Research Focus Areas

  • Evaluate short sea shipping market opportunities on the Great Lakes
  • Evaluate export and import markets for foreign trade between ports on the Great Lakes and foreign ports such as those located in Europe and Africa
  • Evaluate the environmental benefits of waterborne transportation in the Great Lakes region and assist in developing sustainable solutions to the environmental effects of maritime transportation and port operations
  • Analyze the methods and effects of taxes and fees imposed on Great Lakes shipping
  • Evaluate the state of shipbuilding and repair bases on the Great Lakes and the impact to the industry and national security
  • Analyze the origin-to-destination flow of freight in the Great Lakes
  • Analyze the economic viability of establishing transshipment facilities and intermodal for ocean-going and intra-lake cargoes on the Great Lakes, which may include the evaluation of 12-month operations of the locks and shipping lanes
  • Evaluate new vessel designs for domestic and international shipping on the Great Lakes
  • Develop new products and technologies to enhance port security and port operations
  • Provide education and outreach activities to the public on Great Lakes maritime shipping, port security and intermodal operations
  • Identify ways to improve the integration of the Great Lakes Marine Transportation System (MTS) into the national transportation system
  • Examine the potential of expanded seasonal operations on the Great Lakes MTS
  • Identify ways to include intelligent transportation applications into the Great Lakes MTS
  • Analyze the effects and impacts of aging infrastructure and port corrosion on the Great Lakes MTS
  • Establish and maintain a model Great Lakes MTS database
  • Identify market opportunities for, and impediments to, the use of United States-flag vessels in trade with Canada on the Great Lakes

Latest News:

Results of the National Cooperative Freight Research Program Study Now Available

The report titled Multimodal Freight Transportation within the Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Basin (NCFRP 35) was sponsored by Transportation Research Board and funded by the National Academy of Science. The research team was led by CPCS Transcom Limited in association with: GLMRI affiliate - University of Toledo, Economic Development Research Group, Prime Focus LLC, Sustainable Ports and Dr. Richard Stewart of the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute. The study covered the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Basin (GLSLB), a bi-national region (United States, Canada) comprising 8 states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York), two provinces (Ontario, Quebec) and hundreds of municipalities, large (e.g. Chicago, Toronto) and small. The GLSLB region generates 30% of U.S and Canadian gross domestic product (GDP) and is home to 31% of the two countries’ population.

News Archive