NEWS RELEASE – St. Lawrence Seaway shipping posted strong gains in the first half of the season in shipments of U.S. grain, construction materials and heavy lift cargo for the renewable energy and manufacturing sectors, according to the latest figures released today. However, global weakness for some commodities has slowed overall tonnage results.
“The Great Lakes-Seaway trade corridor continues to support business expansion in key areas of the U.S. economy, from energy and automotive manufacturing to grain exports and construction,” said Stephen Brooks, President of the Chamber of Marine Commerce.
According to figures from the St. Lawrence Seaway, U.S grain shipments from April 2 to August 31 totaled 1.1 million metric tons, up nearly 70 percent over the same period last year. Dry bulk tonnage, including construction materials, tallied 5.4 million metric tons, up 9 percent. Business from North American renewable energy providers and manufacturers lifted year-to-date shipments of heavy machinery components (other general cargo) by 23 per cent and materials such as aluminum (domestic general cargo) via the St. Lawrence Seaway by 28 percent compared to the same period last year.
Aluminum, steel and project cargo have been the leading break bulk commodities at the Port of Toledo this year. “The majority of the aluminum and steel is coming in on barges from Canada this season,” said Joe Cappel, VP of Business Development for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. “The aluminum is often stored on the LME or CME in our Foreign Trade Zone #8 for a period of time then eventually released into the marketplace and used mainly in the automotive industry. Typically after discharge, the barge continues up the Maumee River to one of our grain silos and loads grain to take back to Canada.”
Many of the project cargo shipments to Toledo this season are in support of the oil and gas industry. In August the port welcomed the BBC Ohio, delivering cargo for Husky’s Lima refinery. Siemens natural gas turbines shipped from Charleston, SC arrived in Toledo later in the month on the barge Sea Crescent for a new power plant in Oregon, Ohio.
The Port of Duluth-Superior received the final two of seven shipments of wind turbine components last week destined for a North Dakota renewable energy project now under construction by ALLETE Clean Energy. The port is expecting to receive another handful of heavy-lift and project cargo shipments for energy-related developments in North Dakota and Alberta this year.
“Partnering with ALLETE Clean Energy to move a total of seven shipments of heavy lift and dimensional wind cargoes through the Port of Duluth this year demonstrates their commitment to clean energy,” said Vanta Coda, executive director of the Duluth-Seaway Port Authority. “They managed to minimize overland carriage and capitalize on the efficiencies of waterborne transport via the Great Lakes-Seaway system.”
These areas of strength, however, were offset by a 16 percent decline in shipments of iron ore via the St. Lawrence Seaway, a 38 percent decrease in coal shipments, and a decline in Canadian grain cargoes compared to a blockbuster 2014. As a result, overall cargo tonnage on the Seaway from April 2 to August 31 was 18.3 million metric tons, down 10.6 percent from the same period in 2014.
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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