Chicago is set to get its first ocean-served container terminal as Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor prepares to open a new sea-cargo box facility this year. Located in Portage, Indiana, about 20 miles from the city, the terminal will be the only all-water container gateway serving the Greater Chicago market via the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway.

The project is part of a $100m expansion — the largest investment at the port since it opened in 1970 — that also includes new dock and rail infrastructure and an effort to reopen one of the largest grain export facilities on the Great Lakes. U.S. Customs and Border Protection approved the container terminal in 2024, and Ports of Indiana is supplying the inspection equipment, radiation portal monitors and security infrastructure required for international box handling.

Sitting within a port that offers 9,000 feet of dock, 10 seaway berths and full-time tug support, the terminal will handle roughly 15 lifts per hour with 24-hour security and a Logistec-managed system. Burns Harbor says an all-water route could cut as much as 10 days from some European container moves into North America’s biggest intermodal market, while easing congestion and emissions. A trial shipment is planned before year-end.

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