The ports of the North Shore are very new elements in the port geography of Québec and of Canada. In terms of tonnage, they have rapidly risen to the top. Being highly specialized in bulk cargo, particularly grain and ore, these ports hold a distinctive place in the St. Lawrence Waterway. They are not, however merily outer harbours for grain and ore but rather one of two large termini for internal navigation on the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes System. In this respect, a comparison with the ports at the head of the lakes is instructive.