The opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in the 1950s opened trade possibilities for Great Lakes ports. Although bulk carriers transported agricultural goods, container trade remained minimal due to infrastructure and logistic limits.
In 2014, the Port of Cleveland initiated regular container service with Europe, inspiring other U.S. ports (Monroe, Duluth) to explore similar services. Recent trade tariffs,
however, threaten this model — though they may open doors for Canadian ports to enter the transatlantic container trade.
Canadian ports along the Great Lakes, like Sarnia, Windsor, Colborne, and Johnstown, are strategically near customs bridges and major population centers.
With growing container volumes arriving by rail, these ports can leverage ships equipped with onboard cranes to load containers directly onto trucks.
The trucks can then head to nearby customs inspection stations.
For economic viability, container ships sailing the Great Lakes should serve both American and Canadian ports. For instance,
a ship heading to Duluth could offload containers at Port Colborne (near the Welland Canal) and Canadian ports like Windsor or Sarnia.
Some of these ports need infrastructure improvements to support container handling and customs access.
The sustainability of this shipping model depends on combining cargo for both U.S. and Canadian destinations to offset reduced U.S.-Europe trade due to tariffs.
Canada remains open to European trade, making its Great Lakes ports more attractive. Smaller ships (700+ TEU) can offer cost-effective transatlantic service,
especially compared to congested terminals like Toronto or large East Coast ports.
While U.S. tariffs may weaken direct container trade between Europe and U.S. Great Lakes ports, integrating Canadian ports like Sarnia, Windsor, and Colborne can make operations viable.
Port authorities should act proactively — following the lead of Cleveland — to develop needed infrastructure and capitalize on this opportunity.
Information source: Maritime Executive
Category
Great Lakes: A New Trade Gateway
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