MASSENA -- U.S. Great Lakes ports reported a busy August shipping construction materials, road salt, aluminum and wind energy components in the North Country, according to a Chamber of Marine Commerce press release.

Despite these areas of strength, cargo volumes via the bi-national St. Lawrence Seaway from March 22 to August 31 at 20.9 million metric tons were down 3.5 percent compared to the same period in 2018, the release said.

“Great Lakes ports have been busy moving cargo supporting the construction and renewable energy sectors. Aluminum shipments from Canada to the U.S., which are used in automotive manufacturing, have also resumed this season following the lifting of trade tariffs,” says Bruce Burrows, president of the Chamber of Marine Commerce. “These gains have been offset by a 20 percent decline in U.S. grain exports via the St. Lawrence Seaway after flooding this past spring prevented some U.S. farmers from getting into their fields to plant corn and soybeans.”