| Abstract | The impacts of climate change on maritime shipping and transportation infrastructure in the St. Lawrence Marine Transportation Corridor are driven by climate-sensitive factors such as water levels, storm surges, winds, waves, and ice conditions. This study assesses the future changes in these parameters and their effects on the corridor's operation. Despite existing evidence of changing conditions, reliable predictions for the region's ice season duration, severity, storm surges, wind patterns, wave conditions, and water levels are lacking. This knowledge gap hinders the assessment of climate risks and adaptation planning for numerous ports and docks along the Canadian and US coasts of the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence region. The study aims to understand the influence of climate change on the corridor, focusing on water levels, storm surges, and waves. It employs a combination of literature review, data analysis, and numerical simulations to investigate the historical and potential future impacts of various atmospheric, fluvial, and oceanic variables. Conclusions highlight the anticipated changes in river discharge, sea level rise, storm frequencies, wind patterns, wave heights, and ice jam events due to climate change. The findings emphasize the need for tailored strategies to mitigate climate-related risks to coastal infrastructure in the corridor. |
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