Sitting on the mouth of the Cuyahoga River in Ohio, the port of Cleveland serves as the third-largest port in the Great Lakes and is the fourth-largest port overall by annual tonnage that passes through (closely surpassed by its neighboring city Cincinnati). The popularity of the port has proved a benefit to the American maritime industry by creating jobs and providing service locations – and if you work on the water in Cleveland and need a maritime lawyer to represent your claim, O’Bryan Baun Karamanian is the name you need to know*.
The Port of Cleveland has played an important role in the growth of the region and in nearby industries by allowing traffic and shipment to pass to areas all over America. Cleveland sees the bulk of raw materials shipment for regional manufacturing such as steel and liquid bulk, as well as heavy machinery and local resources such as salt from Lake Erie and farm surplus from Ohio. Location has been key – the Cleveland Port Authority claims that the port is within 8 hours of half of all American businesses and manufacturing plants, and the port itself is advanced enough to transfer 5,200 tons of iron ore per hour. It’s no exaggeration to say that Cleveland has done much to advance American manufacturing, and the jobs it supports and creates have proven to be a benefit for the maritime industry.
With any port of this size, there is a high potential for accidents, and Cleveland has seen its share. From 1998 to 2000 there were 307 drowning deaths in Ohio, many of them occurring in Cleveland itself or on the Cuyahoga River en route. 2008 saw 187 reported boating accidents, of which only 3 did not involve motorized and/or commercial boats. While these numbers may seem high, the intense traffic flowing through the Port of Cleveland brings risks as well as the rewards it provides to maritime workers and the industry as a whole.
It’s not all business in Cleveland, though, especially where boating is concerned. The Cleveland Metroparks agency maintains a number of marinas throughout the area that provide equipment and locations for water sports such as canoeing, kayaking, and powerboating. If you’re looking for something a bit more competitive, the area hosts the Cleveland Dragon Boat association, a group that promotes and runs races for Dragon Boats, a 40 foot long craft manned by 22 people throughout the waters of the area. No matter if you want to race or just relax, the port of Cleveland will have something for you.
Whether you’ve been injured on the job, grown ill aboard a cruise ship, or just need someone to look into your maritime law claim, O’Bryan Law is the firm you need. Contact us today for more information.
* Dennis M. O’Bryan is admitted to practice before the Federal District Court in Cleveland.
