St. Lawrence Seaway to accept vessel traffic next month

St. Lawrence Seaway to accept vessel traffic next month    The St. Lawrence Seaway will officially open to commercial ships on March 25 after shutting down for the winter, said the organization that owns and operates the two U.S. locks on the waterway in New York.
   The St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. said winter maintenance on the locks will be completed in time for the world’s longest waterway to open for business. The waterway is a crucial commercial artery for states on the Great Lakes and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec.
   The opening date varies each year.
   “We’re extremely careful about deciding when to open the seaway,” said Albert Jacquez, the U.S. agency’s administrator in a statement. “Weather and water conditions, the completion of lock maintenance and the anticipated need for the Seaway’s services are all considered when it comes to deciding an opening date.”