Great Lakes Port Data | 2021 Top 50 Global Freight

2021 Essential Revenue and Operating Information for the 50 Largest Global Freight Carriers

Up Front

After once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, supply chains are adjusting to new normal.
Global supply chain, so often taken for granted, becomes cause for worldwide concern.
Find out where the Top 50 Global Freight Carriers are based.

Rankings

 

Great Lakes

Port Name City Type of Freight TEUs Volume of Freight Tonnage
Ashtabula Harbor Ashtabula, Ohio dry bulk   5,121,134
Buffington Harbor Buffington, Ind. NA   1,570,196
Drummond Island Port Drummond Island, Mich. NA   1,506,871
Fairport Harbor Point Fairport Harbor, Ohio NA   1,872,276
Indiana Harbor East Chicago, Ind. dry bulk, liquid bulk, heavy lift   12,213,768
Port Clinton Marblehead, Ohio NA   2,898,503
Port Dolomite Clark Township, Mich. NA   3,008,973
Port Inland Gulliver, Mich. NA   4,886,329
Port of Alpena Alpena, Mich. NA   2,296,160
Port of Calcite Calcite, Mich. special project cargo   8,081,804
Port of Chicago Chicago dry bulk, liquid bulk   10,035,669
Port of Cleveland Cleveland container, dry bulk, liquid bulk, heavy lift, special project cargo   11,880,935
Port of Conneaut Conneaut, Ohio NA   3,936,713
Port of Detroit Detroit dry bulk, liquid bulk, passenger   13,306,628
Port of Duluth-Superior Duluth, Minn., and Superior, Wis. break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, heavy lift, passenger   33,738,834
Port of Gary Gary, Ind. NA   7,978,004
Port of Grand Haven Grand Haven, Mich. NA   1,363,185
Port of Green Bay Green Bay, Wis. dry bulk, liquid bulk   2,283,685
Port of Hamilton Hamilton, Ontario container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, special project cargo   10,000,000
Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor Portage, Ind. container, dry bulk, liquid bulk, heavy lift   9,189,391
Port of Milwaukee Milwaukee dry bulk   2,806,826
Port of Monroe Monroe, Mich. NA   1,656,927
Port of Montreal Montreal container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, passenger   35,101,433
Port of Sandusky Sandusky, Ohio NA   2,507,824
Port of Silver Bay Silver Bay, Minn. NA   5,553,647
Port of Toledo Toledo, Ohio NA   9,073,964
Port of Toronto Toronto container, break bulk, dry bulk, liquid bulk, passenger   2,208,358
Presque Isle Harbor Presque Isle, Mich. NA   4,647,830
Two Harbors Two Harbors, Minn. dry bulk   16,914,526

Extras

Ports and airports across North America are clamoring to stay ahead of cargo backlogs and shipment load.

If your company appears in the 2021 list, you have a few ways to announce it. Visit our logo library to get web- and print-ready graphics.

Learn more about Transport Topics’ Top 50 Global Freight Carriers publication.

Global Freight News

GovernmentBusinessTechnologyLogisticsPrivateGlobal FreightTop 100Top 50

US Threatens to Strike Back Against EU Firms for Digital Tax

The Trump administration threatened retaliation against the European Union in response to efforts to tax American tech companies, singling out prominent firms.

December 16, 2025
BusinessTechnologyLogisticsFor-HireGlobal FreightTop 100Top 50

UPS Purchases 400 Robots to Unload Trucks in Automation Push

UPS will invest $120 million in 400 robots used to unload trucks, according to sources, revealing new details on the logistics giant’s $9 billion automation plan that aims to boost profit.

December 15, 2025
BusinessLogisticsGlobal Freight

Maersk Picks New CFO Robert Erni With Logistics Background

Maersk has a strategy to grow in land-based logistics, which has historically had higher and more stable profit margins than container shipping.

December 12, 2025
BusinessLogisticsGlobal FreightTop 50

Maersk Opens New Ground Freight Site Near Port of Savannah

Maersk says the Savannah, Ga., facility follows recent ground freight openings in Lake City, Ga., and Dallas-Fort Worth, and creates an ecosystem of integrated services.

December 9, 2025
GovernmentBusinessLogisticsGlobal Freight

Dow's Transportation Average Blazes 9-Day Winning Streak

Equity traders looking for signs that a blistering stock market advance is set to continue may take their cue from the companies that move goods across America’s roads, rails and waterways.

December 5, 2025
BusinessFuelLogisticsGlobal Freight

Ocean Shipping Rates Surge on Conflicts, Supply Disruptions

Daily earnings to transport crude on key routes have seen the biggest jump this year, up 467%. Freight costs typically dip at year-end due to seasonal weakness in demand.

December 4, 2025
GovernmentBusinessLogisticsGlobal Freight

South Africa to Prosecute Maersk, CMA Units for Price Fixing

The companies allegedly fixed the general rate increase charged to customers for shipping cargo between South Africa and Asia and between the nation and the western part of Africa from 2008 to 2018.

December 2, 2025
BusinessTechnologyLogisticsGlobal FreightTop 100

Amazon Tests 30-Minute Delivery in Philadelphia, Seattle

Amazon will use “specialized smaller facilities” for the deliveries, the e-commerce giant said Dec. 1 in a statement. The fee will start at $13.99, discounted to $3.99 for Prime members.

December 1, 2025
BusinessLogisticsFor-HireGlobal FreightTop 100

FedEx to Slash 856 Texas Jobs After Customer Moves Business

FedEx plans to cut hundreds of jobs in Texas after a third-party logistics customer opted to move its business to a new location and a different company.

November 26, 2025
BusinessEquipmentSafetyLogisticsFor-HireGlobal FreightTop 100

UPS, FedEx, Others Face Long-Term Effects of MD-11 Grounding

The grounding of the workhorse freighter plane involved in a deadly crash in Kentucky may drag on for an “undeterminable period,” creating havoc for UPS, FedEx and a Florida-based carrier.

November 25, 2025

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