Episode description

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Port of Green Bay Director Dean Haen discusses the business climate in northeastern Wisconsin and an ongoing expansion project. 

“We’re serving the industries of agriculture, construction and manufacturing, so as they need raw materials, the port serves as the conduit for those commodities,” he said, noting the port ships petroleum products, diesel, ethanol, liquid asphalt, limestone, salt, coal, iron, aluminum, forestry products and more. 

The port is actively looking for new tenants, Haen said, with a goal of filling gaps in supply chains for the region. 

“Getting someone to change their supply chain takes a lot of time and effort, and they don’t happen overnight,” he said. “So port-related new developments take several years to facilitate.” 

The podcast highlights an effort to transform a former coal-fired power plant into a port project, which has financial support from various county, state and federal grant programs. 

“And we have one last grant that’s out there, a U.S. DOT Raise grant, that if we are successful here, in June we will have assembled all the dollars necessary to repurpose that property,” he said. “So we’re really optimistic and hopeful that we’re successful in this next and hopefully last round of grants needed to see this project built.” 

Haen also touches on the port’s efforts to diversify its commodities as coal use declines amid the clean energy transition, as well as shipbuilding operations in the region that rely on the port. 

“Collectively, we are working to sustain and grow shipbuilding in Wisconsin,” he said. 

Talking Trade is hosted by E.M Wasylik Associates Managing Director Ken Wasylik and M.E. Dey & Co. President and Managing Director Sandi Siegel.