North Star Port

FIVE FOR FREIGHTING 5 Questions with Kevin Beardsley It's a new year with new projects on the horizon for the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. Which project are you most excited to begin? With a new year comes the opportunity to move several long- planned ideas into action. I am particularly excited to begin work on our next phase of waterfront infrastructure improvements, projects that strengthen our core assets while positioning the port for long-term growth. These investments will improve operational efficiency, support our tenants, and ensure that the Duluth Seaway Port Authority remains competitive and resilient well into the future. In particular, we are excited to begin work on a building expansion by one of our tenants on the Clure Terminal. Supporting private investment is exactly what the Port Authority is meant to do. This project will enhance operational efficiency at the facility and create long-term value for the tenant. You traveled to Toronto in January for binational Seaway stakeholder meetings. Did you hear anything surprising during those sessions? What really stood out to me was the strength of the relationships across the system. Despite the political pressures both coun- tries are navigating, U.S. and Canadian stakeholders continue to work extremely well together. There's a shared commitment to identifying opportunities within the Great Lakes- St. Lawrence Seaway System, and those collaborative relationships remain one of the system's greatest strengths. That spirit of cooperation was especially evident in the strong working relationship between U.S. Seaway Administrator Mike McCoshen and Canada's Jim Athanasiou. Twenty-two oceangoing vessels called at the Port Authority-owned Clure Public Marine Terminal in 2025. How does that compare to previous years during your tenure? During my time with the Port Authority, annual oceangoing vessel calls have ranged from five to 34. In that context, seeing 22 vessels call at the Clure Terminal in 2025 represents a solid, healthy year. While it wasn't a record-breaking season, it was a meaningful one, as we welcomed the port's First Ship to our dock for the first time in many years and also hosted several vessels calling at our port for the first time. That kind of activity signals continued interest and con- fidence in Duluth within the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System. It's well established that you're a hockey guy, but what other competitions do you enjoy watching during the Winter Olympics? Hockey will always be at the top of the list for me, but the Winter Olympics offer a lot to enjoy beyond sticks and pucks. I'm a big fan of watching curling, speed skating, alpine skiing, and all the sliding sports ( bobsled, luge and skeleton). There's something about the mix of strategy, speed and pure athleticism that makes those events especially fun to follow, and the Olympic stage always brings out some incredible stories and performances. If you were forced to participate in either the luge (feet-first) or skeleton (head-first), which would you choose? Being honest, both scare me, but if I had to pick, I'd go with the luge. Feet-first feels a little less intense than hurtling head-first down the track. I'll leave it to the pros and stick to cheering from my couch. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. PHOTOS / David Schauer, Jayson Hron, Gey Images Duluth officials Terese Tomanek, Jessica Hehir and Matt Staehling present the City of Duluth flag to R.C. Sanjeewa, captain of the Federal Nagara, on April 21, 2025. Sanjeewa's vessel was the first oceangoing ship to arrive in the Port of Duluth-Superior last season, calling at the Clure Public Marine Terminal. Kate Ferguson, left, and Kevin Beardsley, right, of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority navigate a Jan. 15 snowstorm in Toronto on their way to binational meetings with representatives of the Great Lakes- St. Lawrence Seaway System DULUTHPORT.COM | 1 Brock Nelson, Warroad, Minn.

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