After worst cargo season in years, St. Lawrence Seaway opens for shipping
MONTREAL — After the worst cargo season in years, shippers traversing the Great Lakes are expecting a rise in volumes this season as the St. Lawrence Seaway opened Monday, but not enough to give them cause to celebrate.
The shipping industry is facing a global economic slowdown that will take a couple of years before sustained growth resumes, says the incoming CEO of Canada Steamship Lines in Montreal.
“I don’t see anything that’s going to be a game changer very quickly,” says Louis Martel, who takes over one of the largest shippers on the Great Lakes next month.
“We need another China or an India or something like this to really get us back to a very, very upbeat shipping world.”