The Port of Thunder Bay is located at the head of the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System, a dynamic navigable waterway that stretches 3700 kilometres into the heart of the North American continent.

A one-way voyage through the Seaway to Thunder Bay takes about five days with ships 222.5 metres in length, 23.1 metres in width with a draft of 8.2 metres being elevated some 180 metres through 16 of the most efficient locks in the world.

Both the Port of Thunder Bay and the Seaway System operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from the end of March through to late-December. However, in recent years, the season has been extended as weather permits.

Thunder Bay has port facilities for handling all types of cargoes and is served by both Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways, as well as major Canadian trucking companies. Numerous berths mean quick and efficient turn-around time to the more than 400 ships that visit the port each year. Cargoes like grain, coal, potash, forest products, manufactured goods and dimensional cargoes are shipped throughout the world via Thunder Bay's many port facilities.

Thunder Bay has an experienced labour force for the handling of all cargoes and a full range of marine services is available.