Waterborne and rail shipments of iron ore in North America totaled 7.1 million gross tons in June, an increase of 4.3 percent compared to the corresponding period last year. However, the trade continues to lag behind 2001 on both a season-to-date and year-to-date basis.
June shipments of iron ore from Great Lakes ports totaled 5.1 million tons, an increase of 10.3 percent compared to last year. The increase could not, however, offset the decreases registered in previous months. On a season-to-date basis, Great Lakes iron ore shipments stand at 14.7 million tons, a decrease of 9.7 percent. On a year-to-date basis, the 16.1 million tons loaded at Great Lakes ports represent a decrease of 8 percent.
Iron ore loadings at eastern Canadian ports in June slipped by more than 32 percent, totaling only 750,000 tons. Season- and year-to-date, shipments from the three Canadian ports stand at 2.5 million tons, a decrease of 14.6 percent.
Vessel shipments to North American ports outside the Great Lakes more than tripled in June to 422,977 tons. For the year, this segment of the trade has increased by 65 percent to 1.6 million tons.
The all-rail iron ore move totaled 783,964 tons in June, a decrease of 14.3 percent. Year-to-date, rail shipments stand at 4.8 million tons, a decrease of 11.3 percent.
Port | June 2002 | June 2001 | S-T-D 2002 | S-T-D 2001 | Y-T-D 2002 | Y-T-D 2001 |
U.S. Great Lakes Ports | ||||||
| Duluth | 648,572 | 798,193 | 1,886,984 | 1,999,621 | 1,886,984 | 2,052,127 |
| Superior | 1,385,023 | 914,503 | 3,437,665 | 3,091,759 | 3,650,870 | 3,239,944 |
| Two Harbors | 1,499,500 | 1,198,820 | 4,483,472 | 4,076,439 | 4,995,066 | 4,298,760 |
| Silver Bay | 343,583 | 371,568 | 849,692 | 1,185,218 | 849,692 | 1,185,218 |
| Taconite Harbor | INACTIVE | 523,548 | INACTIVE | 1,809,135 | INACTIVE | 1,858,754 |
| Presque Isle | 909,311 | 492,890 | 2,553,931 | 1,892,232 | 2,963,281 | 2,145,954 |
| Escanaba | 340,163 | 346,539 | 1,475,331 | 2,206,336 | 1,763,409 | 2,735,901 |
Total | 5,126,152 | 4,646,061 | 14,687,075 | 16,260,740 | 16,109,302 | 17,516,658 |
Eastern Canada | ||||||
| Pointe Noire | 416,135 | 376,152 | 1,401,937 | 1,287,461 | 1,401,937 | 1,287,461 |
| Port Cartier | 101,107 | 128,508 | 594,985 | 332,203 | 594,985 | 332,203 |
| Sept Iles(a) | 229,837 | 600,012 | 511,348 | 1,317,299 | 511,348 | 1,317,299 |
Total | 747,079 | 1,104,672 | 2,508,270 | 2,936,963 | 2,508,270 | 2,936,963 |
Total- U.S. & Canada | 5,873,231 | 5,750,733 | 17,195,345 | 19,197,703 | 18,617,572 | 20,453,621 |
Shipments to Non-Great Lakes Ports | 422,977 | 120,000 | N/A | N/A | 1,620,223 | 987,000 |
Rail Shipments | 783,964 | 915,000 | N/A | N/A | 4,799,945 | 5,413,000 |
Total Iron Ore | 7,080,172 | 6,785,733 | 17,195,345 | 19,197,703 | 25,037,740 | 26,853,621 |
(a) May shipments revised. Restated totals are: 102,551 gross tons to Great Lakes ports; 240,194 g.t to
non-Great Lakes ports.
Note: Great Lakes maritime commerce is computed on a Season-To-Date basis (S-T-D); the iron ore industry tracks
shipments, both vessel and rail, on a Year-To-Date basis (Y-T-D).
DATE OF PUBLICATION: JULY 18, 2002.