
Port Milwaukee is a strategically located multimodal shipping hub on the western shore of Lake Michigan. Approximately 75 miles north of Chicago, it serves as a regional transportation and distribution center, connecting Wisconsin, northern Illinois (including Chicago), eastern Minnesota, and extending service to the Midwest and western Canadian provinces. The port is an integral component of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway system, positioned 1,021 nautical miles from Montreal and offering a unique blend of flexibility for vessels and cargo throughout the inland waterway system. Port Milwaukee comprises 16 commercial berths and two barge berths, with capacity for Seaway-drafted vessels up to 1,000 feet in length and major barge operations to and from the Mississippi River and onward to the Gulf of Mexico. The port is also a designated federal Foreign Trade Zone, incentivizing regional manufacturing with favorable duty and customs arrangements for import/export operations. Its facilities are tailored for a diverse array of cargos, include liquid cargo capabilities, and the infrastructure supports collaborative operations among vessel owners, rail, and road transporters, making it a critical component of the North American logistics chain.
Monday through Friday: 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM (can vary by terminal and operation)
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Typical import flow is vessel arrival, berth assignment, container discharge, customs review, release, dray pickup, and final delivery. Standard clearance may be same day to several days depending on documentation and exams.
Typical export flow is inland dray to terminal, terminal gate-in, documentation and filing, vessel loading, and departure. Timing depends on cutoff windows, bookings, inspections, and vessel schedule.
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