OTTAWA, ON – With just one month left of the season, St. Lawrence Seaway cargo shipments are expected to finish ahead of 2013 after what is being described as “a remarkable year” for grain exports and steel imports.

According to the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, total cargo shipments reached 34.6 million tonnes for the period from March 25 to November 30 – up 5 per cent over the same period last year. Seaway management expect the season will close ahead of last year by a similar margin.

Grain shipments (Canadian and U.S.) tallied 10.1 million tonnes, up 44 per cent over 2013. This total included the most Canadian grain routed through the Seaway for that period in 13 years. A surge in Prairie grain throughout the year has the Port of Thunder Bay on track for its best season in 16 years and Ontario grain exports through ports such as Hamilton, Windsor, Goderich and Port Colborne have also been up significantly this autumn.

Renewed construction activity and automotive manufacturing in Canada and the U.S. lifted steel shipments by 80 per cent this season to 2.2 million tonnes. The ports of Oshawa, Hamilton and Windsor have all seen major increases in steel imports.

Nearly 2 million tonnes of new business also helped to offset decreases in iron ore and coal shipments this year.

The bi-national Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway marine industry generates $35 billion in business revenues and supports 227,000 jobs in the U.S. and Canada.