Indiana-Burns Harbor Handles Historic Shipment

A 388-ton electrical transformer was one of the largest single cargoes ever handled at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor when it arrived aboard the Beluga Recognition this week from Cordoba, Spain. The transformer is on its way to Exelon’s LaSalle County Nuclear Generating Station in Ottawa, Ill.

After the transformer was loaded onto a 20-axle railcar, the combined weight of the railcar and transformer exceeded 650 tons. The transformer is currently being stored at the port until final delivery to the LaSalle County station.

Specialized Rail Transport is handling the rail loading and transportation of the transformer to Illinois.

Through July, the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor handled nearly 70,000 tons of project cargo shipments and 693,000 tons of overall shipments, a 52-percent increase versus the same period in 2009. The port handled 18,000 tons of project cargo in all of 2009.

Accompanying photos courtesy of the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor