Port Director Adolph Ojard and Port Trade Development Director Ron Johnson met with high level representatives of European shipping companies in October to promote greater use of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System.

They joined U.S. St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) Administrator Albert S. Jacquez, Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) President Richard Corfe, and 19 additional mission delegates on a week-long binational trade mission to northern Europe sponsored by the SLSDC and the SLSMC.

Top photo: Port Director Adolph Ojard (far left) and Port Trade Development Director Ron Johnson (far right) met with European Fednav Managing Director Thomas Grandt (left) and Liner Manager Theo von Deutsch.

Bottom photo: Mr. Ojard and Mr. Johnson also met with Wagenborg Stevedoring Director Eric Wagenborg (left) and Member of the Chartering Management Koos Zumkehr of Wagenborg Shipping, Delfzijl, Netherlands.

During the gatherings, Mr. Ojard stressed the advantages of reaching the heartland of North America via the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System and the Port of Duluth-Superior.

"Today's new worldwide economic geography is no longer made up of individual nations," said Mr. Ojard. "It is made up of multi-national blocks connected by free-trade agreements and shared transportation systems. The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System, which begins and ends at the Port of Duluth-Superior, is a key transportation corridor. It links population centers — where manufacturing and consumption occur — with an integrated, worldwide transportation network."

The senior marine industry officials from throughout the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System met with counterparts in London, Hamburg, Brake and Bremen and also networked with widely known maritime groups such as the International Maritime Organization, International Chamber of Shipping, Intercargo, the Passenger Shipping Association and the Baltic exchange. Discussions with BBC Chartering & Logistics and Beluga Shipping officials centered on service to Great Lakes markets, with the delegation hoping to attract new cargoes from the United Kingdom and Germany. Currently, about five percent of total Seaway traffic can be traced to both nations. Most of that cargo is inbound steel, but forestry products to Great Lakes ports have been a growth commodity in recent years that delegates hope to build upon.

The SLSDC and SLSMC annually conduct international trade missions, and previous missions have been instrumental in attracting new business. Results have included more ships offering cruise itineraries, new project cargoes and introduction of forestry product shipments to and from northern Europe.  Wagenborg and Canadian ship owner Fednav have designed more than a dozen new ships capable of transiting the Seaway after detailed meetings with trade mission officials in recent years.