mining sector, energy sector and various manufacturing components
- Papermaking and manufacturing equipment
- Wind energy and power generation pieces
- Major infrastructure and construction components
- Pipe for various projects
- Multi-piece shipments requiring sequencing and staging
- Cargo with strict delivery windows or routing constraints
Heavy-Lift
We’ve been handling the Great Lakes’ heaviest cargo since 1959. Our infrastructure is engineered specifically for overdimensional and overweight freight, with heavy-lift docks, on-dock rail rated at 2,000 lbs/sq. ft.9.8 tonnes/sq. meter and 90 kips per axle40.8 metric tonnes per axle, plus on-site lifting capacity that includes twin 90-ton81.6 mt gantry cranes (120-ton≈108.9 mt tandem lift) and a 300-ton≈272.1 mt mobile crane.
Additional heavy-lift equipment is available based on project need. Duluth also offers the added advantage of new rail and highway infrastructure purpose-built for smoothly transporting dimensional cargo from our docks to North American hinterland markets.
Our heavy-lift cargo portfolio commonly includes:
- Oversized industrial machinery and components
- Large transformers and power-generation units
- Overweight cargo exceeding standard limits
- Cargo requiring engineered lifts or specialized rigging
Containers
As the westernmost container-handling port on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, Duluth offers a strategic inland alternative to coastal gateways. Our dedicated container terminal and on-site U.S. Customs inspection services enable efficient intermodal transfers between vessel, rail and truck.
Our container cargo portfolio commonly includes:
- Project-related containerized components
- Agricultural and processed food products
- Manufacturing inputs, machinery and finished goods
Bulk
Breakbulk is our focus, but we also provide bulk cargo solutions as needed. Duluth Cargo Connect provides a proven inland gateway for bulk commodities, with direct vessel-to-rail and vessel-to-truck transfers. Our creative solutions help shippers move large volumes of material smoothly, predictably and cost-effectively. We can also connect you with bulk-focused terminals throughout the Port of Duluth-Superior. Click here to learn more.
We’re built to do the heavy lifting for you.
No matter the cargo type, we deliver the goods. We’re built to handle your heaviest lifts and high-value cargoes with unmatched experience, purpose-built infrastructure and a can-do attitude for solving complex logistics challenges. From routine shipments to emerging-market opportunities, we design tailored supply chain solutions that help our customers succeed.