2012 Position Paper
Aligning Seaway Lock Opening and Closing Dates with Fixed Navigation Season through Soo Locks
GOAL: Harmonize the opening and closing dates of the locks in the St. Lawrence Seaway to correspond with the fixed navigation season of March 25 - January 15 through the locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
BACKGROUND: The locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan open on March 25 and close on January 15. The dates used to vary each year, but the uncertainty created scheduling problems for vessel operators and production and stockpiling difficulties for mines, mills, and utilities. Therefore, a "fixed navigation season" was instituted in 1993.
The opening and closing dates for the 15 locks in the St. Lawrence Seaway (seven in the Welland Canal and eight in the St. Lawrence River) have always varied from year to year. This century the locks have opened as early as March 20 and as late as March 31. The closing date has ranged from December 24 to December 31.
REGIONAL BENEFITS: The 10-month season through the St. Lawrence Seaway is often cited as an impediment to growing existing trades and attracting new cargos such as containers. East, Gulf, and West Coast ports operate 365 days a year. While year-round navigation through the St. Lawrence Seaway is not in the offing, a fixed season of March 25 - January 15 would allow for more iron ore, grain, general cargo, and other commodities to use the Fourth Sea Coast. For example, American and Canadian steelmakers have made significant investments in iron ore mines in eastern Canada. A few more weeks of navigation would allow the mines to better balance production and reduce steelmakers' stockpiling costs. The surge in grain shipments at the close of 2010 certainly could have continued had the Welland Canal and St. Lawrence River locks been open until January 15.
Every additional day of navigation creates and sustains jobs in the maritime sector. Longshoremen log more manhours loading and unloading cargo. Pilots guide more vessels in and out of the system. Vessel agents, ship chandlers & all would benefit from a March 25 - January 15 season through the Seaway.
HURDLE TO CLEAR: The U.S. Coast Guard's icebreaking resources are stretched thin by the current opening and closing dates. An additional 20 days or so of navigation will increase the need for icebreaking resources. The U.S. Coast Guard has on occasion bolstered its Lakes icebreaking fleet by bringing in an underutilized East Coast vessel. A March 25 - January 15 season through the Seaway would make such a transfer an annual need.
More important, however, is a renewed commitment from the Canadian government to provide its fair share of icebreakers. Canada used to have seven icebreakers stationed on the Lakes. Its fleet has shrunk to two (with one out of service during the winter of 2010/2011). Most of the iron ore and grain cargos that would move during the additional days of navigation would be carried by Canadian lakers. All of the iron ore cargos would originate in Canada. Canada must do more to help with icebreaking.
ACTION: Work with U.S. and Canadian Seaway agencies to establish a fixed navigation season of March 25 - January 15 through the St. Lawrence Seaway.
