Scriber Attends Breakbulk Americas Trade Event, Oswego Enters New Era As Major Player Among Eastern Ports

William, Scriber, Port of Oswego Authority executive director and CEO, recently attended the Breakbulk Americas Trade Event in Houston, TX, to represent Great Lakes /St. Lawrence Seaway shipping and develop new business for the Port as part of crucial planning for 2025. Breakbulk is the largest trade event for the project cargo and breakbulk industry. Scriber was part of a delegation representing HWY H20, which is dedicated to environmentally responsible maritime commerce and connects the five Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway to the world.   Scriber, third from right,  and Tom Schneider, POA board member, far right, are shown with the delegation at the event. Photo: Port of Oswego Authority

OSWEGO, NY – William, Scriber, Port of Oswego Authority executive director and CEO, recently attended the Breakbulk Americas Trade Event in Houston, TX, to represent Great Lakes /St. Lawrence Seaway shipping and develop new business for the Port as part of crucial planning for 2025. Breakbulk is the largest trade event for the project cargo and breakbulk industry. “Breakbulk” denotes a system of transporting cargo as separate pieces rather than in containers.

            “When we attend trade events like Breakbulk, the Port of Oswego is no longer anonymous,” Scriber said. “We are being noticed and more in-demand than ever before. We have created a greater presence in the industry that has ushered in a new era for the port. We are now punching above our weight limit and we’re in the ring with world champions because we now compete with East coast ports like Baltimore, New York, and New Jersey.

“As a result of attending this event, we may soon secure a multi-million-dollar project that will create a huge economic impact for our region—from greater sales tax revenue to additional jobs and specialty equipment to handle the product. To win this project, and to plant the seeds for future projects, we developed a unique marketing point of sale piece for Breakbulk prospects: ‘Port of Oswego: Your Gateway to The Heart Of New York’ that highlights our strengths and capabilities.”

Scriber explained that the Port was able to rise to  a higher level of recognition and competition through the execution of a multi-year business plan. “When I became executive director, I assessed our strengths and weaknesses. From this, I developed a business plan to improve our existing assets, expand our capabilities, and expand our customer base.  Over the past five years, we’ve broken records for aluminum tonnage, handled multiple wind turbine projects, specialized in heavy lift projects for our nearby nuclear facilities, and experienced phenomenal growth in our grain business. Most recently, we entered into an agreement with The DeLong Co., Inc., of Clinton, WI, to lease our 750,000-bushel grain storage facility to export grain to international markets. The silo is part of our $15 million Grain Export Center, which opened in 2022. It’s the largest facility of its kind on Lake Ontario in New York State and the most technologically advanced handling system on the Great Lakes.

“The grain export center serves the needs of about 100 local grain farmers and is home to an on-site USDA lab— the only one of its kind among our sister Great Lakes ports. It not only ensures the quality of each the load, but the lab provides educational and work experience for SUNY Oswego students who we hire as paid interns in the lab.”

In addition to the grain export center, Scriber described the list of improvements and developments over the past five years that have grown the port’s capabilities, expanded its markets, and made it a “big league” maritime commerce competitor.

Among these are:

• The Port has invested over $3.5 million in upgrades to the East Dock. This expanded the number of vessels served and enabled two ships and a barge to tie up simultaneously. In addition, $1.2 million in upgrades were completed at the West side dock that handles asphalt transport ships. This eliminates hundreds of truck asphalt transport runs through the city of Oswego.
• The Port is undergoing a $5 million rail yard expansion, which includes the purchase of an all-electric rail engine, major upgrades to rail service at the Fitzgibbons Intermodal Terminal, and construction of a fifth storage track. This will make the port the largest operating yard in Oswego County when completed.
• The Port was recently awarded funds to purchase a new, $2 million, state-of-the-art telescoping conveyor, that will dramatically raise their grain ship loading speed from 18,000 bushels an hour to at least 30,000 bushels an hour.
• Last year, the Port became the only Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) in Oswego County, which allows companies to save money on duties, tariffs and production costs.
• The Port is purchasing a massive, 55,000 lb. forklift to enable handling heavy lift project products.
• The Port has had record increases in the amount of cargo it handles for the past five years. As a result, it has won the prestigious Robert J. Lewis Pacesetter Award for increases in international cargo tonnage shipped through the port for four of the past five years.
• In 2023, The Port moved over 11,000 tons of specialty freight. These included components for a new Lithium battery recycling facility in Rochester, a Novelis production line update, and a transformer for a nuclear power plant.
• The port recently opened the new, $2.1 million Goble Marina for recreational boaters adjacent to the Port’s West Pier. In addition, $40,000 was invested in the Port Authority Marina to replace 12 deteriorating docks and create 24 new slips. This marina is also home to 24 charter fishing captains which generate more than $2 million in annual economic impact.
• Scriber is the first Port of Oswego executive director/CEO to be elected secretary of the American Great Lakes Ports Association, which promotes maritime commerce and economic development in port communities.
• Scriber was included on City & State New York magazine’s 2024 Transportation Power 100, and he was recognized in the publication’s 2023 Economic Development Power 100. This further expanded the Port’s visibility and assisted in sales for new projects.

Scriber also emphasized that he has continually developed a mutually beneficial working relationship with the NY State Dept. of Transportation and Gov. Hochul’s office. “They have been great partners in supporting the port,” he said. “Their investment in us and Central New York has resulted in a great return for their investment. For example, we were recognized in 2023 by a U.S./Canadian research study showing that, over the past five years, the Port of Oswego Authority made a $513 million impact on the local and regional economy and supported 2, 229 jobs by its maritime activity. We look forward to 2025 and the new projects and customers we’ll add to our success stories.”

The Port of Oswego’s strategic location at the crossroads of the Northeastern North American shipping market, puts them less than 350 miles from 60 million people. For more information, visit www.portoswego.com, or find them on Facebook under Port of Oswego Authority.

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