Shipments of iron ore, coal and stone from U.S. and Canadian Great Lakes ports totaled 13.3 million net tons in April, a decrease of 7.3 percent compared to a year ago.
With America's steel industry still beleaguered by dumped foreign steel, it is little surprise the April ore float was down. Shipments totaled 6.3 million tons, a decrease of 10.6 percent. For the season, the ore trade stands at 7.8 million tons, a decrease of 13.6 percent.
Coal loadings totaled 3.7 million tons, a decrease of 12.1 percent. There were slight increases at certain ports, but Lake Erie coal loadings slipped by 600,000 tons. Since the resumption of the coal trade in mid March, shipments stand at 5.1 million tons, a decrease of 13.8 percent.
Thanks to a strong performance at Canadian ports, the April stone trade registered a slight increase and so far is basically on a par with last year.
| Commodity | April 2001 | April 2000 | Season to Date 2001 | Season to Date 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRON ORE | ||||
| Great Lakes | 5,469,697 | 5,870,534 | 6,927,825 | 7,786,634 |
| Eastern Canada | 833,421 | 1,180,809 | 919,646 | 1,298,382 |
| Total - Iron Ore | 6,303,118 | 7,051,343 | 7,847,471 | 9,085,016 |
| COAL | ||||
| Lake Erie | 1,703,639 | 2,302,938 | 2,653,171 | 3,489,381 |
| Lake Michigan | 268,307 | 224,501 | 354,893 | 224,501 |
| Lake Superior - U.S. | 1,706,333 | 1,573,126 | 2,121,038 | 2,153,918 |
| Lake Superior - Canada | 0 | 84,486 | 0 | 84,486 |
| Total - Coal | 3,678,279 | 4,185,051 | 5,129,102 | 5,952,286 |
| LIMESTONE, GYPSUM | ||||
| U.S. Ports | 2,553,496 | 2,602,713 | 2,630,363 | 2,863,232 |
| Canadian Ports | 792,506 | 540,681 | 867,782 | 640,051 |
| Total - Stone | 3,346,002 | 3,143,394 | 3,498,145 | 3,503,283 |
| Total All Commodities | 13,327,399 | 14,379,788 | 16,474,718 | 18,540,585 |
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.