Lake Carriers' Association
Suite 915  ♦  614 West Superior Avenue  ♦  Cleveland, Ohio 44113-1383  ♦  www.lcaships.com

Year-To-Date Total Still Ahead Of 2003
Great Lakes Coal Trade Down Nearly 10 Percent in August

Coal shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 4.7 million net tons in August, a decrease of 9.7 percent compared to a year ago.  The decrease was slightly less when compared to the month's 5-year average.  Both segments of the Lakes coal trade - western and eastern - registered decreases during the month.

For the year, the Lakes coal trade stands at 24.1 million net tons, an increase of 5 percent compared to the same point in 2003.  Loadings of western coal at terminals on Lake Superior and Lake Michigan have increased nearly 1.6 million net tons, but shipments of eastern coal from Lake Erie ports are more than 400,000 tons behind last year's pace.  When compared to the trade's 5-year average, the 24.1 million net tons moved to date represent a decrease of 1.8 percent.

Great Lakes Coal Shipments: August 2000-2004 and 5-Year Average
Net Tons
  August August August August August 5-Year
Port 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Average
Superior 1,992,086 2,010,871 2,116,870 2,371,110 2,119,625 2,122,112
Thunder Bay 89,107 195,041 192,815 242,581 235,207 190,950
Total - Lake Superior 2,081,193 2,205,912 2,309,685 2,613,691 2,354,832 2,313,063
South Chicago 235,822 226,119 242,229 370,712 339,301 282,837
Total - Lake Michigan 235,822 226,119 242,229 370,712 339,301 282,837
Toledo 765,073 749,824 447,161 452,199 333,026 549,457
Sandusky 578,119 495,744 484,626 520,493 346,148 485,026
Ashtabula 592,600 668,480 634,571 597,244 589,461 616,471
Conneaut 730,057 546,641 625,861 390,784 500,868 558,842
Total - Lake Erie 2,665,849 2,460,689 2,192,219 1,960,720 1,769,503 2,209,796
Total - All Lakes 4,982,864 4,892,720 4,744,133 4,945,123 4,463,636 4,805,695
Great Lakes Coal Shipments: Year-To-Date And 5-Year Average
Net Tons
            5-Year
Port 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Average
Superior 9,512,990 10,584,148 10,384,005 10,314,129 10,944,382 10,347,931
Thunder Bay 423,595 750,754 1,061,390 887,603 1,193,513 863,371
Total - Lake Superior 9,936,585 11,334,902 11,445,395 11,201,732 12,137,895 11,211,302
South Chicago 1,251,717 1,520,968 1,491,474 1,619,022 2,265,320 1,629,700
Total - Lake Michigan 1,251,717 1,520,968 1,491,474 1,619,022 2,265,320 1,629,700
Toledo 3,338,086 2,570,151 2,529,735 1,914,623 1,654,392 2,401,397
Sandusky 2,657,401 2,250,563 2,904,761 2,255,795 1,761,107 2,365,925
Ashtabula 4,190,720 3,421,367 3,157,539 3,517,800 3,105,328 3,478,551
Conneaut 3,915,997 4,355,171 3,512,584 2,481,567 3,213,489 3,495,762
Total - Lake Erie 14,102,204 12,597,252 12,104,619 10,169,785 9,734,316 11,741,635
Total - All Lakes 25,290,506 25,453,122 25,041,488 22,990,539 24,137,531 24,582,637

Published: September 20, 2004.
For more information, contact:
Glen Nekvasil, Vice President - Corporate Communications
(216) 861-0592 / ggn@lcaships.com