SLSDC 03-04
Contact: Tim Downey
Tel.: (202)-366-0091
Thursday, June 3, 2004
Seaway Corporations, Transport Québec Lead Binational Trade Mission to Greece
The binational Seaway Corporations and Transport Québec are leading a Trade
Mission to Piraeus, Greece, that kicks off this weekend in search of new markets
for the world’s longest inland waterway. Twenty-one Trade Mission delegates from
the Great Lakes Seaway marine industry in the United States and Canada are
traveling to Piraeus, a small town near Athens that hosts Posidonia. Posidonia,
the largest maritime conference in the world for shipbuilders and owners, port
and terminal chiefs, marketing directors, shipping agents, and marine industry
experts, takes place June 7-11.
The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) and the Canadian St.
Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) lead international Trade Missions
each year. Inclusion of Transport Québec, the Canadian Province’s Transportation
Ministry, as a partner of this Seaway trade development effort underscores
continued binational commitment to work closely on economic issues.
"Trade missions serve a catalyzing role in promoting the entire system,” said
SLSDC Administrator Albert Jacquez. “To successfully market our system’s
competitive advantages demands reaching out, person-to-person, to new customers,
educating and updating them on what we offer: superb expertise, cutting edge
navigation technology, customer-focus, and safe, efficient, reliable service.”
The most recent Posidonia exhibition in Piraeus two years ago attracted
participation of more than 16,000 buyers and representatives from 79 nations.
The Seaway Trade Mission delegates have a national pavilion complete with a
Seaway display where they will promote the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway
System as a safe, reliable and competitive route for exporting and importing
goods.
This year’s Trade Mission marks the 27th since the Seaway began this
international trade development approach in 1985 and is the third visit to
Greece. The delegates have a full slate of meetings and programs arranged for
the week-long mission. They plan on briefing industry representatives on current
port and terminal capabilities throughout the System, cargoes handled, and
requirements for doing businesses.
Previous Seaway trade missions have been instrumental in attracting new business
to the waterway. Results have included more ships offering cruising itineraries,
new project cargoes, and introduction of forestry product shipments from
northern Europe. Dutch shipper Wagenborg and Canadian ship owner Fednav have
designed more than a dozen new ships capable of transiting the Seaway after
detailed meetings with Trade Mission officials.