St. Lawrence Seaway cargo up slightly in 2021 navigation season

January 26, 2022

The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) announced that more than 38 million tonnes of cargo transited the system during the 2021 navigation season which, despite another challenging year, is above last year's results.

Iron ore, steel slabs and other steel products posted strong performances, contributing to over 10.5 million tonnes of the total. This was driven by demand from both the automotive and construction industries.

These results, and the fact that we traded cargo with over 50 countries, confirm the Seaway's role as an important transportation corridor connecting North America's largest industrial hubs to markets around the world, as well as in identifying export opportunities and contributing to the economic recovery.

Petroleum products and other essential chemical products were up some 5%, and are starting to return to more normal levels. Such varied cargoes as stone, cement, potash and aluminium were also up.

Grain, at 10.6 million tonnes, is below last year's exceptional results due to a smaller crop and drought conditions in both western Canada and the U.S. mid-west. Canadian grain, however, was still tracking at a 5-year average.

"At the Seaway, we continue to demonstrate our resiliency and operational sustainability", said Terence Bowles, President and CEO of the SLSMC. "In spite of the many challenges experienced by the transportation industry this past year, the Seaway was able to maintain its operations and its position as a reliable commercial transportation corridor, ensuring consistent and predictable service for its customers and supporting the Canadian and U.S. economies during this difficult period."

Source: SLSMC