Industry Users

Great Lakes-Seaway ships deliver 164 million metric tons of essential raw materials every year for North America’s biggest brands and businesses.

To understand the magnitude and reach of these cargoes, consider the following:

• A Seaway size vessel moves enough wheat in one load to make bread for every resident of New York City for nearly a month. North American farmers depend on Great lakes-Seaway shipping to move barley, wheat, soybeans and corn to domestic and international markets. These crops become beer and ethanol fuel in the U.S., bread in England, pasta in Italy, and couscous in Morocco.
• One 1,000 foot long Great Lakes vessel carries enough iron ore to operate a giant steel mill for more than four days. The Great Lakes-Seaway System handles more than 80 percent of the iron ore used in the U.S. steel industry. In Ontario, it supports the activities of more than 60 steel manufacturers.
• One 1,000 foot long vessel carries enough coal to power Greater Detroit for one day. The Great Lakes-Seaway System is a critical conduit for the mining industries in both Canada and the U.S. shipping coal for power generation, salt for road safety, limestone for steel making, and cement for construction projects.
• Marine shipping makes a major contribution to green energy as the safest and most cost-effective way of transporting giant wind turbine components to new power projects near the Great Lakes and U.S. interior.