Editing St. Lawrence Seaway (section)

==International trade and tourism==
The seaway is important for American and Canadian international trade. It handles 40–50 million annual tonnes of cargo. About 50% of this cargo carried travels to and from international ports in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The rest comprises coastal trade, or [[short sea shipping]], between various American and Canadian ports.<ref>{{cite web|title=Introducing the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System|url=http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/pdf/overview_brochure.pdf|publisher=[[St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation]]|access-date=2013-01-02|archive-date=2019-02-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221025340/http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/pdf/overview_brochure.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> Among international shippers are found:
* [[Polsteam]], which maintains a fleet of dry-bulk only vessels that transit every two weeks from the Dutch town of [[IJmuiden]] to [[Duluth, Minnesota]]
* [[Fednav Group]], a private<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.occq-qcco.com/main.cfm?p=421&l=en&MembreID=38 |title=Fednav Limited – Montreal – Ship chartering, Shipping agency, Marine Agencies, Tie-downs, Stevedoring, Boats, Boats repair and maintenance, International commerce, Ship owning, Navigation services, Exportation services, Ice navigation services, Logistic services, Transportation, Transportation of bulk, Oceanic transportation |website=Occq-Qcco.com |date=1974-08-01 |access-date=2016-11-25}}</ref> international dry-bulk only ocean transportation group, with routes between the [[Port of Antwerp]] and [[Sorel, Quebec]], even in wintertime<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fednav.com/anglais/schedules.html |title=Liner Shipping: Falline |website=Fednav.com |access-date=2016-11-25}}</ref>
* [[World Shipping]] Inc., a privately owned<ref>{{cite web|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=4396541 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140104202257/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=4396541 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 4, 2014 |title=World Shipping, Inc.: Private Company Information – Bloomberg |website=Investing.businessweek.com |access-date=2016-11-25}}</ref> global logistics operation<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldshipping.com/ |title=World Shipping, Inc |website=Worldshipping.com |date=2014-06-20 |access-date=2016-11-25}}</ref>
* [[Canfornav]], a subsidiary of [[Canfor]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.canfornav.com/en/about-us.aspx |title=About us |website=Canfornav.com |access-date=2016-11-25 |archive-date=2016-11-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161126003407/http://www.canfornav.com/en/about-us.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> which does dry bulk only and registers most of its vessels in [[Cyprus]]
* [[American Steamship Company]], a subsidiary of the [[General American Transportation Corporation]] (GATX)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.americansteamship.com/index.php |title=American Steamship Company |website=Americansteamship.com |access-date=2016-11-25}}</ref>
* [[Rand Logistics]], which was formed from the acquisition of Lower Lakes Towing Ltd,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.randlogisticsinc.com/about.html |title=About Rand |publisher=Rand Logistics, Inc. |access-date=2016-11-25}}</ref> and does not ship containers
* [[McKeil Marine]], headquartered in Hamilton, which provides service to Arctic ports<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mckeil.com/marine-ports |title=Ports of Call &#124; Marine Transportation and Project Services &#124; McKeil Marine Limited |access-date=2014-01-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104205326/http://www.mckeil.com/marine-ports |archive-date=2014-01-04 }}</ref>
* [[Groupe Desgagnés]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://desgagnes.com/en/home/3.aspx |title=Groupe Desgagnés |website=Desgagnes.com |date=2015-12-01 |access-date=2016-11-25 |archive-date=2015-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151201155845/http://desgagnes.com/en/home/3.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* The [[Port of Montreal]] is the site of operations of
** [[Maersk Line]], a unit of the [[A.P. Moller-Maersk Group]]
** [[Mediterranean Shipping Company]]
** [[CMA CGM|Compagnie Maritime d'Affrètement / Compagnie Generale Maritime]], a French transshipper
** [[Hapag-Lloyd]] acquired the Port of Montreal docks of, along with the rest of, [[CP Ships]] in 2005
** [[Orient Overseas Container Line]], a Hong Kong-based multinational
* [[Arrimage Quebec]], which has [[stevedoring]] operations in [[Baie-Comeau]], [[Bécancour, Quebec|Becancour]], [[Chicago]], [[Montreal|Cote-Sainte-Catherine]], [[Gaspé, Quebec|Gaspe]], [[Cacouna, Quebec|Gros-Cacouna]], [[Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority|Hamilton]], [[Matane]], [[Oshawa]], [[Pointe-au-Pic]], [[Port Colborne]], [[Portneuf, Quebec|Portneuf]], [[Quebec]], [[Rimouski]], [[Saguenay, Quebec|Saguenay]], [[Sept-Îles, Quebec|Sept-Iles]], [[Sorel-Tracy]], [[St. Catharines]], and other ports in the Maritime provinces of Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qsl.com/en/qsl.html |title=Quebec Stevedoring |access-date=2014-01-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211194743/http://www.qsl.com/en/qsl.html |archive-date=2014-02-11 }}</ref>

The St. Lawrence Seaway (along with ports in Quebec) is the main route for Ontario grain exports to overseas markets.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wheat Export|url=http://www.gfo.ca/Marketing/WheatMarketing/WheatExport.aspx|publisher=Grain Farmers of Ontario|access-date=2013-01-02|archive-date=2012-12-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121205011924/http://www.gfo.ca/Marketing/WheatMarketing/WheatExport.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> Its fees are publicly known, and were limited in 2013 to an increase of 3%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/commercial/transiting/toll-schedule/index.html |title= Commercial Shipping – Toll Schedule |website=Seaway System |access-date=2016-11-25 |archive-date=2016-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161212011520/http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/commercial/transiting/toll-schedule/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> A trained pilot is required for any foreign trade vessel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seaway.dot.gov/Cruise%20Brochure.pdf |title=Cruising the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway |publisher=U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway |access-date=2013-12-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130213211433/http://www.seaway.dot.gov/Cruise%20Brochure.pdf |archive-date=2013-02-13 }}</ref> A set of rules and regulations are available to help transit.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/commercial/transiting/index.html |title=Commercial Shipping – Transiting the Seaway |website=Seaway System |access-date=2016-11-25 |archive-date=2016-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161212011510/http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/commercial/transiting/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Commercial vessel transit information is hosted on the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation website.

Since 1997, international cruise liners have been known to transit the seaway. The [[Hapag-Lloyd]] ''Christopher Columbus'' carried 400 passengers to [[Duluth, Minnesota]], that year. Since then, the number of annual seaway cruising passengers has increased to 14,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seaway.dot.gov/Cruise%20Brochure.pdf |title=Cruising the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway |publisher=U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway |access-date=2013-12-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130213211433/http://www.seaway.dot.gov/Cruise%20Brochure.pdf |archive-date=2013-02-13 |page=1 }}</ref>

Every year, more than 2,000 recreational boats, of more than 20&nbsp;ft and one ton, transit the seaway.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/recreational/index.html |title= Recreational Boating |website=Seaway System |access-date=2016-11-25 |archive-date=2012-07-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717135013/http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/recreational/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The tolls have been fixed for 2017 at $30 per lock. There is a $5 per lock discount for payment in advance.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/recreational/craft_tolls.html |title= Recreational Boating – Pleasure Craft Tolls |website=Seaway System |access-date=2016-11-25 |archive-date=2016-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112211017/http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/recreational/craft_tolls.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Lockages are scheduled 12 hours a day between the hours of 07:00 and 19:00 from June 15 to September 15.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/recreational/lockage_schedule.html |title= Recreational Boating – Lockage Schedule |website=Seaway System |access-date=2016-11-25 |archive-date=2016-11-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107135828/http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/recreational/lockage_schedule.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

A list of organisations that serve the seaway in some fashion, such as chambers of commerce and municipal or port authorities, is available at the SLSDC website. A 56-page electronic "Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System" Directory is published by Harbor House Publishers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.harborhouse.com/digital/systemdirectory.htm |title=Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Directory |website=Harborhouse.com |access-date=2016-11-25}}</ref><ref name="The St. Lawrence Seaway, a Vital Waterway">{{cite web |title=The St. Lawrence Seaway, a Vital Waterway |url=https://greatlakes-seaway.com/en/the-seaway/ |website=Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development |publisher=The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Seaway System |access-date=30 August 2024 |date=2024 |quote=According to a special report compiled by BMO Capital Markets, the eight states and two provinces that border the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System generate an immense economic impact within North America.}}</ref>