The St. Lawrence Seaway was a busy place in 2010 and could be even busier in 2011, thanks in part to increased grain shipments.
The inland waterway recorded a 15 percent increase in total cargo volume during the 2010 navigation season, reaching 35.46 million tonnes.
Grain shipments were 10.5 percent higher at 9.04 million tonnes.
The previous year was 8.18 million tonnes, while the 10-year average for grain cargo is 10.19 million.
Shipments of iron ore led the way, increasing by 35 percent to 9.38 million tonnes.
The seaway shut down for the year at the end of December.
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Looking ahead to 2011, Bruce Hodgson, director of marketing for the seaway, is projecting an increase of four to nine percent in total movement to 37 million tonnes.
“Let’s hope that I’m being conservative,” he added, projecting increased volumes for grain, iron ore, salt and automotive.
He said the increased tonnage in 2010 reflected a general improvement in the economy, as well one million tonnes of new cargo attributed to the seaway’s new business incentive program.
Perhaps the most positive sign on the long-term horizon is the federal government’s decision last year to repeal a longstanding 25 percent duty on imported vessels, a move that should help replenish the aging fleet of lake vessels.
Two domestic marine carriers – Algoma Central Corp. and CSL Group – recently announced it was buying new vessels designed for use on the seaway.
Shipments of U.S. grain through the seaway had increased by 23 percent as of the end of October to 1.9 million tonnes.
Collister Johnson, administrator of the U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corp., said he was encouraged by this year’s performance.
“We have every reason to believe that the remainder of the season will be just as strong,” he said in a news release in late November.
He attributed the increase in U.S. grain to a bumper U.S. crop, an earlier-than-usual harvest and the Russian drought and export ban.
———
Year
2000tonnes shipped
13,199,859
———
2001
20022003200411,792,16310,461,0949,645,630
9,322,479
———
2005
2006200720089,773,08411,538,12310,405,868
7,592,107
———
2009
10-year avg.8,181,113
10,191,152
