The St. Lawrence Seaway Unveils New Figures

The St. Lawrence Seaway released new figures on its performance on September 16. As of the end of August, 19.5 million metric tons of cargo have been shipped on the St. Lawrence Seaway so far this navigation season – navigating directly through the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation.

This tri-national system makes it a key supply chain link moving the goods that drive the North American economy.

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System supports over 350,000 jobs across the U.S. and Canada, in a region that if it were its own country, would be the third largest economy in the world. From the food we consume, highlighted by increasing shipments of grain and potash fertilizer, to the materials and fuels that support transportation and build infrastructure across North America.

Cargos which showed significant increases compared to the same period in 2023 are:

Grain 5.2 million metric tons of Canadian and U.S. grain, up by 277,000 mt or 5.6%

Potash 849 thousand metric tons of Potash, a product mined in the prairies and used in agricultural fertilizers, up by 145,000 mt or 21%.

Petroleum 1.8 million metric tons of petroleum products, up by 385, 000 mt or 27%

Iron and steel 1.3 million metric tons of iron and steel, up by 347,000 mt or 35%

“The St. Lawrence Seaway is a vital link in the supply chain that keeps our economies moving,” said Jim Athanasiou, President and CEO of the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.

According to Athanasiou, “Marine shipping on the Seaway is an environmentally friendly method for transporting goods. That’s why we’re actively working with the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) on initiatives like the Green Shipping Corridor to further increase our sustainability.”

According to their website, “The Corporation considers the local “North Country” region of New York to be its home. This region includes 350,000 residents who reside primarily in the counties of St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Franklin, and Clinton. Each year, we generate more than $8.5 million for the region in economic benefits through payroll, purchases, and economic development. This economic impact confirms our status as one of the Top 10 employers in the Empire State’s North Country region.”

As the season progresses, they expect tonnage levels to remain on trend demonstrating the Seaway as a resilient, predictable and sustainable binational system for global shipping.

The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, on behalf of the Government of Canada, manages the Canadian portion of the waterway system and its associated lands. The St. Lawrence Seaway system serves as a key corridor and supply chain link for North America, driving significant economic activity.

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.

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region is often considered the industrial and agricultural nucleus of both the United States and Canada – with a combined GDP of more than $6 trillion U.S. dollars. This output would represent the third-largest economy in the world – behind the U.S. and China – if it were a country.