Glacier FarmMedia – Cargo movement through the St. Lawrence Seaway was up by more than 3.4 per cent in 2023 compared to the previous year, with nearly 38 million tonnes of cargo moved through the binational system, according to a joint report from the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLMC) and the United States Great Lakes St. Lawrence Development Corporation (GLS).
Of the total, grain movement was up by five per cent on the year, hitting 10.4 million tonnes, with Canadian grain up by more than 11 per cent.
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“Again in 2023, the St. Lawrence Seaway demonstrated its resilience and reliability, as well as emphasizing its role as an essential component of the Green Shipping Corridor,” said Terence Bowles, President and CEO of the SLSMC.
“Marine commerce on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway plays a key role in supporting 246,000 jobs and US$36 billion in economic development activities across North America,” added Adam Tindall-Schlicht, GLS Administrator.
Dry bulk movement of agricultural supplies and construction materials topped 12 million tonnes, which was up by five per cent on the year. Liquid bulk traffic was up by 3.4 per cent at 3.6 million tonnes.
After the longest scheduled shipping season in history, the Montreal/Lake Ontario section of the seaway closed for the season on Jan. 5 with the Welland Canal closing on Jan. 7. Annual winter maintenance and infrastructure renewal programs are currently underway.
Looking ahead to 2024, the SLMC and GLS will focus on further developing the Green Shipping Corridor to leverage the environmental and economic benefits of marine shipping to regional and global communities.
— Phil Franz-Warkentin is an associate editor/analyst with MarketsFarm in Winnipeg.
