First ships arrive in Hamilton Harbour

This morning, the first two ships of this season pulled into Hamilton Harbour.

The Radcliffe R Latimer and the Algoma Guardian delivered cargo of iron ore that will be used for steel making. The vessels arrived in Hamilton from Port Cartier, Quebec.

The St Lawrence Seaway shipping season is delayed this year, after one of the harshest winters caused about 90 per cent of the great lakes to be covered in ice. Although Lake Ontario has less ice than the other great lakes, the ice is more than half a metre thick.

In some spots on the other great lakes it’s stacked up one-and-a-half metres thick. The Canadian coast guard says ice breakers are working to clear routes for the ships.