APRIL 2024 19 Being level-headed about shipping over water Too much and too little water in our waterways is causing economic issues regarding how we get products in and out of Canada. This article examines the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River, and the Panama Canal to examine the far-reaching effects of shipping by water. By Andrew Joseph, Editor WATER Water is important. Aside from the human body being made up of about 60 percent water, about 71 percent of our planet’s surface is covered by water. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, transportation by water accounts for about 80 percent of all global trade. As such, we use our water resources quite heavily as a means of transportation, specifically to move goods in and out of Canada. Water transportation is also relatively inexpensive, with a low dollar-per-tonper-mile ratio, and it can transport a lot of products in one trip. And while shipping is often the least expensive way of moving large quantities of goods over long distances, its biggest drawback is its slow transit time. It certainly would not be the first option for farmers wanting to ship fresh fruits. Not being able to deliver crops on time—well, we all know time is money. Importing goods into Canada by ship is a no-no for fresh fruit, firewood, most weapons, and propaganda—all prohibited items for Canada. Other than that, the Canadian shipping industry sees everything, from clothes and electronics to grain and produce. Liquid cargoes such as canola oil, chemicals, and big bulky items like lumber, machinery, mining materials, steel, ore, and automobiles are also moved. According to the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System, grain shipped for export by the US and Canada primarily includes wheat, corn, soybeans, barley, oats, and flaxseed. Speed is a concern within the shipping industry for those who demand speedy delivery. Ships and barges travel between eight and 18 kph on inland routes such as the St. Lawrence River or Mississippi River and up to 32 kph on the open seas or oceans. The other negative aspect of its usage is access. Not every country has access to a port, though financial purchases can be made to create access. Since the beginning of trade between countries View of the shore of the St. Lawrence River at low tide at Neuville in the MRC of Portneuf in Québec. Adrien Le Toux/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc0MDI3