Cargo Volumes Down Despite Increased Vessel Activity on the St. Lawrence Seaway
According to the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation’s (SLSMC) June traffic report, year-to-date cargo totaled 12.015 million metric tons, down 5.3% from 12.689 million metric tons during the same period in 2025. Grain shipments totaled 3.798 million metric tons, a 10.6% decline from a year earlier, while coal traffic fell 13.7% to 392,000 metric tons. General cargo decreased 9.5% to 751,000 metric tons, and iron ore shipments slipped 3.9% to 1.769 million metric tons.
Dry bulk cargo was nearly unchanged, declining 0.6% to 3.84 million metric tons, while liquid bulk posted one of the few gains, increasing 0.8% to 1.459 million metric tons.
Despite lower cargo volumes, vessel activity increased. Total vessel transits reached 1,355 through June, up 1.6% from 1,334 during the same period in 2025.
Feature photo: Everlast and Norman McLeod transiting the Welland Canal
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