Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation Announces Pacesetter Award Winners for 2011 Navigation Season.
The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) today announced the four winners of its prestigious Robert J. Lewis Pacesetter Award for the 2011 navigation season. This annual award is presented to U.S. Great Lakes ports that register an increase in international cargo tonnage shipped through the Seaway over the previous navigation season. The four ports that have won the Pacesetter Award for 2011 are:
• Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority
• Port of Green Bay
• Port of Indiana – Burns Harbor
• Port of Chicago
“The strong numbers realized last year by these Great Lakes ports represents a positive snapshot of the upward turn in U.S. trade as a good direction for the overall economy,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. “Congratulations to the four ports on their robust shipping season and we look forward to another banner year for the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System.”
SLSDC Administrator Collister Johnson, Jr. said, “The gains made in international cargo shipments last year bode well for the entire Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System and indicate the key role that shipping continues to play in the overall economic recovery. All four of these ports have been past winners of the award since its inception in 1992 and we are pleased to recognize their outstanding performance again this year.”
Compared to the 2010 navigation season, in 2011, the Port of Green Bay realized a tonnage increase of 139 percent, the Port of Chicago reported a 21 percent increase, the Port of Cleveland saw a 10 percent increase, and the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor posted an increase of 5 percent.
The Pacesetter Awards will be presented to each of the winners by Administrator Johnson in the coming months.