American Anchor – Energy

The Story of America’s Resilient Supply Chain for Sustainable Energy

Short Film Series, American Anchor, Shares Stories from the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway

The Great Lakes Seaway Partnership today launched the third installment of American Anchor, a series of short films highlighting resilient transportation supply chains and illustrating the global and regional economic impacts of Great Lakes Seaway shipping.

The third American Anchor short film tells the tale of the supply chain for the third largest source of electricity in the U.S. – wind energy. The story for this sustainable energy source begins at manufacturing facilities across the world where these gigantic wind turbines are built. Some of the largest turbines can be found on towers 787 feet tall with blades more than 531 feet long.

Because of their size, the movement of wind energy components is only made possible by the greenest mode of commercial transportation, shipping. Ocean-going vessels carry these giant cargoes from around the world into the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system to be unloaded and stored. Today, more than 65,000 wind turbines across the United States are generating clean, reliable power. Without Great Lakes Seaway shipping the jobs and clean energy produced by this industry would not be possible.

“In the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Great Lakes Seaway maritime industry plays several critical roles,” said Craig Middlebrook, Deputy Administrator of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. “The maritime industry is one of the most fuel efficient modes of transportation in comparison to rail and truck emissions. Moreover, the Great Lakes Seaway maritime industry provides the vital transportation link for the delivery of wind energy components into the heart of North America. This dynamic combination of Great Lakes Seaway maritime shipping supporting the development of wind energy capacity will have lasting positive environmental benefits for decades to come.”

“American Great Lakes ports serve as hubs for freight in the Great Lakes Seaway system,” said Steve Fisher, Executive Director of the American Great Lakes Ports Association and Managing Director of The Great Lakes Seaway Partnership. “Great Lakes Seaway shipping empowers a resilient supply chain to move these large wind turbines, ultimately arriving in ports across the Great Lakes to be unloaded and stored. American Anchor represents the idea that we are all participants in the supply chain ranging from shippers to manufacturers and ports to end-users – each plays a critical role in lifting up one another and building a future of prosperity for all.”

Each year, waterborne transportation in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region is responsible for supporting over 237,000 jobs and $35 billion in economic activity by moving necessary cargos that support the agriculture, construction, automotive and energy industries.
The American Anchor series artfully captures the impact of Great Lakes shipping, the St. Lawrence Seaway, Great Lakes ports, foreign and domestic vessels, farmers, manufacturers, labor, and the relationship of each to their local and global communities.

American Anchor is now available to watch online. Join the conversation through The Great Lakes Seaway Partnership’s social channels on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.