An 11.3 percent increase in shipments of iron ore, stone and coal in October finally allowed the 1996 shipping season to erase the early-season shortfalls caused by extreme ice conditions. The 16 million net tons of iron ore, stone and coal carried by U.S.- and Canadian-Flag lakers last month pushed the season-to-date total to 111 million tons.
While the season-to-date total represents an increase of only 173,000 tons, it must be realized that at the end of April, shipments of the leading three commodities were 3.5 million tons behind schedule. With virtually no excess carrying capacity available for service on the Lakes, the shortfall has been erased by minimizing vessel and dock downtime and loading deeper due to higher water levels in the summer.
George J. Ryan, President of Lake Carriers' Association, praised the entire Great Lakes shipping community for overcoming the slow start, but singled out the United States Coast Guard. "We must remember that the early-season shortfalls would have been much greater were it not for the Ninth District's icebreaking efforts. We owe this achievement to the icebreaker MACKINAW and the Coast Guard's other icebreaking resources. Without their assistance, the shortfall would have been insurmountable."
The industry also benefited from calm weather conditions in October which allowed for an increase of 1.6 million tons compared to a year ago. October of 1995 was characterized by numerous storms which forced vessels to anchor. This past month was, weather-wise, more typical and vessel delays were few.
Through October, iron ore loadings at Great Lakes ports total 55.3 million tons, an increase of 800,000 tons. The coal trade stands at 27.1 million tons, a slight increase over last season's end-of-October total. The stone trade remains 700,000 tons behind last year's pace.
| Commodity | October 1996 | October 1995 | Season to Date 1996 |
Season to Date 1995 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRON ORE | ||||
| Great Lakes | 6,430,344 | 5,933,246 | 44,968,373 | 44,948,431 |
| Eastern Canada | 1,617,127 | 1,256,241 | 10,309,354 | 9,525,356 |
| Total - Iron Ore | 8,047,471 | 7,189,487 | 55,277,727 | 54,473,787 |
| COAL | ||||
| Lake Erie | 2,217,045 | 1,883,915 | 13,739,372 | 13,582,198 |
| Lake Michigan | 193,378 | 39,011 | 1,129,053 | 804,321 |
| Lake Superior - U.S. | 1,793,116 | 1,437,121 | 11,006,746 | 10,929,157 |
| Lake Superior - Canada | 192,020 | 231,486 | 1,253,062 | 1,728,397 |
| Total - Coal | 4,395,559 | 3,591,533 | 27,128,233 | 27,044,073 |
| LIMESTONE, GYPSUM | ||||
| U.S. Ports | 3,543,694 | 3,577,986 | 25,121,935 | 26,427,356 |
| Canadian Ports | 426,398 | 429,761 | 3,480,366 | 2,889,933 |
| Total - Stone | 3,970,092 | 4,007,747 | 28,602,301 | 29,317,289 |
| Total All Commodities | 15,986,724 | 14,359,006 | 111,008,261 | 110,835,149 |
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 (150,000 tons in 1995).
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.