It may be the dead heat of summer, but road salt is still in high demand across the Great Lakes-Seaway region. According to the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, salt shipments through the St. Lawrence Seaway from April 2 to July 31 are up 3 per cent to 1.4 million metric tons and those figures are in comparison to a particularly stellar year in 2014.
David Cree, CEO of the Windsor Port Authority, said: “Salt, which is mined and shipped through the K+S Windsor Salt Mine, is one of our strongest cargoes so far this season. Total salt shipments are up, even over last year’s strong numbers. Ships are already carrying road salt from Windsor to cities and towns all over Canada and the U.S., which are stockpiling now in preparation for the colder winter months ahead.”
Robert Dalley, general manager for the Port of Johnstown, added: “We’ve had a solid shipping season so far with U.S. corn, calcium chloride for road dust control and large quantities of salt coming into the port. Total cargo shipments are up 21 per cent this season compared to the same timeframe last year, and this is mostly due to an increase in road salt coming from mines in Ontario and Quebec, which is being sent to municipalities throughout the region including Ottawa, Kingston, Brockville and Cornwall.”
In addition to salt, other dry bulk categories also rose. U.S. construction activity has boosted cement shipments via the Seaway to 766,000 metric tons from April 2 to July 31, up 11 per cent compared to last year. Shipments of gypsum, used in wallboard for home construction, were up 35 per cent. Coke tonnage at 657,000 metric tons for the season so far, was also up 23 per cent compared to 2014. Metallurgic coke is used for domestic steel production in Hamilton, Toledo and Burns Harbor, Indiana.
Across the board, however, year-to-date (April 2 through July 31) cargo tonnage on the Seaway was 14.5 million metric tons, down 7 per cent, with iron ore down 8 per cent and coal shipments down 38 per cent.
Bruce Hodgson, director of market development for the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, said: “We anticipate road salt to remain a hot commodity on the St. Lawrence Seaway as we head into autumn. The more buoyant U.S. economy is also creating demand for other products such as construction materials and steel-making materials. However, weaker global conditions and demand for some of the Seaway’s key cargoes — iron ore and coal — are reflected in our overall numbers.”
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About the Chamber of Marine Commerce
The Chamber of Marine Commerce is a bi-national association that represents more than 150 marine industry stakeholders including major Canadian and American shippers, ports, terminals and marine service providers, as well as domestic and international ship owners. The Chamber represents the interests of its members by addressing government issues affecting marine transportation. Advocacy extends to federal, state/provincial and municipal levels of government.
Media Contact
Julia Fields
Chamber of Marine Commerce
613-294-8515
The Chamber of Marine Commerce (CMC) is a bi-national association that represents diverse marine industry stakeholders including major Canadian and American shippers, ports, terminals and marine service providers, as well as Canadian domestic and international ship owners. The Chamber advocates for safe, sustainable, harmonized and competitive policy and regulation that recognizes the marine transportation system's significant advantages in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence, Coastal and Arctic regions.
Media Contact:
Jason Card
Chamber of Marine Commerce
jcard@cmc-ccm.com
(613) 447 5401