Shipments of iron ore, coal and stone from U.S. and Canadian Great Lakes ports totaled 15.2 million net tons in September, a decrease of 8.5 percent compared to the corresponding period last year. For the season, shipments of the major dry-bulk commodities stand at 99,962,836 tons, a decrease of 6.8 percent compared the same point in the 1998 navigation season.
September iron ore cargos decreased 7 percent. The season-to-date total represents a decrease of 9.4 percent.
The 8.9 percent decrease in coal loadings in September leaves the trade essentially unchanged from 1998's end-of-September total.
Stone loading were off 10.2 percent in September; the season-to-date total represents a decrease of 8.2 percent.
| Commodity | September 1999 | September 1998 | Season to Date 1999 | Season to Date 1998 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRON ORE | ||||
| Great Lakes | 5,285,961 | 5,844,345 | 37,223,515 | 41,264,647 |
| Eastern Canada | 1,347,830 | 1,290,914 | 7,884,118 | 8,529,891 |
| Total - Iron Ore | 6,633,791 | 7,135,259 | 45,107,633 | 49,794,538 |
| COAL | ||||
| Lake Erie | 2,135,281 | 2,611,427 | 14,205,306 | 15,532,969 |
| Lake Michigan | 249,009 | 242,203 | 1,748,634 | 1,602,130 |
| Lake Superior - U.S. | 1,787,469 | 1,712,832 | 11,526,426 | 10,781,648 |
| Lake Superior - Canada | 73,596 | 95,936 | 822,191 | 659,465 |
| Total - Coal | 4,245,355 | 4,662,398 | 28,302,557 | 28,576,212 |
| LIMESTONE, GYPSUM | ||||
| U.S. Ports | 3,667,378 | 4,243,106 | 22,063,765 | 24,769,538 |
| Canadian Ports | 685,851 | 606,157 | 4,488,881 | 4,155,813 |
| Total - Stone | 4,353,229 | 4,849,263 | 26,552,646 | 28,925,351 |
| Total All Commodities | 15,232,375 | 16,646,920 | 99,962,836 | 107,296,101 |
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.