It was a privilege to moderate the port infrastructure panel at a packed Hwy H2O Maritime Conference in Toronto.
Hwy H2O is a regional initiative showcasing the engineering feat of the 189-mile St. Lawrence Seaway, which connects the Great Lakes to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean — enabling 2,300+ miles of inland ocean access from Canada’s east to Lake Superior.
With the Great Lakes region featured in a dedicated chapter of my new book, it was fantastic to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping the corridor alongside:
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Frank Montecalvo, Logistec
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Shaun Padulo, CEO of Ontario Shipyards
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Riad Darwiche, P.Eng, PMP, representing the Port of Montreal
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Luc Boisclair from the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation
A recurring theme was the push to diversify cargoes and stimulate new growth areas, with capacity currently operating at around 50% as traditional steel volumes soften. Opportunities discussed ranged from dry bulk and petrochemical products to ambitious plans to accelerate container shipping, including infrastructure moves already underway in key early-adopter ports.
Great Lakes shipping offers direct, uncongested access to the industrial and economic heartland of North America, with outsized advantages in fuel efficiency and emissions per tonne-mile compared to road and rail, helping reduce overland freight pressure while delivering competitive cost and transit benefits.
It’s worth noting the scale of the region itself: if the Great Lakes economy were a country, it would rank among the largest in the world — underscoring the strategic importance of this inland ocean network.