en.Wedoany.com Reported - According to the latest data released by the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, as of the end of April 2026, the total cargo volume transported through the St. Lawrence Seaway reached 4 million tonnes, a decrease of nearly 7% compared to the same period in 2025. This international waterway connecting Canada and the United States opened its 2026 navigation season on March 22. Early spring ice conditions and speed restriction measures constrained shipping operations, affecting transit efficiency in the Welland Canal and the Montreal-Lake Ontario section.

Performance among major cargo types showed clear divergence. Grain shipments fell nearly 20% to 1.28 million tonnes; coal dropped 28%; and liquid bulk cargo decreased by 12.4%. Iron ore shipments grew by 11.8%, reaching 577,000 tonnes; general cargo saw a significant increase, surging 25.5% to 337,000 tonnes.

In terms of vessel activity, the total number of vessel transits during the period was 438, a decrease of about 6.4% from the 468 transits recorded in the same period last year. The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation stated in a release that from late March into April 2026, some sections of the Seaway experienced thicker ice coverage, forcing the authority to impose speed restrictions on vessels to ensure navigational safety, which directly impacted cargo turnaround efficiency.

The St. Lawrence Seaway is a vital shipping channel connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, transporting tens of millions of tonnes of cargo annually for the North American economy, encompassing commodities such as grain, iron ore, coal, liquid bulk, and general cargo. As seasonal temperatures rise and ice conditions recede, the authority anticipates that cargo volumes will gradually recover in the coming months. The Seaway typically closes at the end of December each year due to winter ice conditions and reopens in March of the following year. The 2026 navigation season will continue until late December.

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