Trying to Stop Invasive Species
Ocean Freighters are being blamed for wreaking havoc on the ecosystem of the Great Lakes by introducing many of its worst invasive species, establishing species in the lakes from as far away as the Black Sea and China.
Some scientists who are worried about invasive species are proposing kicking freighters out of the lakes until fleet owners make sure the ships aren't carrying any hitchhikers, typically as stowaways in the ballast water that vessels carry for stability, or growing on hulls.
The argument against ocean vessels is bolstered by recent studies suggesting that the ships, long thought to be an economic asset, confer marginal financial advantages while contributing to the huge cost of dealing with foreign pests.
The research, disputed by the shipping industry, indicates that for every $1 that ocean vessels save in transportation expenses for their customers, the region experiences losses that could be nearly $100 in dealing with invaders and the problems they cause, such as fishery collapses. In May, a group of 90 organizations calling for a moratorium on ocean freighters, pending passage of U.S. legislation that would impose tough invasive species control measures on boat traffic.
According to one study, if the approximately 500 ocean ships that now enter the Great Lakes each year were allowed no closer to them than the port of Montreal, Canada, and their cargo transferred to railways, lake freighters or barges, the cost would be about $55-million a year in extra freight charges. The cost of ending ocean shipping would be relatively low because it moves only a marginal amount of freight, about 7 percent of tonnage on the lakes.
August 14, 2007 7:00 AM | Category: Invasive Species