Port of Antwerp has several Memorandum’s of Understanding with foreign partners. One of these partners is the Great Lakes St Lawrence Governors and Premiers (GSGP) in the United States.
What is the Great Lakes St Lawrence Region?
The States (USA) and Provinces (Canada) bordering the Great lakes and St Lawrence Seaway (including the canal linking the Seaway to the Lakes) are: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Québec and Ontario. The Association representing these States and Provinces is the GSGP “The Great Lakes St Lawrence Governors and Premiers”.
The Political leaders, the Governors and Premiers, work as equal partners to grow the region’s $6 trillion economy and protect the world’s largest system of surface fresh water.
The Great Lakes St Lawrence Maritime System is:
• World’s largest inland waterway system
• More than 100 commercial ports
• A continuous waterway extending more than 3,800 kilometers
• Highly efficient and “green” mode of transport
• Essential to the regional industry since it generates US$30 billion in annual business revenue.
The Great Lakes St Lawrence Seaway (GLSLS) and Port of Antwerp
The GLSLS-Antwerp Trade Lane
Europe is the main overseas trading partner of the GLSLS ports. Port of Antwerp is THE gateway because of the central location and the proximity to the trade and industrial heartland.
Likewise, The Great Lakes St. Lawrence region is the gateway to the industrial heartland of North America for European cargo.
• A megaregion with more than 100 million people
• The region generates more than US$6 trillion in GDP annually,
• and represents about 30% of total US/Canadian economic activity.
What goods are traded with Antwerp?
Trade with Antwerp is relevant to the ports across the GLSLS
Hence the region’s Governors and Premiers (GSGP) and Port of Antwerp have committed to a long-term collaboration with the aim to work toward shared goals.
This has been sealed by an MOU signed in 2020. The MOU focuses on 4 areas of collaboration:
• Operational excellence.
• Business development & Marketing.
• Innovation.
• Sustainability & environmental performance
As Part of the business development, Port of Antwerp and GSGP organized (Jan 21 2021) a webinar with the goal to increase the awareness about the supply chain possibilities offered by the Great Lakes St Lawrence Seaway (GLSLS) and the Port of Antwerp.
A GSGP delegation will be attending AntwerpXL and will be the base for a European roadshow and meetings with shippers and freight forwarders.
In addition, the trade representatives of GSGP and the USA States and Canadian Provinces based in Europe and the Port of Antwerp representatives will be organizing marketing events emphasizing the value proposition of the trade lane.
Port of Antwerp will revisit the Roadshow concept to the Great Lakes St Lawrence area, which was slated for last year.
Source: Hellenic Shipping
