Ottawa—While grain is no longer the top cargo, cargo shipments on the St. Lawrence Seaway to the end of July were 4.6 per cent ahead of the same period in 2020 thanks to increases in iron ore, dry bulk and general cargoes deliveries, the Seaway Management Corp. (SMC) has reported. Total cargo volumes from March 22 to July 31 were 16.7 million tonnes. After being No. 1 for months, grain finished in second place down by 12.5 per cent to about 4,200 million tonnes. Given that Prairie crops are expected to be sharply down from last year because of the drought, grain shipments will likely trail their historical averages for the rest of the year and into 2022. Dry bulk was the leader at 4.9 million tonnes, a 16.5 per cent increase over last year. Iron ore came third at 3.5 million tonnes, a 22.5 per cent increase. General cargoes jumped 51.8 per cent to 1.6 million tonnes. “Overall, the St. Lawrence Seaway's cargo performance reflects how the navigation system is supporting the resurgence of cement and steel manufacturing both in North America and globally,” said Terence Bowles, SMC President and CEO. “It shows the diversity of the Great Lakes-Seaway system and the breadth of commodity segments and markets that it serves.” To the end July, the Hamilton and Oshawa Port Authority handled more than 4.8 million tonnes of freight for the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area including finished steel, cement, sand, slag, stone and other aggregates. In July, over 1.1 million metric tons came through the Port of Hamilton alone. Year-to-date grain and fertilizer cargoes are up 13 and 31 per cent, respectively, compared to the same time last year. General/project cargo tonnages are also up significantly, including containers from the inaugural HCT feeder service sailing. The Port Windsor continues to see economic turnaround from COVID-19 through July. Truck ferry transport of oversized and dangerous goods to the United States are up 54 per cent. Demand for aggregate shipments remain strong for construction materials due to the Gordie Howe International Bridge and other major road construction projects. Grain has flattened out mid-summer awaiting new crops this fall. Through July, the Port has experienced a 40 per cent increase in foreign ship tonnage and more than 300 per cent increase in U.S. ship tonnage. Shipments through Thunder Bay are currently at 5-year-average levels, including grain shipments, down from the strong performance in 2020. Year-to-date grain shipments are just under 3.5 million tonnes as of the end of July. Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.