SLSMC upgrades Welland Canal

The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. (SLSMC) has invested in various upgrades at the Welland Canal, which connects Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.    The Welland Canal, which connects Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, has been upgraded in time for the seasonal opening next Monday, according to local news source St. Catharines Standard.
   The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. has invested $90 million in upgrades and repairs during the off season, including the reconstruction of the upper Lock 1 tie-up wall, the rehabilitation of locks 1 and 7, bank protection, rehabilitation of lock and weir valves, repairs of Bridge 3A at Carlton Street in St. Catharines, new hands-free mooring units in the Thorold flight locks, and lighting upgrades.
   Seaway upgrades were also made along the waterway in Beauharnois and the St-Lambert Lock in Montreal.
   Chamber of Marine Commerce President Bruce Burrows called the investments an example of the economic boon provided by the shipping industry, the St. Catharines Standard reported. “Even in the off-season, Canadian shipowners and the St. Lawrence Seaway spend millions of dollars with equipment suppliers and repair businesses, helping to sustain well-paying, highly skilled jobs in communities all over the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region,” he said.
   In addition to the canal and lock upgrades, many shipping companies have invested in repairs and overhauls. Seven shipping companies, including Algoma Central and CSL Group, invested in engine and generator overhauls, steel and mechanical work, navigation equipment, system hardware and software upgrades, and accommodation and safety equipment upgrades to the combined 143 vessels they operate within the waterway.