Niagara’s marine advantage could put it at the forefront of fresh shipping strategies with the potential to slash emissions and ease congestion.
Short sea shipping refers to moving goods around by ship without crossing an ocean – like along a coastline or across a lake. Already widely practiced in Europe, a 2023 report by HOPA Ports and the McMaster Institute for Transportation and Logistics identified potential for more short sea shipping on the Great Lakes.
The advantages of ships are clear. One marine vessel can carry as much cargo as 963 trucks, with only 15% of the CO2 emissions. In fact, the non-profit group Clear Seas estimates that, given one tonne of cargo and a litre of fuel, a ship could carry the cargo 394 kilometres, compared to just 49km by truck and 226 km by train.
What could the impact be? The study estimated that roughly 2,733 cargo trucks travel between the Chicago area and the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area every week. If just 10% of that cargo were moved by ship, it could cut emissions by 220 tonnes of greenhouse gases per week.
The study found the strongest potential for short sea shipping is connecting ports in southern Ontario to those on Lakes Michigan and Erie. When it comes to connecting Toronto and Hamilton to cities like Chicago, Detroit and Toledo, the Welland Canal Corridor is absolutely essential: It’s the key waterway connecting Lakes Ontario and Erie.
As the historic heart of Ontario’s marine transportation sector, Niagara has all the assets to support a strong short sea shipping sector. Niagara’s port lands, road and rail infrastructure and industries with experience in marine shipping make it a natural place to be for marine trade.
The St. Lawrence Seaway’s economic impact is immense. It already generates nearly $9.6 billion in economic activity for Ontario alone. That impact can be increased by increasing the role played by ships.
The European Union is already moving to boost short sea shipping: They’re aiming to shift 30% of long-range road freight to other modes by 2030, and to reduce 60% of greenhouse gases from transport by 2050. A 2018 study found that about 75% of Europe’s trade volume is carried by ship, and a third of intra-EU trade comes via short sea shipping. As jurisdictions like the EU continue to prioritize short sea shipping, Canada has the opportunity to join the move towards marine.
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