The infrastructure for iron mining, integrated steel production, and manufacturing supply chain has little resilience despite being one of the nation’s most economically vital systems. The Poe Lock at the Soo Locks connecting Lakes Huron and Superior is a potential single point of failure in this supply chain. The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Cyber and Infrastructure Analysis conducted an analysis using the REMI PI+ economic model that forecasts an unexpected 6-month closure of the locks and the impact on the supply chain, automobile manufacturing industry, and the National economy. The key findings of this study revealed that a disruption of the Poe Lock will likely cause an almost complete shutdown of Great Lakes steel production.
