Economic Impact of Great Lakes Shipping

Great Lakes - St. LawrenceSeaway shipping is one of the key drivers of the U.S. and Canadian economies. The industry creates 227,000 jobs in the two countries, and produces business revenues of $35 billion. Additionally, shipping in the region contributes $4.6 billion in federal, state/province and local taxes every year. It also supports the economic health of North America’s industrial heartland and a consumer market of more than 100 million people.

227,000
The number of jobs the Great Lakes-Seaway shipping industry creates.

227,000
The amount of business revenue this industry produces.

227,000
The amount this industry contributes in federal, state and provincial taxes.

227,000
The amount this industry generates in employment wages annually.

Click on the four images to see their related statistics.

164 Million metric tons of cargo delivered every year

To keep their businesses running, U.S. and Canadian electric utilities, steel mills, construction companies, mining companies, manufacturers, and farmers all depend on the 164 million metric tons of cargo delivered by Great Lakes vessels every year.

These cargoes become the automobiles North Americans drive, the office buildings they work in, the energy that heats their homes, the salt that keeps roads safe, and the food they put on the dinner table.
What cargoes become

Marine transportation on the Great Lakes-Seaway System provides $3.6 billion (USD) in annual transportation cost savings compared to the next least expensive all-land transportation alternative. This enhances the global competitiveness of North American products and industries and keeps the cost of consumer goods down.

$3.6 billion in annual transportation cost savings

$1 billion investment

Shipowners have recently invested close to $1 billion (CAD) to buy state-of-the-art new ships that will have significant environmental and safety benefits for the Great Lakes. 

Economy

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