Searching for Any Port in an Economic Storm

by Bruce Goodman

As Michigan charts its economic future it needs to make certain it identifies and leverages its natural assets.  In the past it has used its timber resources to foster the furniture industry, the special character of its sands to foster the sand casting foundry industry, and its abundant water to foster water intensive manufacturing.  Now it is time to use its central location and access to the Great Lakes, the Mississippi, and the Atlantic to foster manufacturing of the next generation of large wind energy equipment.  Windturbine components and finished wind energy goods are bulky, and shipping them is expensive.  Rail and over-the-road transportation are increasingly a limiting factor in how big these can be. So transportation in and out of our state by ship and barge would provide an economic and logistical solution.  The port cities of Michigan need to consider how to take advantage of this confluence of shipping advantages and the state’s manufacturing talent to kick start the location of wind turbine industry(s) right here.  As the only state with access to four of the five Great Lakes, we need to make lemonade out of lemons.  Our peninsular geography can turn intermodal transportation (rail, truck, barge) into an asset.  The logic and logistics seem obvious.  Bring in the big cranes!