Great Lakes Seaway Development Corporation Finalizes 2026 Tariff of Tolls
Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (U.S. Department of Transportation)
The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS), an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation, has finalized a regulatory update to synchronize U.S. regulations with the fee schedules of the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation for the 2026 navigation season.
The regulation establishes a structured "composite toll" system for commercial transit. This system calculates fees using a baseline charge based on the vessel's gross registered tonnage and a variable charge determined by the specific metric tonnage and classification of the cargo, including categories for grain, coal, and steel slab.
To stimulate trade, the rule also codifies commercial shipper incentives, including a 20 percent refund under the New Business Initiative Program and a 10 percent retroactive rebate under the Volume Rebate Incentive program.
While the updated tariff influences the macroeconomic overhead shipping costs of critical raw materials feeding domestic supply chains, the collection of the U.S. portion of tolls for commercial vessels is entirely waived by statute. However, the regulation directly impacts private citizens operating recreational vessels, stipulating a charge of $30 USD or $30 CAD per lock.
To encourage digital compliance, the rule provides a $5.00 discount per lock for recreational users who utilize the online reservation and payment system for Canadian locks.
Because the vast majority of commercial users navigating the Seaway are foreign vessel operators, the economic burden of these tolls will fall primarily on international maritime companies.
Consequently, the GLS certified that the rule will not significantly impact U.S. small businesses, officially exempting the action from the requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act and the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
