The St. Lawrence Seaway is the shortest route to the heartland of North America. The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System is a vital maritime gateway that moves cargo between North America andinternational markets. The Great Lakes Seaway System encompasses the St. Lawrence River and the five Great Lakes, and stretches over 2,000 Miles (3,500 km) from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Lake Superior. The Seaway is a Bi-Natoinal system operated jointly by the U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation and the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.

Since the Seaway’s opening in 1959, Canada and the U.S. have shipped more than 2 billion tons of cargo through the waterway, estimated at $300 billion dollars to and from 50 other nations. Additionally, over 2,500 commercial vessel transits are made annually through the Seaway System’s locks. The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System offers unique competitive advantages for shipping cargoes to and from North America’s agricultural and industrial heartland. By providing a direct and reliable water route, managed by experienced professionals, the Seaway System offers superior benefits to shippers, vessel owners and operators.

• Access to Major North American Markets
• Expertise in Moving Key Seaway Cargoes
• Safe, Efficient and Reliable
• State-of-the-Art Maritime Technology
• Customer Focused

Major Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Cargoes

• Agriculture: (40%)
• Mining (40%)
• Iron and Steel (10%)
• Other Processed and Manufactured Products (10%)

Why are Ships so Important

• 1 ship's capacity is equal to 25,000 Metric Tons
• 250 Rail Cars
• 870 Trucks
• 1/4 of the U.S. population and nearly one half of the Canadian population resides in the region.
• Extensive intermodal networks link the system’s ports with key cities throughout the U.S. and Canada.
• More than 30% of Fortune 500 companies are located within day’s drive of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System.
• Center of U.S. and Canadian industrial and agricultural production.