Seaway sees uptick in tonnage in 2023

Nearly 38 million tonnes of cargo transited the binational system in 2023, representing an overall increase of more than 3.4 percent from the previous year.

The Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) and U.S. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) unveiled their 2023 results his week.

“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. Compared to the previous year, the season ended with goods shipped through the waterway increasing by 3.4 percent, which helped drive the North American economy,” said Terence Bowles, president and CEO of the SLSMC.

Despite challenges posed by climate change, producers successfully mitigated global issues, resulting in an overall increase of nearly five percent compared to 2022 figures, reaching 10.4 million tonnes. Notably, Canadian grain experienced a significant year-over-year growth of more than 11 percent.

Agricultural and construction supply chain materials, including potash, gypsum, cement and stone, exceeded 12 million tonnes, representing five percent growth compared to 2022. Liquid bulk moves amounted to 3.6 million tonnes in 2023, representing a 3.4 percent increase from the previous year. Petroleum products were the primary contributors with 2.6 million tonnes, followed by liquid chemicals, which increased 11 percent.

The Seaway system’s efficiency contributed to economic development on both sides of the border, with fewer transits in ballast and an additional 1.2 million tonnes of cargo.

“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,” said Adam Tindall-Schlicht, GLS administrator. “Our binational partnership delivers results, and we are proud of our resiliency and increased tonnage results this year.”

Marking the longest scheduled shipping season in history, the Montreal-Lake Ontario section of the Seaway, including the U.S. locks, closed on January 5, with the Welland Canal closing on January 7. Both the SLSMC and GLS are now engaged in annual multi-million-dollar winter maintenance and infrastructure renewal programs, which are strategic to maintaining the binational system’s record of reliability and availability.

“Special thanks go out to the Seaway teams and marine industry partners on both sides of the border, our customers, and partners in the community and government for another successful navigation season,” Bowles said.

Looking ahead to 2024, both Canadian and U.S. Seaway Corporations will focus on further developing the Green Shipping Corridor to leverage the environmental and economic benefits of marine shipping to regional and global communities.

“We expect to build on the success we saw this past year thanks to investments by the marine industry and the Biden-Harris Administration to advance our leadership in the areas of resiliency, sustainability, technology, and efficiency”, added  Tindall-Schlicht.

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system extends 3700 km from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. Shipping through the Seaway supports over 329,000 jobs and $59 billion in economic activity in Canada and the United States.