Smaller vessels prove worth for the Great Lakes

Fednav, Canfornav and Poland's Polsteam dominate international dry bulk cargoes to and from the Great Lakes, thanks to their fleets of St Lawrence Seaway-capable handysize bulkers.

But breakbulk operators are also making a mark in the region.

Royal Wagenborg, BBC Chartering and Spliethoff are among those whose vessels are more commonly seen on the Great Lakes.

These companies run smaller vessels — generally between 20,000 dwt and 23,000 dwt — than those from the Great Lakes-focused operators, which are 35,000 dwt.