Introduction: On October 15, 2009 the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Board of Directors appointed Paul L. Toth, Jr. as the President and CEO. Paul has over two decades of experience with the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. He most recently served as Vice President of Technical and Financing Services, and prior to that as Airports Director. Paul is responsible for a staff of 50 and for all Port Authority operations which includes two airports, a multi-modal seaport, land acquisition and development activities and an innovative financing portfolio. Paul earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of  Toledo and is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Ohio. He is also a Graduate of the University of Toledo’s Graduate School of Business earning a Masters in Business Administration, specializing in finance.

The Port of Toledo—Positioned to Move People, Cargo and Businesses Forward Coming off two of the most challenging years that the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority has ever experienced, 2010 holds immense opportunity with over $35 million in public and private investments going into the Port of Toledo—a port that is at the forefront of cargo handling technology on the Great Lakes.

The Port of Toledo is well positioned as an inland distribution point for North American commerce and is home to fifteen terminals linked to global markets through the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System. The Port of Toledo handles over 12 million tons of cargo and 700 vessel calls each year and is home to one of the only U.S. full service shipyards with graving docks on the Lower Lakes. Recent property acquisitions have more than doubled the size of the seaport— making it the largest land mass seaport on the Great Lakes.

Nationally recognized transportation and logistic providers are recognizing the Port of Toledo region for investment. BAX Global (a subsidiary of DB Schenker)—one of three remaining companies offering scheduled overnight domestic air cargo service in the U.S.—is investigating expanding its air hub and trucking network located at Toledo Express Airport to include the distribution of containerized products. This is in addition to the $7 million public/private investment already underway for BAX Global’s International Air Cargo expansion at Toledo Express Airport. CSX is constructing a major intermodal hub—the largest and most efficient inland intermodal facility in the U.S.— 40 miles south of Toledo as part of the National Gateway. Also, the Norfolk Southern intermodal yard located in Toledo was recently awarded $13 million to increase capacity and better serve the region. These developments, coupled with the Port of Toledo’s close proximity to the Canadian border—just 60 miles— are fueling synergies for transportation growth and short seas shipping initiatives.

The majority of our Port of Toledo cargo consists of bulk materials like coal, iron ore grain and other types of dry bulk. We believe these commodities will always be the backbone commodities that we handle, however our port is very cargo diverse. We have robust London Metal Exchange handling and storage activity and have handled some of the largest project cargoes on the Great Lakes. We have handled wind towers, steel products, lumber, super sacks and other break bulk cargo—with plans to add containerized goods to our Seaport’s product mix to better serve the transportation needs of the region.

The Port of Toledo has benefited from over $35 million in State and Federal grants and private investment by Midwest Terminals of Toledo to acquire modern material handling equipment, reduce congestion, improve infrastructure, gain capacity and decrease emissions. This investment is creating jobs, cleaning brown fields, supporting manufacturing and advancing alternative energy initiatives and technology. These investments come at a critical time for the Port of Toledo and we applaud the many State and Federal departments and agencies that have assisted us in the modernization effort. The improvements will position the Toledo Seaport to become one of the most efficient product handling ports on the Great Lakes regardless if the cargo is in the form of bulk, break-bulk or in a box.

Funding for the purchase of two new mobile harbor cranes and a material handler to replace three World War II-era Liberty cranes will enable vessels, barges, trains and trucks to be loaded and unloaded two or three times faster than before in the Port of Toledo. Working in tandem on a short sea vessel or barge, the mobile harbor cranes will make throughput competitive with that of coastal ports for container and bulk handling. These types of investments are critical throughout the Seaway System to meet the needs
of shippers.

The modernization occurring at the Port of Toledo can and should benefit all Great Lakes ports. For our Great Lakes System to reach its potential and capacity, the ports and terminals must reinvest in facilities and prepare for the future. It is clear we are moving in that direction. Transportation funding is more readily available for ports and Seaway infrastructure improvements are occurring like the new lock in Sault Ste. Marie and there is now a potential for U.S. and Canadian incentives for short sea shipping activities. However, we must also educate those in the supply chain to shed the image of being a “part-time system with limited capabilities,” and work together to enable short sea shipping among our ports. We believe that with modern equipment and infrastructure in place at our terminals and in the seaway—Great Lakes ports have the potential to transform the North America’s transportation system.

http://www.seaway.dot.gov/Compass/Spring2010.pdf