St Lawrence Seaway names agent to boost Asia volumes
CANADA’S St Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation has announced the appointment of an agent in China to expand marketing efforts to persuade Asian shippers to make greater use of the waterway for penetrating North American markets. Logistics Plus, a US-based company with offices in China, will work on behalf of the Seaway’s H20 branding program and its 42 members to increase awareness of the Great Lakes-Seaway system and to develop new business with China. The appointment comes as the North American waterway strives to stage a rebound in business. Last year, its total throughput declined by nearly 10% to 43m tonnes. ”We think Highway H20 has the potential to offer significant benefits to customers looking to ship into the heartland of North America,” said Naran Andreyev, managing director of Logistics Plus China. “We have already begun to lay the groundwork in terms of educating our part of the world on this routing opportunity.” ”We want to make Asian shippers realise that there are competitive, congestion-free options outside the West Coast,” Richard Corfe, president of the SLSMC, told Lloyd’s List. Mr Andreyev indicated he will initially focus most of his efforts on breakbulk or project cargo such as windmill turbines, equipment or machinery. In addition, Logistics Plus will encourage innovative approaches for increasing cargo shipments, including containers, from Asia to ports on the Great Lakes. Established in1996, Logistics Plus has more than 400 customers and 150 employees worldwide.