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

GovernmentBusinessFuelLogisticsGlobal Freight

USPS Plans First Fuel Surcharge as Oil Prices Spike

USPS will impose a surcharge to offset rising fuel costs, sources said, a sign that the beleaguered mail carrier is feeling the strain of higher oil prices.

March 25, 2026
BusinessTechnologyLogisticsGlobal FreightPrivateTop 50Top 100

Amazon Buys Fauna Robotics in Push Toward Consumer Humanoids

Amazon.com acquired New York-based startup Fauna Robotics, becoming the latest technology giant to step into the burgeoning consumer humanoid market.

March 25, 2026
GovernmentBusinessSafetyFuelLogisticsGlobal Freight

Cosco Shipping Warns of Uncertainties as Iran War Escalates

Ongoing tensions in the Middle East are amplifying volatility in global supply chains, Cosco said.

March 19, 2026
BusinessFuelLogisticsGlobal Freight

MSC Buys Stake in South Korean Tanker Giant Sinokor

Sinokor has been snapping up very large crude carriers, giving it unprecedented control over a big share of the global fleet.

March 19, 2026
BusinessLogisticsGlobal Freight

Elliott Takes Stake in Japanese Shipper Mitsui OSK Lines

Reuters reported the that Elliott had taken the holding in an effort to urge Mitsui to review its real estate portfolio.

March 18, 2026
BusinessTechnologyLogisticsGlobal FreightPrivate

Amazon Offers 1-Hour and 3-Hour Deliveries for Extra Charge

The Seattle-based company said it started testing the express delivery service late last year and expanding it this month.

March 17, 2026
BusinessTechnologyLogisticsGlobal FreightPrivateTop 50Top 100

Amazon Moves Prime Day Into June From July

Amazon is moving up its annual Prime Day sale to June from July, according to sources, shifting the schedule for an event that’s become a big part of the e-commerce economy.

March 12, 2026
GovernmentBusinessSafetyLogisticsGlobal Freight

Cosco Halts Panama Port Operations as Tensions Rise

Beijing warned of a “heavy price” for the Central American country’s forced takeover of the facility from Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison. 

March 11, 2026
BusinessLogisticsGlobal FreightPrivate

Amazon Raises $37B From US Bond Sale That Could Hit $50B

Amazon’s deal is the latest in a series of jumbo bond sales by hyperscalers as they plan to invest hundreds of billions of dollars in AI infrastructure. Investors have so far been eager buyers.

March 10, 2026
GovernmentBusinessFuelLogisticsGlobal Freight

How the Iran War Is Affecting Diesel and Gasoline Prices

Nearly all goods — including food — that are bought and sold must travel from where they’re produced. Those costs will climb with higher gasoline, diesel and jet fuel prices.

March 10, 2026

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