Ice Flows Bring Carriers Woes In March
With heavy ice covering most of the Great Lakes in March, U.S.-flag carriage suffered accordingly. The major U.S.-flag Lakes lines moved only 1,051,162 net tons of dry-bulk cargo in March, a decrease of 40.6 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2002 and a drop of nearly 57 percent compared to the month's 5-year average. For the year, U.S.-flag haulage totals 3.6 million tons, a decrease of 6.4 percent compared to the same point in 2002, but a drop of nearly 26 percent compared to the 5-year average for the first quarter. The significant drop compared to the 5-year average testifies to the progressive weakening of America's steel industry during the period and is further proof of the debilitating impacts of unfair trade in steel.
The increase in March iron ore cargos is misleading . Transshipments to ISG's Cleveland Works resumed in March as usual whereas a year ago the trade was inactive given LTV Steel's bankruptcy. Direct shipments of iron ore slipped more than 21 percent compared to a year ago and 47.5 percent compared to the 5-year average.
It would not be an exaggeration to say the ice conditions virtually paralyzed the coal trade in U.S. hulls. March shipments amounted to one cargo in a 1,000-footer. For the year, the U.S.-flag coal float totals a mere 192,000 tons, a decrease of more than 75 percent from the 5-year average.
The ice conditions did stall resumption of the limestone trade. Not one stone cargo was loaded in March into a vessel of any flag.
The cement trade did resume in March, but was likewise impacted by the ice conditions. March shipments fell by a third compared to a year ago and represent a decrease of nearly 40 percent compared to the month's 5-year average.
U.S.-Flag Dry-Bulk Carriage on the Great Lakes
- March 2003-1999 and 5-Year Average
(net tons)
| Commodity | March 2003 | March 2002 | March 2001 | March 2000 | March 1999 | 5-Yr. Average |
| Iron Ore | ||||||
| Direct Shipments | 684,055 | 870,959 | 1,398,562 | 1,843,880 | 1,715,495 | 1,302,590 |
| Transshipments | 212,618 | 0 | 488,458 | 460,118 | 407,380 | 313,714 |
| Total - Iron Ore |
896,673 |
870,959 | 1,887,020 | 2,303,998 | 2,122,875 | 1,616,304 |
| Coal | ||||||
| Lake Superior | 53,577 | 297,396 | 331,620 | 474,015 | 464,644 | 324,250 |
| Lake Michigan | 0 | 39,852 | 77,939 | 186,932 | 51,703 | 144,496 |
| Lake Erie | 0 | 223,779 | 142,278 | |||
| Total - Coal | 53,577 | 561,027 | 551,837 | 660,947 | 516,347 | 468,746 |
| Limestone | 0 | 176,218 | 76,867 | 290,327 | 264,806 | 161,643 |
| Cement | 100,912 | 148,009 | 181,037 | 221,755 | 178,357 | 166,014 |
| Salt | 0 | 12,158 | 43,233 | 0 | 24,000 | 15,878 |
| Sand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7,600 | 1,520 |
| Grain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 1,051,162 | 1,768,371 | 2,739,994 | 3,477,027 | 3,113,985 | 2,430,105 |
NOTE: LCA did not begin to track Eastern coal by Lake of loading until 2001.
U.S.-Flag Dry-Bulk Carriage on the Great Lakes -
Year-To-Date 2003-1999 and 5-Year Average
(net tons)
| Commodity | Y-T-D 2003 | Y-T-D 2002 | Y-T-D 2001 | Y-T-D 2000 | Y-T-D 1999 | 5-Yr. Average |
| Iron Ore | ||||||
| Direct Shipments | 2,896,233 | 2,516,394 | 2,468,354 | 4,257,223 | 3,106,414 | 3,048,923 |
| Transshipments | 212,618 | 0 | 537,461 | 959,892 | 591,714 | 460,337 |
| Total - Iron Ore |
3,108,851 |
2,516,394 | 3,005,815 | 5,217,115 | 3,698,128 | 3,509,260 |
| Coal | ||||||
| Lake Superior | 73,076 | 297,396 | 621,357 | 655,181 | 528,555 | 435,113 |
| Lake Michigan | 74,184 | 143,704 | 158,945 | 422,614 | 68,774 | 353,708 |
| Lake Erie | 44,522 | 319,628 | 536,172 | |||
| Total - Coal | 191,782 | 760,728 | 1,316,474 | 1,077,795 | 597,329 | 788,821 |
| Limestone | 24,245 | 176,218 | 76,867 | 315,417 | 277,903 | 174,130 |
| Cement | 195,221 | 349,602 | 305,792 | 374,068 | 336,412 | 312,219 |
| Salt | 50,212 | 12,158 | 43,233 | 0 | 24,000 | 25,920 |
| Sand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7,600 | 1,520 |
| Grain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 3,570,311 | 3,815,100 | 4,748,181 | 6,984,395 | 4,941,372 | 4,811,870 |
DATE OF PUBLICATION: MAY 14, 2003
