Waterfront Petroleum Terminal

What Waterfront Petroleum Terminal does

Waterfront Petroleum Terminal Company is a privately held, Detroit-based provider of specialty petroleum and asphalt product storage, distribution, and logistics services operating primarily across the Great Lakes region, the United States, and Canada. The company runs a multi-modal infrastructure footprint anchored by the Detroit River Terminal (a 1,600-foot Seaway-depth dock with a specialized multi-story gantry and a 14-acre dry bulk facility operating as a Foreign-Free Trade Zone), the Dearborn Terminal on the Rouge River (high-temperature storage, blending, and distillates), and the Zug Island Facility (rail transloading served by NS, CSX, and CN railroads). Its marine bunkering fleet — the Warner Supply barge on the Detroit River and the Warner Provider / Coloma Warner tug-and-barge on Lower Lake Michigan with 15,000+ BBLS of onboard storage and heating/blending capabilities — provides 24/7 IFO, MDO, and biodiesel blend (B5–B99) delivery to commercial vessels while they load or unload. Supporting services include full truck freight logistics and brokerage, a DOT-compliant driver training program, and over 40 years of liquid asphalt sourcing, modification, and blending with on-site blending, heating, and mixing capabilities.

The company's revenue mix is built on four primary streams: bulk storage of petroleum and asphalt products at its terminals (subscription/recurring-style), marine fuel sales and bunkering (transaction-based), truck and rail logistics/brokerage (transaction fees), and asphalt and biodiesel product sales (transaction-based), with biodiesel sourced from locally crushed feedstock in Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-based, reflecting standard B2B petroleum contract practice. Waterfront sells to three primary customer categories — government agencies (30+ year relationship), commercial marine fleets operating in the Great Lakes, and industrial sectors — plus a smaller tail of local fuel stations for biodiesel distribution. The go-to-market is direct enterprise sales supported by a corporate website, LinkedIn presence, and earned media coverage, with industry-association partnerships (Green Marine, Blue Sky Maritime Coalition, Clean Fuels Alliance, MiAMC, BIMCO, HWY H2O, Asphalt Institute) reinforcing its positioning with government and commercial marine buyers. In 2024, the company received a $1.17 million grant from the Biobased Diesel Growth Fund to expand biodiesel storage capacity and equipment, signaling a deliberate pivot into renewable fuel storage.

Name

Waterfront Petroleum Terminal

Legal name

Waterfront Petroleum Terminal Company

Website

https://waterfrontpetroleum.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Waterfront Petroleum Terminal is a privately held, Detroit-based provider of petroleum, asphalt, and biodiesel storage, distribution, and logistics, operating multi-modal marine, rail, and truck infrastructure across the Great Lakes to serve government agencies, commercial marine fleets, and industrial customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Petroleum Logistics Services

NAICS

Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals (42471)

SIC

Wholesale-Petroleum Bulk Stations & Terminals (5171)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Terminals & Port Storage (Jetties, Docking, Bunkering Interfaces) (EUALAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Bunkering & Port Fuel Supply (EUALAIAG), Liquid Bulk Petroleum Terminals (Crude, Refined Products) (TLAHABAH)

Keywords

• Petroleum storage services
• Marine fuel bunkering
• Asphalt distribution
• Biodiesel supply
• Bulk liquid logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Petroleum Product Storage: Bulk storage terminal services for specialty petroleum and asphalt products with strategically located facilities across the Midwest
2. Marine Fuel Sales and Bunkering: Sale of marine fuels (IFO, MDO, biodiesel blends) to commercial vessels in the Great Lakes region through bunkering services via Warner Supply and Warner Provider barges
3. Logistics and Freight Services: Full truck freight logistics and brokerage services specializing in tank truck cargo logistics, plus rail transloading services at Zug Island
4. Asphalt Products: Liquid asphalt sourcing, modification, blending, and supply chain solutions including onsite blending, heating, mixing, and modification capabilities
5. Biodiesel Products: Sale of biodiesel and biodiesel blends (B5 to B99) sourced from feedstock crushed and processed in Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Waterfront Petroleum Terminal Company operates specialty petroleum and asphalt product storage, distribution, and logistics across the Great Lakes region. The company runs bulk storage terminals, dedicated marine bunkering barges (Warner Supply and Warner Provider/Coloma Warner), and rail transloading facilities to deliver gasoline, diesel, biodiesel blends, heavy fuel oils, marine fuels (IFO/MDO), and liquid asphalt to government agencies, commercial marine fleets, and industrial customers across the Midwest, U.S., and Canada.

Product overview

Waterfront Petroleum Terminal Company operates as a specialty petroleum and asphalt product storage, distribution, and logistics provider with a multi-facility infrastructure spanning the Great Lakes region. The company operates four primary facilities: Detroit River Terminal (the largest, with Seaway-depth dock and 14-acre bulk handling), Dearborn Terminal on the Rouge (high-temperature storage and blending), Zug Island Facility (railcar transloading hub served by NS, CSX, and CN railroads), and marine bunkering assets including the Warner Supply Barge (Detroit River) and Warner Provider/Coloma Warner (Lower Lake Michigan). The product portfolio includes a full range of petroleum products (gasoline, diesel, heavy fuel oil, VGO, LCO), renewable fuels (biodiesel B5-B99), asphalt products, marine fuels, and related consumables. Supporting services include truck freight logistics/brokerage and a DOT-compliant driver training program. The company recently received a $1.17 million grant to expand biodiesel storage capacity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Warner Supply Barge: A bunkering barge uniquely designed for the Detroit River system, providing IFO, MDO, and Biodiesel blends on a 24/7 basis.
• Warner Provider - Coloma Warner

Products and services

• Detroit River Terminal

Quantifiable outcome

• Biodiesel reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 86%
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HWY H2OcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterway highway initiative partner supporting Great Lakes maritime commerce and infrastructure development
• Green MarinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental certification program for Great Lakes maritime operations; Waterfront participates in Green Marine performance reporting
• Blue Sky Maritime CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition focused on reducing maritime emissions and promoting sustainable shipping practices in North America
• MiAMC (Michigan Advanced Biofuels)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMichigan-based organization advancing biofuel technologies and adoption; supports local biodiesel initiatives
• Clean Fuels AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization promoting biodiesel and renewable diesel adoption across transportation sectors
• BIMCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational maritime association providing shipping standards, contracts, and industry advocacy for global shipping
• Asphalt InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association for asphalt manufacturers and contractors; Waterfront is a proud member with 40+ years in liquid asphalt sourcing
• AGLPA (Great Lakes Sports)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSports organization for Great Lakes region athletics and community events

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bunker One: Marine bunker fuel supplier focused on physical supply to commercial vessels; competes directly with WPC's Warner Supply and Warner Provider barge operations in coastal/inland port markets.
• World Fuel Services: Global marine and land-based fuel supplier with North American bunker operations serving the Great Lakes; directly comparable in marine fuel sales, bunkering, and downstream logistics to commercial fleets.
• GAC Bunker Fuels: Global marine services group supplying bunker fuels and ship-agency services; overlaps with WPC's 24/7 Great Lakes bunkering model and similar customer base of commercial vessel operators.
• TransMontaigne Partners: Operates refined-product terminals, tank farms, and pipeline terminals across the U.S.; close comp on bulk petroleum storage economics, though at much larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• Magellan Midstream Partners: Refined-products pipeline and marine-terminal operator with significant tank-farm assets; comparable in storage and refined-product distribution, not in marine bunkering.
• Kinder Morgan Terminals: One of the largest North American midstream operators with an extensive refined-products terminal network; broader portfolio but same tank-farm/terminal revenue model.
• Buckeye Partners: Operates one of the largest U.S. independent refined-products pipeline and terminal networks; comparable in tank-farm/terminal operations and petroleum product logistics.
• Targa Resources: Midstream energy company with NGL and refined-products terminal/storage footprint; adjacent in midstream storage economics, though less focused on petroleum bunkering.

Regional players

• U.S. Oil & Refining Co. Tacoma-based refiner and marine terminal operator on the U.S. West Coast with marine fuel and bunker offerings; comparable business mix but geographically separate from WPC.

Emerging players

• Clean Energy Fuels: Renewable natural gas vehicle fuel supplier and renewable-fuels infrastructure operator; adjacent rather than direct overlap, but relevant as a renewable-fuel peer for WPC's biodiesel expansion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waterfront-petroleum-terminal-usa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waterfront Petroleum Terminal