peter hirthe, great lakes st. lawrence seaway develop. corp

Peter Hirthe is the International Trade Specialist & Great Lakes Regional Representative for the Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. In this role, he partners with Great Lakes ports, terminal operators, carriers, and shippers to catalyze growth in maritime trade through the St. Lawrence Seaway. 

Prior to his current role, Mr. Hirthe worked collaboratively with Great Lakes stakeholders under the bi-national HWY H2O marketing umbrella as the Trade Development Representative for the Port of Milwaukee. This experience has given Mr. Hirthe a thorough understanding of the Great Lakes maritime system which he utilizes when promoting the unique combination of cargo handling capabilities and multimodal connectivity that each port within the system offers to shippers. Frequently his role is one of an educator, helping shippers to fully realize the benefits of utilizing the St. Lawrence Seaway, a reliable, safe, efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable maritime supply chain serving the heartland of North America.

Mr. Hirthe also brings practical experience to his Seaway role from his decades working to support the Midwest construction and manufacturing sectors in project management and process improvement. This experience shaped his strong advocacy for increased maritime commerce through the St. Lawrence Seaway in support not only of manufacturing and construction but of the energy sector and agricultural exports throughout the Great Lakes region. 

Mr. Hirthe grew up in the Great Lakes port city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Marquette University.