Commodities
Agricultural Products
Agricultural products represent about 40 percent of all Seaway trade. Grain shipped both by the United States and Canada is primarily for export. Cargoes include wheat, corn, soybeans, barley, oats, and flaxseed.
Iron and Steel Products
Iron and steel products, raw and processed, have been a major cargo for the Seaway since it opened. Products include steel slabs, scrap iron, bars, rods, and manufactured iron and steel. These commodities carry the highest value of goods shipped on the Seaway and their handling is the most labor-intensive.
Mine Products
Mine products make up more than 40 percent to total Seaway trade each year. Products include iron ore, coal, coke, salt, and stone. There is strong demand by European utilities for low-sulfur coal from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Montana shipped via the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Other Processed and Manufactured Products
In addition to iron and steel products, the Seaway is a cost-competitive route for a number of other processed cargoes. Each year more than 10 percent of Seaway trade consists of fuel oil, petroleum products, chemicals, forest products, and animal products.