GLS 01-25

Contact: Jennifer.Wilk@dot.gov

Tel.: (202) 578-0498

St. Lawrence Seaway Begins 67th Navigation Season

WASHINGTON – Tuesday, March 25 marked the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway’s 67th navigation season.  The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) joined its partner, the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC), at the opening ceremony of the binational waterway, which took place in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.  

“The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System’s performance continues to highlight its resiliency and importance as a maritime supply chain,” said GLS Deputy Administrator Anthony Fisher.  “An exceptional reliability record, coupled with significant investments in infrastructure and technology, are enhancing efficiencies and keeping the Seaway System safe and competitive.  We look forward to building on last season’s accomplishments, which included the movement of more than 37 million metric tons of cargo.”

Speaking at the ceremony, GLS Deputy Administrator Anthony Fisher, U.S. Consul General in Toronto Baxter Hunt, and SLSMC President/CEO Jim Athanasiou welcomed the transit of the first commercial vessel of the navigation season – the Articulated Tug and Barge Everlast and Norman McLeod.

The St. Lawrence Seaway System is a critical artery to our maritime transportation system serving as the backbone of the American economy.  The Great Lakes pathway has a long and demonstrated record of being a safe, reliable, and efficient passage for commercial transportation, supporting 150,000 U.S. jobs, $26 billion in U.S. economic activity, and $19 billion in business revenue annually.

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