The St. Lawrence Seaway opened for its 53rd navigation season on Tuesday, and officials are projecting a rise in cargo shipments on the waterway this season.

PHOTO CREDIT - boatnerd.com

Cornwall - Mar. 22, 2011 - The St. Lawrence Seaway opened for its 53rd navigation season Tuesday with rosy projections for the year ahead.

Officials from the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) predicted that cargo shipments would rise by about seven per cent (to 39.1 million tonnes) this season. An official ceremony was held at the St. Lambert Lock to mark the opening of the 2011 season.

"Transportation of raw materials serves as a bellwether for the economy as a whole, and despite volatile global economic conditions, we have reason to be cautiously optimistic regarding our various market segments," said SLSMC President and CEO Terence Bowles in a press release.

"Projections for the 2011 season foresee continued strength in the traditional staple cargoes of grain and iron ore. Shipments of road salt are projected to increase to replenish inventories depleted over a challenging winter season. Project cargo is pegged to rise due in part to continued activity in the oil sands."

Ian White, president and CEO of the Canadian Wheat Board, served as the keynote speaker at the opening ceremony.

"The CWB moves between 3 and 3.5 million tonnes of grain to markets through the Seaway each year, making it a vital part of our supply chain," said White. "Recent announcements on laker construction by a number of companies demonstrate our shared confidence in the Seaway's vibrant future."

Collister Johnson Jr., administrator of the U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, noted that the marine mode continues to be the most energy efficient mode of transportation.

"In an era of rapidly rising fuel prices, moving more cargo via the marine mode will serve to lessen our dependence on imported petroleum and bolster our national security," Johnson said.

Since its opening in 1959, more than 2.5 billion tonnes of cargo valued in excess of $375 billion has been transported through the Seaway's locks and channels.

Headquartered in Cornwall, the SLSMC is a not-for-profit corporation responsible for the safe and efficient movement of marine traffic through the Canadian Seaway facilities, which consists of 13 of the 15 locks between Montreal and Lake Erie.