December 16 - With strong project cargo volumes recorded in November, Betty Sutton, administrator of the US Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, anticipates a strong finish to the Great Lakes St Lawrence Seaway's 2016 navigation season.
The St. Lawrence Seaway reported that year-to-date cargo shipments for the period covering March 21 to November 30 totalled 30.3 million tonnes, down 5.89 percent over the same period in 2015.
The dry bulk category was down 13 percent, while the general cargo category was down 6 percent overall, but within that classification, project cargo posted a 42 percent increase.
The Port of Toledo saw a considerable increase in general cargo shipments - mainly comprised of steel, aluminium project and bulk cargoes - over 2015 year-to-date volumes.
Seaway cargoes handled at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor in November were the highest for any single month within the last five years.
"We had a significant increase in ocean shipments this past month - up 50 percent from last November and over 80 percent from the previous month," said port director Rick Heimann.
"Our November cargoes included several 200 ft (60.9 m) moulds for wind turbine blades, a competitive sailing yacht for an upcoming boat show and two 10-tonne freezers for an Indiana food processor."
