Strike! Waterway closed, affecting cargo transportation between the United States and Canada!

Strike! Waterway closed, affecting cargo transportation between the United States and Canada!

Workers on Canada's St. Lawrence Seaway launched strike action, leading to the closure of the seaway. The St. Lawrence Seaway is an important waterway for trade between Canada and the United States.
Union Unifor says negotiations with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Company (SLSMC) are far apart on wages. The current channel system will remain closed until an agreement is reached.

The St. Lawrence Seaway is an important water transportation channel for Canada and the United States. There are 15 locks (13 Canadian locks and 2 American locks) connecting the lower St. Lawrence River with the Great Lakes, allowing ships to travel at altitudes greater than 168 meters of traffic between Montreal and Lake Erie.

More than 200 million tons of cargo are transported through the waterway each year, generating more than $50 billion in economic activity. The suspension caused by the strike will have an impact on cargo transportation in the United States and Canada.

It is understood that the St. Lawrence Seaway is very important to the economies of both Canada and the United States, especially for the transportation of agricultural products, steel and other important goods.

As a result of the strike, more than 100 ships outside the waterway were affected. SLSMC has applied to the Canadian Industrial Relations Commission to ask Unifor to stop to ensure the safe passage of bulk carriers transporting grain.

It is understood that the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway systems serve 75% of Canada's manufacturing capacity and nearly two-thirds of Canada's population.

This summer, supply chain disruptions caused by long-term strikes at ports in British Columbia, Canada, also severely affected Canadian cargo transportation. Faced with the impact of a sudden strike, freight forwarders must check shipping schedules in advance and track the status of cargo transportation in a timely manner.