Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority officials recently revealed that they are reconsidering long-stalled plans for a ferry between Ohio and Ontario. Last week, they announced another international transit plan, this time for container service.

The Port and Great Lakes Feeder Lines of Burlington, Ontario are discussing a deal that would make Cleveland the first city on the lakes with regular container service to and from Canada. The Cleveland-Montreal connection could begin as early as spring 2011. The new business would not require upgrades to existing Port facilities.

"This is an exciting economic opportunity for the port, the region and the state," says Port CEO William Friedman in a statement. "Simply put, Cleveland would be the first city on the Great Lakes that will have a pin on the global map when it comes to container service."

Great Lakes Feeder Lines launched in 2008 with one ship providing service between Halifax, Montreal and Toronto. The company now has two ships, which can take containers from trans-Atlantic ships and carry them across the lakes.

Source: Port of Cleveland
Writer: Frank W. Lewis