Great Lakes shipping is the foundation of our vibrant economy, providing low-cost and efficient transportation for the manufacturing, mining, agriculture and energy sectors. In total, more than 160 million metric tons of commercial cargo are transported on the waterway each year. Great Lakes shipping serves a dynamic economic region consisting of eight U.S. states, two Canadian provinces and 107 million people and accounting for nearly 40 percent of the total cross-border trade between the U.S. and Canada. If this region were its own country, it would have a GDP of $5.5 trillion making it the 3rd largest economy in the world.