Quote:
Originally Posted by mrnyc
^ also because there is literally no reason for them to leave the great lakes. all they do is move the ore around. that is their job!
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That's not entirely accurate.
Yes, many of the big boats spend the entire careers bringing taconite from lake superior down to the steel Mills in the lower lakes, but great lakes bulk carriers haul lots of other bulk cargoes too, stone, coal, grain, etc.
As there are no major US ports on lake Ontario or the st. Lawrence, the American fleets has never been as concerned about their ships fitting through the locks, but the Canadian fleets consist entirely of freighters that can get through the locks, because lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence are vitally important to them.