CORNWALL – A familiar sight will return to the St. Lawrence River beginning March 22 as the St. Lawrence Seaway will open its 2024 navigation season.
Navigation for the Lake Ontario to Montréal section, passing through South Dundas, will open at 8 a.m. that day. The Welland Canal will also resume operation that day. Traffic on the Sault Ste. Marie Locks and Canals will resume on March 25.
The Seaway system looks to continue to improve traffic on the shipping waterway.
There was an overall 3.37 per cent year-over-year increase in tonnage shipped via the Seaway between 2022 and 2023, while overall vessel transits decreased by 1.85 per cent.
Cargo increases were buoyed by a double-digit increase in Coal traffic (13.96 per cent) and more than five per cent increases in Dry Bulk (5.43 per cent) and Grain (5.01 per cent) shipments.
All shipping categories, except General Cargo, saw increases in 2023. General Cargo shipments decreased by nearly 12 per cent.
Overall, 3,934 ships plied the international waterway in the 2023 shipping season and hauled 37.6 million tonnes.
The Seaway has been closed since January 5, 2024 – which was the latest closing date ever set. This year marks the 66th season for the international shipping waterway.