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Binational Press Release - Steady Cargo Volume in May 2024 Shows Seaway Reliability

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Steady Cargo Volume in May 2024 Shows Seaway Reliability

CORNWALL, ON / WASHINGTON, D.C. – May tonnage results on the binational St. Lawrence Seaway system reflect steady progress, with cargo totals trending at a five-year average.  Overall, as of the end of May, nearly 8.4 million tonnes of cargo transited the system, just above the figures for the same period in 2023.

“Steady tonnage gains month-over-month demonstrate the reliability of the binational St. Lawrence Seaway system and the fluidity of its supply chain,” said the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation President and CEO Terence Bowles. “Not only is marine shipping on the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway system driving the North American economy, the fuel efficiency and technology employed by Canadian and U.S. vessel operators using the Seaway are lessening environmental impact.”

A few cargoes which had significant increases compared to 2023 are:

  • Dry and liquid bulks, with cement up 77,000 tonnes at approximately 527,000 tonnes, and fuel up 114,000 tonnes totaling 768,000 tonnes. 
  • Potash, an agricultural fertilizer, was up 287,000 tonnes for a total of 335,000 tonnes.
  • General cargo shipments of Iron and Steel up 195,000 tonnes to 580,000 tonnes.    

“Our Great Lakes Seaway System ports continue to be productive, reliable, and resilient within the global supply chain,” Adam Tindall-Schlicht, Administrator of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation said. “From agricultural exports to renewable energy material imports, the Seaway is playing a pivotal role in moving a diverse range of essential goods around the world.”

About the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC): The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation was established in 1998 as a not-for-profit corporation by the Government of Canada, Seaway users and other key stakeholders. In accordance with provisions of the Canada Marine Act, the Corporation manages and operates the Canadian assets of the St. Lawrence Seaway, including lands on the corridor, which remain the property of the Government of Canada, under a recently renewed long-term agreement with Transport Canada.

About the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS): The GLS is a wholly owned U.S. government corporation created by statute to construct, operate, and maintain that part of the St. Lawrence Seaway between the Port of Montreal and Lake Erie, within the territorial limits of the United States. Its mission is to serve the U.S. intermodal and international transportation system by improving the operation and maintenance of a safe, reliable, efficient, and environmentally responsible deep-draft waterway, in cooperation with its Canadian counterpart. The GLS also encourages the development of trade through the Great Lakes-Seaway System, which contributes to the comprehensive economic and environmental development of the entire Great Lakes region. Some 241,286 jobs and $36 billion in economic activity are supported by the movement of goods within the Great Lakes-Seaway System. For more information on the St. Lawrence Seaway, please consult the websites.

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Media Contacts:

Jean Aubry-Morin (SLSMC)                                

Vice-President, External Relations                                  

(613) 932-5170, ext. 3249                                               

jaubrymorin@seaway.ca                                                  

 

Jennifer Wilk (GLS)

Director, Congressional and Public Relations

(202) 590-8115

jennifer.wilk@dot.gov

Binational Press Release - Steady Cargo Volume in May 2024 Shows Seaway Reliability