The continued collapse of America's steel industry was well evidenced on the Great Lakes in April. U.S.-Flag iron ore cargos for the region's steelmakers slumped to 5.6 million net tons, a decrease of 13 percent from last April's deflated total. For the season, U.S.-Flag iron ore cargos stand at 7.5 million tons, a decrease of 14.1 percent.
The decrease comes as no surprise. Through April, domestic steel production is down by11.4 percent or 4.3 million tons. The production of one ton of steel in a domestic blast furnace requires 1.3 tons of iron ore, 1/2 ton of fluxstone and a quantity of met coal, so Great Lakes cargo movement will mirror the state of America's steel industry.
The dumping of foreign steel that has driven 16 American steelmakers into bankruptcy in the past 3 years has had other ramifications in this young season. The ore carriers ELTON HOYT 2ND and EDWARD L. RYERSON have not sailed and another, the ADAM E. CORNELIUS, has re-entered lay-up until business conditions improve.
The April totals for stone and coal showed slight decreases, but it is too early in the season to declare any trends for those commodities. Through April, shipments of all the dry-bulk cargos in U.S. hulls stand at 12.9 million tons, a decrease of 11.5 percent.
Commodity | April 2001 | April 2000 | S-T-D 2001 | S-T-D 2000 |
| Iron Ore - Direct Shipments | 4,890,831 | 5,791,735 | 6,289,393 | 7,635,615 |
| Iron Ore - Transshipments | 687,899 | 624,282 | 1,225,360 | 1,114,644 |
Total - Iron Ore | 5,578,730 | 6,416,017 | 7,514,753 | 8,750,259 |
| Coal - Western | 1,213,608 | 1,131,284 | 1,545,228 | 1,605,299 |
| Coal - Eastern | 591,499 | 724,529 | 811,716 | 911,461 |
Total - Coal | 1,805,107 | 1,855,813 | 2,356,944 | 2,516,760 |
| Limestone and Gypsum | 2,284,584 | 2,300,264 | 2,361,451 | 2,590,591 |
| Cement | 321,373 | 301,949 | 502,410 | 561,205 |
| Salt | 101,920 | 167,362 | 145,153 | 167,362 |
| Sand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Grain | 32,165 | 0 | 32,165 | 0 |
| Totals | 10,123,879 | 11,041,405 | 12,912,876 | 14,586,177 |
In addition to the 12 U.S.-Flag Lakes operators who comprise Lake Carriers' Association, this survey includes Andrie, Inc.
(cement only), Great Lakes Associates (grain) and Upper Lakes Towing Company, Inc. (various dry-bulk cargos). Pere
Marquette Shipping Company also participates in this survey, but has yet to resume operations this season.
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