Shipments of iron ore, coal and stone from U.S. and Canadian Great Lakes ports were essentially unchanged this June compared to a year ago. Loadings of the three commodities totaled 16.7 million tons, a decrease of 100,000 tons. This is reflective of the fact that since they were sized for the St. Lawrence Seaway and Welland Canal, Canadian lakers are smaller than their U.S.-Flag counterparts, and so less dramatically impacted by the lower water levels.
For the season, the Lakes iron ore trade stands at 24.1 million tons, virtually the same as a year ago. The early resumption of coal loadings at Lake Erie ports has produced a 5 percent increase in that commodity. The stone trade has registered a marginal increase through June.
| Commodity | June 2000 | June 1999 | Season to Date 2000 | Season to Date 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRON ORE | ||||
| Great Lakes | 6,024,659 | 5,964,129 | 20,316,642 | 20,114,431 |
| Eastern Canada | 1,285,581 | 1,401,569 | 3,783,358 | 3,884,589 |
| Total - Iron Ore | 7,310,240 | 7,365,698 | 24,100,000 | 23,999,020 |
| COAL | ||||
| Lake Erie | 2,791,985 | 2,360,865 | 8,721,158 | 7,278,092 |
| Lake Michigan | 220,305 | 356,112 | 648,761 | 958,969 |
| Lake Superior - U.S. | 1,574,149 | 1,985,439 | 5,616,324 | 5,955,921 |
| Lake Superior - Canada | 83,408 | 90,590 | 225,366 | 266,546 |
| Total - Coal | 4,669,847 | 4,793,006 | 15,211,609 | 14,459,528 |
| LIMESTONE, GYPSUM | ||||
| U.S. Ports | 3,877,669 | 3,897,232 | 10,542,951 | 10,593,626 |
| Canadian Ports | 860,517 | 766,449 | 2,426,606 | 2,150,555 |
| Total - Stone | 4,738,186 | 4,663,681 | 12,969,557 | 12,744,181 |
| Total All Commodities | 16,718,273 | 16,822,385 | 52,281,166 | 51,202,729 |
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.