About the Port of Cleveland: The City of Cleveland began shipping operations at the Port of Cleveland in 1825. During its first year of operation, the port recorded $38,000 in exports and imports of $196,000. In 1968, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority was created as a governmental agency to manage the maritime operations at the Port of Cleveland. Its maritime activities help sustain the regional economy in Northeast Ohio by keeping local industries connected to the world and supporting 23,000 jobs that generate $1.89 billion in personal incomes and over $7 billion in total economic activity, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation’s 2024 Ohio Maritime Plan Working Paper.