Indiana's Lake Michigan port has busiest year since opening

PORTAGE, Ind. (AP) - Officials with Indiana's main port on Lake Michigan say it had its busiest year since opening in 1970.

Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor officials say shipments of steel, grain and salt drove total tonnage up 30 percent over 2013.

The port also had a 35 percent increase in ocean vessels over 2013 and nearly a 25 percent increase in river barges moving through the Illinois/Mississippi river system.

Two port companies announced major expansions in 2014 as NLMK invested $8 million to expand its steel mini-mill operation and Carmeuse Lime & Stone put $11 million into its limestone processing facility.

Officials say maritime operations at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor generate $4.3 billion per year in economic activity and support 33,000 total jobs.