Shipping season opens for business on Ontario’s Great Lakes [Video]

The 2025 shipping season is underway on the Great Lakes, with the Port of Hamilton welcoming its first ships Wednesday and Oshawa’s stevedores expected to unload their first cargo of the year tonight.

The MV Emsborg earned the ceremonial ‘Top Hat’ distinction as the first ship in Hamilton harbour to import cargo, with the ship arriving May 26 with a load of steel.

HOPA Ports Harbour Master and Director of Safety & Security Vicki Gruber said the annual Top Hat ceremony – this is the 78th year in Hamilton – is a pretty big deal at the harbour, with Captain Shang and his crew presented with the top hat and a commemorative compass.

“We are not just celebrating a tradition; we are honouring the core of maritime commerce. This ceremony kicks off our navigational season and highlights our collective commitment to the efficiency and reliability of our supply chain,” she …