Cargo & Commodities

Each year, millions of tons of materials are shipped efficiently through the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System. This section covers the various bulk cargo, from iron ore and petroleum to stone and cement, being transported along the system.

Great-Lakes Seaway Cargo Rose by 7% in 2021

A new system-wide report from the Chamber of Marine Commerce shows that Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway ships carried an estimated 149 million metric tons of cargo to and from domestic ports, and... Read More

Keeping Goods Moving: Great Lakes/Seaway Trades With 50 Countries, Delivers More Than 38 Million Metric Tons in 2021

While supply chain interruptions dominated the news, the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway system kept filling ships and moving cargo. The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) reports that more than... Read More

Cement Market Transformation

LafargeHolcim Leads Change to Low-Carbon Product Producing OneCem Portland limestone cement creates an immediate 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The engineered blend has been tested and proven an effective... Read More

Raising Questions: Industry Looks to Protect Shipping Channels as Marine Sanctuaries Increase in the Great Lakes

The proliferation of marine sanctuaries to protect shipwrecks in the Great Lakes – including one proposed for eastern Lake Ontario whose public comment process just concluded – is raising questions... Read More

High Speed Hyperports: Technology Targets Efficiency and Sustainability of the Great Lakes/Seaway System

Imagine replacing cargo-carrying trucks from the roadways with a dedicated high-speed infrastructure system. Right now, the economic connection between the United States and Canada needs to adopt cutting-edge solutions that... Read More

In Short: News from October–December 2021

Duluth Makes Way for More Containers Investments in intermodal connections and procedures to ensure homeland security compliance have increased the Port of Duluth’s Clure Public Marine Terminal capacity to handle... Read More

Going With the Grain: New and Expanding Facilities Reflect Optimism

Working through the 2021 season, port operators are optimistic about the role grain plays in regional shipping. This follows the challenging 2020 season, when several Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway ports... Read More

Wisconsin Worldwide: Lake Michigan State Rolls Out Bipartisan Plan to Grow Agriculture Exports

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP) sees great potential in grain exports. A recent bipartisan budget signed by Gov. Tony Evers creates a new export initiative... Read More

Canadian Ballast Regs Under Fire: Domestic Fleets Point Out Competitive Disadvantages, Impact on Post-pandemic Recovery

Ballast Water Regulations released by Transport Canada (TC) in June continue to make waves. The new law applies to vessels operating in Canadian waters and Canadian-flagged vessels trading anywhere in... Read More

Year One: Hamilton Container Terminal Launches Canadian Feeder Line

Shippers desiring to minimize their environmental impact are creating cargo to support a new Great Lakes/Seaways feeder line service Hamilton Container Terminal (HCT). Located at the Port of Hamilton, amid... Read More