Less cargo shipped on canal in 2019
St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. extended shipping season on Welland Canal in pilot project
A pilot project to extend the shipping season on the Welland Canal saw 16 commercial transits made between Dec. 31 and Jan. 8.
The final vessel to clear the system was the G3 Marquis — a ship managed by Algoma Central Corp. on behalf of Global Grain Group Ltd. — passing downbound through Lock 1 on Jan. 7 at 7:45 p.m.
Late last year, St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. said it would extend the season past Boxing Day at the request of domestic carriers who had the opportunity to ship more cargo.
Although the season was extended, the seaway saw three million tonnes less in cargo shipped compared to 2018.
A release from the agency said 38 million tonnes of cargo — grain, coal, iron ore, road salt, fuel — was shipped in 2019, down from 41 million tonnes in 2018, which was a 10-year high.
Final figures released by the seaway corporation show 258 fewer vessel transits through the 3,700kilometre-long system, which includes tugs and barges, lakers and ocean-going vessels.
Taking the biggest hit during the extended season was general cargo, down 33.22 per cent compared to 2018, while all grain was down 15.37 per cent. Iron ore shipments were down 8.05 per cent, while coal was down 6.26 per cent.
Showing increases were liquid bulk shipments at 2.34 per cent and dry bulk shipments, which were up 8.48 per cent.
Nearly three billion tonnes of cargo have been moved through the seaway in the past 60 years.
The seaway corporation said trade tensions, and difficult navigational conditions caused by high water on Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River, and adverse weather conditions impacting grain harvests were all factors in the 2019 season decrease.
During the season, water inflow into the St. Lawrence River was increased from Lake Ontario by the International Joint Commission’s International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board to alleviate flooding. The outflow was set at a record 10,400 cubic metres per second for nearly 70 days and necessitated lower speed limits in the St. Lawrence River, one-way navigation in certain locations and the use of tugs at the Iroquois Locks.
Those measures were estimated to cost the U.S. and Canadian economies $2 million a day in loses.
Terence Bowles, seaway president and chief executive officer, said the trade tensions were felt within the shipping industry, and it was hoped the forthcoming implementation of the United States — Mexico — Canada agreement would be an improvement within the global trading arena, providing for a better cargo outlook in 2020.
He said a comprehensive modernization program, completed over the past 10 years, including the implementation of handsfree mooring, has set the stage for the seaway to be highly competitive and support growth and employment for decades to come.
“From farmers eager to realize the sales of their crops to municipalities dependent upon ships for the supply of road salt, the seaway demonstrated its ability to serve as a sustainable and reliable transportation artery for a vast array of clients,” Bowles said in the release.