The 2025-26 shipping season at Port of Green Bay has officially concluded with strong late-season momentum. The port handled 1,587,620 tons of cargo throughout the year, in range of 2024-25’s total of 1,696,097 tons. A total of 155 vessels moved cargo through the port, supporting a wide range of regional industries. 

“As we wrapped up this shipping season, cargo volumes accelerated and carried us through to a solid finish,” said Dean Haen, Director of the Port of Green Bay. “The diversity of commodities moving through the port continues to be a strength.”

While the season began at a slower pace, increased activity across multiple commodities drove gains as the year progressed. Salt volumes increased 9.74% from the previous shipping season, supported by winter maintenance needs across the region. Based on the 2025/26 winter season, this trend will continue with significantly more salt shipments throughout the 2026 shipping season. Wood pulp shipments also went up 145.7%, pointing to renewed demand from manufacturing and paper-related markets. This growth underscores how diversified cargo activity helped stabilize the season and position the port for continued strength moving into the next shipping year.

“The Port of Green Bay plays a vital role in keeping goods moving for agriculture, industry and communities throughout the region,” Haen said. “We value the strong partnerships with our public and private stakeholders that make this work possible and support long-term economic stability.”

As the 2025 shipping season at the Port of Green Bay comes to an end, preparation is underway for the 2026 season. The 2026 First Ship Contest sponsored by Discover Green Bay has returned and is officially open for community participation. Individuals who would like to participate are encouraged to submit their official prediction for the arrival of the first ship of the 2026 season here: www.greenbay.com/contests/first-ship-contest/.

Those interested in recent and historical tonnage information for the Port of Green Bay can visit https://www.portofgreenbay.com/cargo-quantities-shipped.

###

 About the Port of Green Bay: The Port of Green Bay exists to enhance the prosperity of the people of Northeast Wisconsin by providing facilities and infrastructure able to effectively and efficiently move commodities and goods across the nation. As the western-most port of Lake Michigan, the Port of Green Bay offers a direct route for shipping from the Midwest to the rest of the world.

The Port of Green Bay has 14 active terminal operators located along three miles of the Fox River involved in shipping commodities: Ace Marine, C. Reiss Company, Construction Resources Management, Flint Hills Resources, Fox River Terminals, Georgia-Pacific, Graymont, GLC Minerals, KK Integrated Logistics, Holcim, RGL, Sanimax, St. Mary’s Cement and U.S. Venture.