With the iron ore trade slumping, U.S.-Flag 1,000-footers are increasing their participation in the western coal trade. As a result, June loadings at Superior Midwest Energy Terminal (SMET) increased 22.2 percent to 1,923,838 net tons. For the season, coal shipments from SMET stand at 5,973,156 net tons, an increase of 6.3 percent. The SMET trade has also been helped by the rise in water levels. As June ended, the 1,000-footers were loading nearly 64,000 tons per trip. Last June, a typical cargo in a 1,000-footer was around 62,000 tons.
Coal loadings at Thunder Bay, Ontario, totaled 116,000 tons in June, up a couple boat loads from a year ago. For the season, coal loadings at Thunder Bay stand at 315,000 tons, an increase of roughly 90,000 tons.
Coal Shipments From Superior Midwest Energy Terminal: 2001 Navigation Season
June 2001 | June 2000 | Season-To-Date 2001 | Season-To-Date 2000 | ||||
Loadings | Cargos | Loadings | Cargos | Loadings | Cargos | Loadings | Cargos |
1,923,838 | 39 | 1,574,149 | 34 | 5,973,156 | 130 | 5,616,324 | 123 |