St. Lawrence Seaway Opens 59th Navigation Season
The ceremony took place at the St. Lambert lock in Montreal.
The U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) has marked the opening of the seaway's 59th navigation season, at a ceremony that took place at the St. Lambert Lock in Montreal with Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau participating.
"The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System is a tremendous asset that provides a safe and efficient means of moving cargo worldwide," said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao. "As the 59th Seaway navigation season gets underway, we recognize the importance of commercial maritime navigation to our nation's economy."
SLSDC Deputy Administrator Middlebrook said the seaway's ability "to accommodate and encourage increases in maritime cargo rests first and foremost on its ability to move ships safely and reliably. By that standard," he continued, "the seaway's record is remarkable as evidenced by a steady reduction in vessel incidents over the last 20 years. Last year was one of the safest navigation seasons on record. Combined with a lock availability rate of nearly 100 percent over the last 10 years, the safety, reliability, and performance record of the seaway System is second to none and gives our customers the confidence to know that we can meet their transportation needs."