Hamilton is the steel capital of Canada. It is located on the western tip of Lake Ontario. Its port, accessible from April to December via the St. Lawrence Seaway, specializes in the import and export of steel products. It is the last link in the Canadian network of ports that handle this type of cargo, with Oshawa (near Toronto) and Sorel-Tracy (near Montréal). The Port of Hamilton is directly linked to major Canadian and American highways and railways.

The facilities operated by Great Lakes Stevedoring are located at Piers 12 and 14. Pier 26 is used for storing all surplus cargo. In addition to steel, the company is often asked to handle the loading and unloading of special project cargo including very heavy and oversized pieces of equipment.