b'SEAWAY CARGO A MIXED PICTURE Spliethoffs Doornekamp dockedat the Port of Cleveland.The Seaway System is committed to reducing emissions and investing in infrastructure to provide more options for North American shippers.by Peter Buxbaum, AJOTJune 2023 | Published in AJOT Issue #754The Seaway had its ups and downs when it came to cargo inlenges the world faced in 2022, said Dave Gutheil, chief commer-2022, but, as a St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporationcial officer at the Port of Cleveland. (SLSMC) document observed, the waterway faced many head- General cargo tonnage in 2022 totaled 525,486 metric tons, a winds such as global supply chain issues, drought-reduced crops,jump from 421,755 metric tons in 2021 and ahead of the ports five-geopolitical tensions, and market uncertainties.year average of 402,886 metric tons. Containerized goods shipped U.S. grain exports started strong and finished the season 5.9%to Cleveland more than doubled, at 9,978 TEUs, compared to 4,810 or0.08tonsabove2021exports.DrybulkcargomovementsTEUs the prior year and well above the five-year average of 4,956 ended the season ahead of 2021 by 2.7% (0.31 tons), led by potashTEUs. These increases can be attributed to factors including high and salt shipments, up 112.8% (0.58 tons) and 15.8% (0.44 tons),demand for steel in the local market, high transatlantic container respectively. Liquid bulk traffic increased by 8.8% or 0.28 tonsdemand, and favorable shipping rates, said Gutheil. compared to 2021, driven by a 27.4% spike in petroleum products. Congestion Creates OpportunityOnthenegativeside,Canadiangrainmovementsdecreased by 7.5%, or 0.70 metric tons, as drought reduced Canadas PrairieCongestion at the U.S. coastal ports also created an opportunity crop and had a negative impact on exports during the first halffor the Port of Cleveland to present itself as an alternative. While of the season. Iron ore traffic finished off the year below 2021stonnageattheClevelandBulkTerminalreboundedduringthe record results by 9.8%, at 0.67 tons. Coal movements trailed 2021second half of the 2022 season, the port moved 4,896,310 metric results by 16.3%, or 0.35 tons, and general cargo posted a declinetons compared to 6,943,139 metric tons in 2021, and 8.1% below of 21.8%, or 0.85 tons, led by a drop in steel and slab imports. thefive-yearaverageof5,327,938metrictons.Thisdecrease, Seaway traffic results show positive trends among certain com- according to Gutheil, is a result of ongoing maintenance on the modities, which demonstrates our systems ability to quickly adaptfurnace at Cleveland Cliffs steel mill.to changes in the market, said Terence Bowles, president and CEOIn October of last year, the port was awarded a $27 million grant of the SLSMC.by the U.S. Department of Transportations (DOT) Port Infrastruc-The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, one of the larg- ture Development Program. The project will improve the ports larg-est ports in the Great Lakes-Seaway system, also showed mixedest warehouse, continue the implementation of the Port Authoritys results, registering increases for general cargo and containerizedstormwater master plan, make electrification investments to pre-goods and decreases in bulk tonnage. pare the port for zero emissions, and construct a new on-port mar-Our overall tonnage numbers indicate that the Port of Clevelanditime learning and resource center to prepare high school students proved to be well-positioned to overcome the supply chain chal- for employment in the maritime industry.Back to Contents THE UNCONTAINED 31'