For the second month in a row, shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes slipped dramatically in October. Loadings at U.S. and Canadian ports totaled 5.6 million net tons, a decrease of more than 23 percent compared to the corresponding period last year. In September, the ore trade was down 20 percent compared to the same period in 2000.
With only one major use for iron ore - steelmaking - Great Lakes shipping continues to share domestic steelmakers' plight. According to the American Iron and Steel Institute, through mid-November, domestic steel production stood at 87 million tons, a decrease of 12.2 percent from the 99.1 million tons poured through the same point last year. Since it takes 1.3 tons of iron ore to make a ton of steel, the Great Lakes iron ore trade has slumped by 16.8 percent or 9.2 million tons through October. That's enough iron ore to keep three 1,000-footers busy for nearly a season. Anemic demand for iron ore has already pushed four U.S.-Flag lakers into lay-up for the season, including the JAMES R. BARKER, one of thirteen 1,000-footers flying the U.S. flag on the Lakes. Demand for iron ore has been so weak that two other U.S.-Flag lakers never sailed this season and a number were withdrawn from service for varying periods during the season.
The Lakes stone trade also partially reflects the problems confronting American steelmakers. With steelmakers taking less fluxstone, the stone trade has slipped by 5.5 percent through October.
The coal trade did register an 8.3 percent increase in October. Utilities took advantage of increased coal availability, and for the season, the trade is roughly on a par with last year.
| Commodity | October 2001 | October 2000 | Season to Date 2001 | Season to Date 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRON ORE | ||||
| Great Lakes | 4,706,732 | 6,021,150 | 37,940,329 | 45,646,331 |
| Eastern Canada | 938,810 | 1,332,664 | 7,595,702 | 9,093,983 |
| Total - Iron Ore | 5,645,542 | 7,353,814 | 45,536,031 | 54,740,314 |
| COAL | ||||
| Lake Erie | 2,563,860 | 2,408,522 | 16,181,652 | 18,064,410 |
| Lake Michigan | 315,274 | 301,377 | 1,974,643 | 1,778,067 |
| Lake Superior - U.S. | 1,705,003 | 1,687,402 | 13,811,176 | 12,807,823 |
| Lake Superior - Canada | 245,558 | 59,096 | 1,136,646 | 512,473 |
| Total - Coal | 4,829,695 | 4,456,397 | 33,094,117 | 33,162,773 |
| LIMESTONE, GYPSUM | ||||
| U.S. Ports | 3,613,668 | 3,968,164 | 24,231,547 | 25,961,046 |
| Canadian Ports | 746,246 | 843,641 | 5,932,175 | 5,968,249 |
| Total - Stone | 4,359,914 | 4,811,805 | 30,163,722 | 31,929,295 |
| Total All Commodities | 14,835,151 | 16,622,016 | 108,793,870 | 119,832,382 |
Note: The above totals are carried almost exclusively by U.S.-Flag and Canadian-Flag lakers. Third-Flag vessels (i.e., salties) occasionally load coal or limestone for export overseas.
The ports reporting cargo movement are as follows:
Iron Ore: Minnesota - Duluth, Two Harbors, Silver Bay and Taconite Harbor; Wisconsin - Superior; Michigan - Marquette and Escanaba.
Coal: Ohio - Toledo, Sandusky, Ashtabula and Conneaut; Illinois - South Chicago; Wisconsin - Superior; Ontario - Thunder Bay.
Limestone and Gypsum: Michigan - Calcite, Cedarville, Presque Isle, Port Inland, Drummond Island, Alabaster and Port Gypsum; Ohio - Marblehead; Ontario - Manitoulin Island, Smelter Bay, Bruce Mines and Port Colbourne. Note: Alabaster ceased loading in 2000.