St. Clair River Ship Traffic - Port Huron, Michigan, USA

One of the busiest inland waterways in North America runs right past Port Huron, and this camera captures it at close range from the Blue Water Convention Center on the Michigan bank. The St. Clair River connects Lake Huron to Lake St. Clair and funnels virtually all Great Lakes shipping through a channel barely 900 metres wide, meaning the massive bulk carriers, tankers, and self-unloaders that work the lakes pass just metres from the shoreline.

Port Huron sits at the point where Lake Huron narrows into the river, directly opposite Sarnia in Ontario, Canada. The current visible in the frame is strong enough to be clearly visible around the hulls of passing vessels, and the sheer scale of the Great Lakes freighters becomes apparent when compared to the people and cars visible on the waterfront promenade below.

Traffic runs around the clock throughout the navigation season, which typically runs from late March to January, with vessels carrying iron ore, coal, limestone, grain, and other bulk commodities between ports across all five Great Lakes.

Did You Know? The St. Clair River carries more shipping tonnage than the Suez Canal, making it one of the most commercially significant waterways on earth despite being almost entirely unknown outside the Great Lakes region. On a busy summer day, over 100 vessels can pass through Port Huron in both directions.

Explore more live streams in United States, or take a look at more Harbours and Marinas and Busy Places cameras from across North America including Canada and Mexico. You can also browse our Live Webcam Map or explore cameras by interest.