Manitowoc port development gets $20 million boost

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By COLLEEN KOTTKE and BRANDON REID

USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

MANITOWOC – The Port of Manitowoc will receive $20 million for infrastructure upgrades, according to an announcement from U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.

The money is expected to improve shipping efficiency, expand storage space and strengthen rail connections.

Grant expected to boost grain shipping for Wisconsin farmers

The $20 million award to the city of Manitowoc will support the Midwest Multimodal Development Project.

The city and project partners Briess Malt & Ingredients Co. and Briess affiliate Grainshore LLC will use the federal funding to upgrade port infrastructure and expand storage capacity.

Plans also call for improvements in how grain is stored and transferred between ships, trains and trucks.

The project would create a Midwest grain hub to help move products across the U.S. and overseas more reliably and efficiently, according to the announcement.

Manitowoc officials and business leaders tout port investment

Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels said the city is working with local businesses to pursue federal grants and other opportunities to strengthen operations and the community.

“This $20 million Port Infrastructure Development Program award highlights Briess’ strength as a company and the substantial growth opportunities it is advancing in Manitowoc,” Nickels said.

“Our city is thriving thanks to businesses like Briess, and recognition of this magnitude reinforces the momentum and growth we’re seeing throughout Manitowoc,” the mayor added.

Craig C. Briess, CEO of Briess Industries, said the grant will have a positive impact on agriculture, manufacturing and the community.

Companies doing business at the Port of Manitowoc include Briess Malt & Ingredients, Broadwind, Burger Boat Co., Konecranes, the S.S. Badger Lake Michigan Carferry, St. Marys Cement and the Manitowoc Marina.

Port of Manitowoc shipping routes connect to Atlantic and Gulf waterways

The Port of Manitowoc is a deep-draft commercial harbor on the western shore of Lake Michigan.

Deep-draft ports have channels capable of handling large vessels such as bulk carriers, tankers and container ships.

The port connects to the Atlantic Ocean via the St. Lawrence Seaway and to the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River system.

The port also offers truck access for overdimensional cargo and rail sidings that broaden shipping and logistics options.

Overdimensional cargo is freight that exceeds legal road size or weight limits and often requires special equipment and permits.

Port grant funding: Where the money comes from and what it supports

The Manitowoc project is funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation‘s Maritime Administration Port Infrastructure Development Program.

The program supports projects that strengthen supply chain reliability, improve freight efficiency, reduce emissions, and enhance port safety and resilience.

In fiscal 2025, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided an additional $450 million for the program. Congress also approved $50 million in annual funding, bringing the total to $500 million.

Baldwin credited the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and annual appropriations for the award. She said she helped secure the funding and urged Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to support the project.

“Investing in our ports is an investment in our Made in Wisconsin economy,” Baldwin said.

Colleen Kottke is a reporter for and editor of the Wisconsin State Farmer. Brandon Reid is editor of the Herald Times Reporter in Manitowoc.