According to a report by the United States and Canadian governments, the Port of Oswego has made over a half a billion dollar impact on the state economy since 2018.

“In the last five years, the port has gone through a renaissance," said William Scriber, the executive director and CEO of The Oswego Port Authority.

Scriber believes the money made is thanks to the money spent.

“If you build it, they will come," he said. "That’s been our motto. We have been building up our facilities to allow new customers and to expand our present customers.”

They definitely have come. After adding new equipment, repairing docks and marketing a certain way, the Port of Oswego now makes up 63% of the business revenue, 49% of the economic activity and 43% of local purchases of the New York ports on the Great Lakes.

“Of the three ports in the system in New York, we have the lion's share of it," said Scriber. "That’s over 51% of those areas. Our economic input, our activity, our model of commercial business is proving to be very successful.”

The port has received the Robert J. Lewis Pacesetter Award in four of the last five years because of increases in international cargo tonnage shipped among Great Lakes ports. With Micron beginning construction of its megafab in Clay next year, the port believes they’re positioned perfectly to make an even greater impact.

“It’s much more cost effective and environmentally friendly to transport large, heavy items by water than it is by rail or truck," he said. "So we can play a vital role in the logistics change for Micron here at the port."

At the end of the day, the report reaffirms that the Port of Oswego is a powerhouse.

“I think it sort of lays down the market for the Port of Oswego as we’re a major contributor to the overall economic viability of upstate New York," Scriber said.

Scriber said they’re in negotiations to buy more land in preparation for Micron. He believes by the time the next report comes around, we could see them generate a billion-dollar impact.