GLIN==> November Seaway Cargo shipments up 28%

PRESS RELEASE

 

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laura M. Blades

 
202-558-5123

                                                      

November Seaway Cargo Shipments Up 28%

Season Ending on Upswing in Traffic

 

Washington, D.C. (December 9, 2010) - The St. Lawrence Seaway has reported a
significant rise in iron ore, coal and grain shipments as it enters the
final stretch of the shipping season.

 

Total cargo shipments in November jumped by 28 percent to 4.8 million metric
tons compared to the same period last year, with some sections of the Seaway
seeing the highest number of ship transits for this time of the year in more
than a decade.

 

Year-to-date total cargo shipments for the period between March 31 and
November 30 were 31.9 million metric tons, up 19 percent compared to 2009.
The Seaway expects that figure will hit 35 million metric tons before the
shipping season concludes at the end of the month.

 

The Montreal-Lake Ontario section of the Seaway saw more than 407 ship
transits in November - the highest number for that month in 12 years - as
ships brought iron ore and other cargo into the Toronto/Hamilton area and
vessels transited through the system with U.S. and Canadian grain destined
for overseas markets. 

 

"The double digit tonnage increases we saw in November confirm that an
economic rebound from a deep recession is underway," said Rebecca McGill,
Director of Trade Development for the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development
Corporation.

 

"The North American steel industry is faring much better than last year with
strong numbers reported for iron ore, coal, coke and limestone cargoes,
while U.S. grain exports are having their best season in more than a
decade."

 

In November, coal shipments were up 92 percent to 481,000 metric tons
compared to the same month in 2009. Coke, which is used as a fuel in blast
furnaces during the manufacture of steel, was up 28 percent to 130,000
metric tons.  Iron ore shipments remained strong during the month, up 25
percent at 981,000 metric tons. Total grain shipments increased by 29
percent in November to 1.8 million metric tons compared to 2009. 

 

Year-to-date figures showed iron ore shipments up 49 percent to 8.9 million
metric tons, while grain had increased by 9 percent to 7.8 million metric
tons compared to 2009. 

 

McGill added: "The Great Lakes ports of Burns Harbor, Indiana and Duluth,
Minnesota are regularly seeing ships loaded with wind components as the
tonnage for this fast-growing renewable energy industry has more than
quadrupled in the Great Lakes Seaway System for 2010 over the preceding
year."

 

"We've seen significant increases in coal, grain and steel movements during
2010," said Peter Laman, port director for the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor.
"But our biggest increase is in project cargo shipments which are 10 times
last year's totals. This was driven by a few large tank and wind farm
construction projects, including one that brought in 11 ships of windmill
components. We also had our first exports of U.S. manufactured windmills,
which were shipped to Nova Scotia."

 

The Port of Oswego received three large shipments of aluminum from Sept Iles
in November alone. Jonathan Daniels, executive director of the Port said,
"Those shipments accounted for nearly double the amount of aluminum we
usually move through our port. We serve as a distribution center for four
companies and the aluminum will be used by the food and beverage industry,
and in the manufacture of automobiles and appliances - a positive economic
indicator."

 

 

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway waterway is responsible for
approximately 75,000 direct and indirect jobs in Canada and 150,000 in the
U.S. and annually generates more than $4.3 billion in personal income, $3.4
billion in transportation-related business revenue, and $1.3 billion in
federal, state and local taxes.  This vital trade corridor delivers
approximately $3.6 billion in annual cost savings compared to the next least
expensive mode of commercial transportation. This provides a competitive
advantage for the North American manufacturing, construction, energy and
agri-food sectors.

 

 

 

For interviews, please contact: Nancy Alcalde, Director, Congressional &
Public Relations, Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation on
202-366-0091.

 

-30-

 

 

____________________________________________________________________________
____

Marine Delivers is a bi-national, industry collaboration that aims to
demonstrate the economic contribution and environmental sustainability of
the shipping industry throughout the Great Lakes region. The Marine Delivers
initiative is administered by the American Great Lakes Ports Association in
the United States, and the Chamber of Marine Commerce in Canada. For more
information, visit the Marine Delivers website at www.marinedelivers.com.

 

 

 

Laura M. Blades

Director of Public Affairs

American Great Lakes Ports Association

700 12th Street, NW  Suite 700

Washington, DC 20005

T:  202-558-5123

C:  301-956-5391

blades at greatlakesports.org

 

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