Shipments of iron ore, coal and stone from U.S. and Canadian Great Lakes ports topped 17 million tons in June, an increase of 2.3 percent compared to the same period last year. For the season, loadings of the "Big 3" cargos stand at 55.2 million tons, an increase of 12.2 percent.
The Lakes iron ore trade totaled 7.9 million tons in June, an increase of 7.3 percent. Through June, the ore float tops 26.3 million tons, an increase of 9.9 percent.
Stone shipments from U.S. and Canadian ports neared 4.6 million tons in June, just a few boatloads shy of last year. The 14.2 million tons of stone loaded through June represent an increase of 9.9 percent. If this pace continues, the Lakes stone trade will set a modern-day record for the fifth year in a row.
The Lakes coal trade was likewise down a cargo or two in June, but the 14.6 million tons loaded to date represent an increase of 15.5 percent compared to last year.
| Commodity | June 1998 | June 1997 | Season to Date 1998 |
Season to Date 1997 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRON ORE | ||||
| Great Lakes | 6,443,023 | 6,188,056 | 21,778,996 | 20,230,646 |
| Eastern Canada | 1,468,657 | 1,187,521 | 4,563,689 | 3,728,336 |
| Total - Iron Ore | 7,911,680 | 7,375,577 | 26,342,684 | 23,958,982 |
| COAL | ||||
| Lake Erie | 2,314,868 | 2,202,532 | 7,977,890 | 6,719,347 |
| Lake Michigan | 351,780 | 427,157 | 769,513 | 765,211 |
| Lake Superior - U.S. | 1,736,476 | 1,829,889 | 5,496,649 | 4,706,926 |
| Lake Superior - Canada | 122,896 | 136,619 | 373,341 | 460,402 |
| Total - Coal | 4,526,020 | 4,596,197 | 14,617,393 | 12,651,886 |
| LIMESTONE, GYPSUM | ||||
| U.S. Ports | 3,851,101 | 4,103,169 | 12,097,560 | 10,872,773 |
| Canadian Ports | 742,416 | 567,503 | 2,142,026 | 1,706,158 |
| Total - Stone | 4,593,517 | 4,670,672 | 14,239,586 | 12,578,931 |
| Total All Commodities | 17,031,217 | 16,642,446 | 55,199,663 | 49,189,799 |
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 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.