Maritime Transportation: An Economic Engine for Our Region

In June 2016, the Conference of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers released their Strategy for the Great Lakes- St. Lawrence River Maritime Transportation System, which established shared priorities and recommended policies, programs and projects to invigorate the regional maritime transportation system. The strategy’s objectives are to double maritime trade, shrink the system’s environmental impact, and support the region’s industrial core. Building on the strategy, Blue Accounting has established metrics and collected data to track progress toward achieving key goals for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River maritime transportation system (MTS). This is complemented with a comprehensive summary of key maritime transportation strategies and investments to help elected officials, industry leaders and others understand how we are managing and investing in our regional maritime transportation system.

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River form the longest deep-draft inland navigation system in the world, stretching 2,300 miles into the North American heartland. It links more than 100 U.S. and Canadian ports to the world economy, moves approximately 200 million tons of cargo annually, generates more than 325,000 jobs and $45 billion in business revenue, and supports industries such as manufacturing, steel production, agriculture and power generation. The system is vital for the U.S. and Canadian national economies as well, with nearly all of the iron ore needed for U.S. steel production passing through the Soo Locks, which connect Lake Superior to the other four Great Lakes. The binational Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River region is home to a $6 trillion economy and nearly one-third of U.S. and Canadian economic activity. The maritime transportation system is a vital component of our region’s economic infrastructure and maintaining and strengthening it is a priority for regional leaders.

In order to measure progress toward achieving the three shared goals, the Blue Accounting maritime workgroup has also identified metrics for each goal. Over time, these metrics will be used to paint a big picture view of the progress of strategies and investments toward the shared goals. The metrics may also be adapted as the work evolves in order to best tell the story of progress being made to grow the maritime transportation system.

Blue Accounting is working with a binational team of maritime leaders to collect and present data and information to gauge progress toward key goals for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River maritime transportation system. Blue Accounting collected and synthesized data from a variety of U.S. and Canadian agencies and organizations representing the maritime industry, developed options for presenting the data, and organized this on the Blue Accounting information hub. This is complemented by a comprehensive summary of strategies and investments for maintaining and growing the maritime transportation system. A curated suite of resources is included to provide access to key reports, studies and related information. An additional suite of metrics was identified to be developed in the next phase of the project.