A record month for stone shipments and a strong coal float pushed the major Great Lakes dry-bulk trades to nearly 17.3 million tons in July, the highest monthly total recorded yet this season and an increase of 3.7 percent compared to the corresponding period last year.
Stone shipments from U.S. and Canadian ports totaled 4,980,154 net tons in July, the highest monthly total for the stone trade since LCA began its survey last decade. Spurred by strong demand from the construction industry, through July, the stone trade stands at 17.5 million tons, an increase of 13.3 percent compared to 1996's end-of-July tally.
Coal shipments in July neared 4.7 million tons, an increase of 16 percent. For the season, the coal trade stands at 17,256,626 tons, an increase of 20.1 percent. Increased demand from a Canadian utility is a major factor in coal's revival this season.
Iron ore shipments dipped slightly in July, totaling 7.6 million tons. While the July float represents a decrease of 3.7 percent, for the season, the ore trade is 2 percent ahead of last year's pace.
| Commodity | July 1997 | July 1996 | Season to Date 1997 |
Season to Date 1996 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRON ORE | ||||
| Great Lakes | 6,276,526 | 6,659,297 | 26,568,049 | 25,742,520 |
| Eastern Canada | 1,329,826 | 1,240,419 | 5,290,537 | 5,473,960 |
| Total - Iron Ore | 7,606,352 | 7,899,716 | 31,858,586 | 31,216,480 |
| COAL | ||||
| Lake Erie | 2,545,025 | 1,770,383 | 9,264,372 | 7,201,587 |
| Lake Michigan | 219,359 | 152,137 | 984,569 | 625,662 |
| Lake Superior - U.S. | 1,844,767 | 1,939,140 | 6,551,693 | 5,825,343 |
| Lake Superior - Canada | 70,115 | 175,455 | 455,992 | 711,181 |
| Total - Coal | 4,679,266 | 4,037,115 | 17,256,626 | 14,363,773 |
| LIMESTONE, GYPSUM | ||||
| U.S. Ports | 4,362,130 | 4,224,922 | 15,211,802 | 13,574,747 |
| Canadian Ports | 618,024 | 491,333 | 2,324,182 | 1,894,016 |
| Total - Stone | 4,980,154 | 4,716,255 | 17,535,984 | 15,468,763 |
| Total All Commodities | 17,265,772 | 16,653,086 | 66,651,196 | 61,049,016 |
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 (167,000 tons in 1996).
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.