PORTAGE — The international shipping season has come to a close, meaning no more ocean-going vessels will sail into the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor until the Saint Lawrence Seaway reopens in the spring.
The seaway, a canal that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, closed its navigation season on Dec. 31, handling 36 million tons of cargo last year. Grain shipments totaled 10.8 million tons, which was well above the five-year average.
"Now that the navigation season has concluded, winter maintenance projects at the U.S. Snell and Eisenhower locks are already underway," U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. Administrator Betty Sutton said. "The maintenance of the U.S. locks is a year-round job and Seaway employees are diligently working as we continue to rehabilitate and modernize the Seaway infrastructure under our Asset Renewal Program."
While grain was up, other cargo didn't fare as well.
"The 2015 navigation season saw highs and lows in traditional cargoes that move through the Seaway System," Sutton said. "Global demand for coal remained below last year's levels whereas general cargo to and from international and domestic markets remained high with over a 100 percent increase. Project cargo and dry bulk materials to support the construction and manufacturing industry also remained in positive standings."
The 2015 navigation season lasted 274 days after opening about a week later than normal in early April because of all the ice last year. The Baie St. Paul was the last ship to pass through the seaway, which is credited with supporting 227,000 jobs and $35 billion in economic activity.
"The Seaway continues to serve as a vital trade artery, enabling cargo to move to more than 50 countries across the globe," St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. President and CEO Terence Bowles said.