The shipping platform

Location: Toronto is located on the NW shore of Lake Ontario, 41km from Port Weller at the entrance to the Welland Canal and is the largest city in Canada. General overview: The port of Toronto is a major port within the Great Lakes system with approx one third of Canada's total market within a 160km radius. Sheltered by a string of offshore islands Toronto Harbour is 3.2km in length and 0.4km wide with two channels of entry navigable by ships of Seaway depth (see "St Lawrence Seaway" entry). The port has 19km of deepwater wharves for bulk products plus heated, cooled, refrigerated and dry indoor storage and also fully equipped container handling facilities. A large industrial district is being developed around the port. Exports consist of steel, lumber, machinery, agricultural and construction equipment, chemicals, tallow and general cargo. Imports are made up of structural steel, machinery, textiles, road salt, sugar, liquors, vegetable oils, petroleum products and household goods. Toronto Port Authority owns and operates Port of Toronto facilities consisting of Marine Terminal 51, Warehouse 52, the International Passenger Terminal, the Outer Harbour Marina and the Works and Environmental Services Department. Other commercial companies have wharves to the N and NE of this area. Commercial marine facilities in the Harbour area have been shrinking for many years due to redevelopment and industrial relocation. Traffic figures: Approx 2,068,000t of cargo handled annually. Max size: LOA 225m, beam 23.7m with special permit, draught 8.2m. Largest vessel handled: "Federal Maas" 20,837GT, LOA 200m, draught 7.5m.