Shipping Revival on The Great Lakes

On-shoring and the rebound in the US economy are creating a larger demand for shipping on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. Once forgotten ports are now experiencing increased shipments from Europe and elsewhere for products coming into and going out of America's manufacturing industries.

Now that nicer weather is here in the Great Lakes region, the St. Lawrence Seaway is expecting resurgence in shipping activity. Shipping companies see the increased demand on the horizon and are producing around 30 new cargo carriers for use on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. These ships will carry goods like steel, steel coils, agricultural goods, raw material for use in the steel industries, and many other bulk goods. Container ships are less likely but are not out of the question.

The FedNav group, an international shipping company headquartered in Montreal Canada built The Federal Satsuki built in 2012 and have it based in Japan. This bulk carrier is one of the most recent ships to be launched in response to the news of a shipping revival. The Federal Satsuki is designed with fuel efficiency in mind and with the ability to break through ice - handy for sailing the Great Lakes.

The Federal Satsuki might soon be seen at ports in Cleveland or Toledo. Cleveland is a port that is likely to see increased tonnage because it is the first port of call on the Great Lakes for ships sailing the St. Lawrence Seaway. There are many industry insiders who think that Cleveland can be the major port for many goods being shipped from Europe since Cleveland has such a close proximity to so much of the Eastern US population.

As the world comes out of recession, Ohio and other states around the Midwest are experiencing growth in manufacturing and what some are calling on-shoring - the repatriation of manufacturing. The automotive industries recent success and improving worldwide call for steel are helping shipping in the Great Lakes region. And shale gas drilling in Ohio and Pennsylvania is expected to generate economic growth in the Midwest and possibly export opportunities through Great Lakes' ports.