There is no one hero in the story of Great Lakes shipping. The economic prosperity of the region is due to the efficient and symbiotic connection of the Great Lakes–Saint Lawrence Seaway, Great Lakes ports, foreign and domestic vessels, manufacturers, labor farmers, and their relationship to their local communities. This supply chain is a foundation of our country’s economy and the backbone of our society. It is America’s Anchor.

The American Anchor series artfully captures the impact of the Great Lakes–Saint Lawrence Seaway System.

The first American Anchor short film tells the tale of the steel-making supply chain, beginning at the iron ore mines of Minnesota, then moving through Lake Superior and the Soo Locks on a freighter destined for the steel making complex at Burns-Harbor, Indiana. From there, the iron ore is followed through production as it’s made into steel that’s used to construct the world around us.

The second American Anchor short film tells the tale of the agricultural supply chain, beginning at farms across the Midwest. After the harvest, agricultural commodities, like grain and soy, make their way to a Great Lakes port. There, the commodities are loaded on a freighter and moved through the largest freshwater lakes in the world. The vessel then makes its way through the St. Lawrence Seaway to the Atlantic Ocean until it reaches its overseas port of call. There, the exported agricultural products are used to produce everything from bread, pasta, soy milk, and vegetable oil to beer, ethanol, and animal feed.

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.