Over the past year, the Great Lakes Alliance for Sustainable Shipping (GLASS) has taken a closer look at how the St. Lawrence Seaway can better serve agricultural shippers while advancing sustainability goals across the region.
The effort has focused on identifying both logistical constraints within the Seaway system and untapped opportunities for moving agricultural commodities more efficiently. According to Michigan Soybean Committee Market Development Director Hanna Campbell, agriculture already plays a significant role in Great Lakes shipping—but there is room for growth.
Campbell told Brownfield that agricultural products currently account for about 40 percent of the cargo moving through the St. Lawrence Seaway, yet additional volume could be moved if economic and seasonal factors are better aligned.
“It really comes down to price when you cost compare, there are times of the year, especially with the Great Lakes marine side being an industry that is closed part of the time through the year,” she explains. “What does it look like to leverage it when the Seaway is open, is it cost-competitive as well as considering this bulk versus container piece?”
To help address those questions, GLASS convened working groups throughout the year that examined ways to strengthen marine transportation resources, improve price transparency, and expand the use of sustainable fuels in the movement of agricultural goods.
One of the most tangible outcomes of that work is the development of a new interactive mapping tool designed to support marine fuel decision-making.
“We’ve created an interactive map,” she says has been one of the results of the group’s work. “Specifically, biodiesel fuelers, as well as folks that may not currently supply biodiesel, can go in and put up-to-date information. It pings a dot on this map interactively so folks can hop in and see exactly what blend is being offered by fuel distributors.”
In addition to the map, collaborators involved with GLASS have produced marine biodiesel guides for shippers, price visibility charts, and up-to-date infrastructure assessments. These resources are intended to help vessel operators, cargo owners, and fuel suppliers identify both economic efficiencies and sustainability gains across the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Seaway corridor.
GLASS brings together a broad coalition of farmers, agribusinesses, ports, vessel operators, and intermodal transportation stakeholders with a shared goal of advancing agricultural competitiveness, strengthening regional infrastructure, and improving environmental performance throughout the Great Lakes system.
Brownfield interviewed Campbell during the GLASS annual meeting held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where industry participants gathered to share findings, tools, and strategies aimed at improving marine shipping outcomes for agriculture and beyond.
Listen to the interview here.
Adapted from an article originally shared by Brownfield. Image Credit: Groen Solutions LLC.