No October Treat For U.S.-Flag Lakes Fleet
U.S.-flag vessels moved 10.7 million net tons of cargo on the Great Lakes in October, a decrease of 9.5 percent compared to a year ago and a drop of 8 percent compared to the month's 5-year average.
The iron ore trade struggled again in October. Loadings in U.S. bottoms totaled only 4.2 million net tons, a decrease of more than 18 percent compared to both a year ago and the month's 5-year average. For the year, the U.S.-flag ore float stands at 33.3 million tons, a decline of 12.8 percent compared to the same point in 2002, but an even greater drop - 19.3 percent - compared the 5-year average. With consolidation efforts still ongoing in the steel industry, North American mills are only operating at 81 percent of capacity, so reduced demand for iron ore is inevitable until the restructuring is complete.
Coal cargos in U.S.-flag lakers totaled 2.4 million net tons in October, a decrease of 6.6 percent compared to last year, but essentially on par with the month's 5-year average. The October drop reflects some inventory adjustments in the power generating industry. For the year, the coal trade for U.S.-flag lakers is slightly ahead 2002's pace and basically on track with the 5-year average.
Stone loadings in U.S.-flag lakers were down a boatload or two compared to last October, but even with the month's 5-year average. However, for the year, sluggish demand from the construction industry has left the end-of-October total representing a decrease of 7.6 percent compared to the same point in 2002 and 8.8 percent compared to the 5-year average.
U.S.-Flag Dry-Bulk Carriage on the Great Lakes - October
1999-2003 and 5-Year Average
(net tons)
| Commodity | October 1999 | October 2000 | October 2001 | October 2002 | October 2003 | 5-Yr. Average |
| Iron Ore | ||||||
| Direct Shipments | 4,966,281 | 5,676,342 | 4,416,929 | 4,769,602 | 4,022,609 | 4,770,352 |
| Transshipments | 308,303 | 495,022 | 217,243 | 426,195 | 211,172 | 331,587 |
| Total - Iron Ore | 5,274,584 | 6,171,364 | 4,634,172 | 5,195,797 | 4,233,781 | 5,101,939 |
| Coal | ||||||
| Lake Superior | 1,559,280 | 1,225,783 | 1,437,003 | 1,710,732 | 1,487,538 | 1,484,067 |
| Lake Michigan | 931,969 | 1,052,925 | 257,191 | 270,711 | 386,295 | 998,196 |
| Lake Erie | 888,824 | 634,342 | 568,725 | |||
| Total - Coal | 2,491,249 | 2,278,708 | 2,583,018 | 2,615,785 | 2,442,558 | 2,482,263 |
| Limestone | 3,415,777 | 3,401,696 | 3,136,706 | 3,378,615 | 3,337,355 | 3,334,029 |
| Cement | 487,155 | 485,339 | 459,106 | 394,816 | 404,855 | 446,254 |
| Salt | 109,692 | 86,765 | 75,098 | 103,149 | 105,810 | 96,102 |
| Sand | 32,236 | 135,073 | 95,730 | 36,505 | 56,206 | 71,150 |
| Grain | 53,099 | 62,492 | 64,915 | 65,421 | 82,737 | 65,732 |
| Totals | 11,863,792 | 12,621,437 | 11,048,745 | 11,790,088 | 10,663,303 | 11,597,469 |
NOTE: Prior to 2001, Lake Erie and Lake Michigan were combined into one total.
U.S.-Flag Dry-Bulk Carriage on the Great Lakes -
Year-To-Date 1999-2003 and 5-Year Average
(net tons)
| Commodity | Y-T-D 1999 | Y-T-D 2000 | Y-T-D 2001 | Y-T-D 2002 | Y-T-D 2003 | 5-Yr. Average |
| Iron Ore | ||||||
| Direct Shipments | 41,094,888 | 45,006,362 | 36,519,696 | 36,694,748 | 32,055,684 | 38,274,275 |
| Transshipments | 4,420,910 | 5,049,693 | 2,828,381 | 1,545,598 | 1,267,355 | 3,022,387 |
| Total - Iron Ore | 45,515,798 | 50,056,055 | 39,348,077 | 38,240,346 | 33,323,039 | 41,296,662 |
| Coal | ||||||
| Lake Superior | 11,103,332 | 10,189,933 | 11,253,506 | 10,813,419 | 11,568,645 | 10,985,767 |
| Lake Michigan | 6,479,626 | 6,410,313 | 1,809,506 | 1,839,557 | 2,200,019 | 6,332,203 |
| Lake Erie | 4,727,521 | 4,602,318 | 3,592,156 | |||
| Total - Coal | 17,582,958 | 16,600,246 | 17,790,533 | 17,255,294 | 17,360,820 | 17,317,970 |
| Limestone | 23,169,484 | 23,285,122 | 22,085,783 | 21,800,936 | 20,141,407 | 22,096,546 |
| Cement | 3,691,569 | 3,537,867 | 3,429,285 | 3,189,319 | 3,232,810 | 3,416,170 |
| Salt | 1,079,764 | 812,348 | 593,644 | 516,999 | 761,111 | 752,773 |
| Sand | 225,503 | 356,179 | 507,761 | 184,359 | 434,134 | 341,587 |
| Grain | 247,185 | 323,466 | 243,661 | 264,151 | 286,914 | 273,075 |
| Totals | 91,512,261 | 94,971,283 | 83,998,744 | 81,451,404 | 75,540,235 | 85,494,783 |
DATE OF PUBLICATION: November 14, 2003
