The start of maritime shipping began on Lake Ontario Wednesday, as ships began leaving port for the Montreal to Lake Ontario section of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

In an effort to prevent shoreline flooding, the start of the shipping season was delayed from mid-March. Some people were hoping for the delay to continue to April 15^th.

”So, I was raising my voice, but we were not successful in going beyond April 1st.," said Greece Town Supervisor Bill Reilich.

He says the two week delay did make a difference. Reilich is a member of the International Joint Commission’s International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board.

"I'm told by the Army Corps of Engineers that, had we not taken the steps that we did, the water would be eight inches higher than it is today. So it certainly helped quite a bit," said Reilich.

But the delay cost the shipping industry and economy as a whole, at a time they’re already being hammered by the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Chamber of Marine Commerce states, while marine trade is exempt from current border closures in Canada and the U.S., the industry is following measures and protocols to keep workers and the public safe.

“This is an evolving situation and the Chamber is monitoring business developments closely to assess how COVID-19 will impact Great Lakes-St. Lawrence and coastal shipping from an economic perspective," said Chamber of Marine Commerce President and CEO Bruce Burrows.

The Chamber of Marine Commerce also states that the vessels allow for the transportation of items needed, such as wheat, as demand increases during COVID-19.

In the meantime, shoreline residents and the town of Greece prepare for potential flooding.

“We're getting pretty good, unfortunately, with dealing with these types of situations, and we're on top of it, monitoring it, as much as anybody and will be prepared to act as soon as a situation may arise,” Reilich said. “And if it unfortunately does happen this year in the midst of the virus epidemic, we'll make provisions to accommodate people under the restrictions that are in place.”