Shipments of dry-bulk cargo in U.S.-Flag lakers in May fell to 12 million net tons, a decrease of 5.5 percent compared to the same period last year. After nearly 2 1/2 months of navigation, the U.S.-Flag float stands at 24,948,089 tons, a decrease of 8.7 percent compared to the same point in the 2000 navigation season.
Iron ore cargos in U.S. bottoms totaled 5.9 million tons, a decrease of 8.9 percent. For the season, the U.S.-Flag ore float stands at 13.4 million tons, a decrease of 11.9 percent. The drop-off comes as no surprise; so swollen is the country with dumped foreign steel that through June 2, American steel mills were operating at less than 80 percent of capacity.
The U.S.-Flag stone trade was also less than robust in May; loadings totaled 3.2 million tons, a decrease of 7.7 percent. For the season, stone cargos in U.S. bottoms are down by more than 8 percent. Reduced steel production has impacted demand for fluxstone. A wet May also dampened demand for aggregate from the construction industry.
Coal cargos in U.S.-Flag lakers increased marginally in May, and for the season, that trade is running at last year's pace.
Commodity | May 2001 | May 2000 | S-T-D 2001 | S-T-D 2000 |
| Iron Ore - Direct Shipments | 5,477,048 | 5,761,436 | 11,766,441 | 13,397,051 |
| Iron Ore - Transshipments | 414,983 | 706,396 | 1,640,343 | 1,821,040 |
Total - Iron Ore | 5,892,031 | 6,467,832 | 13,406,784 | 15,218,091 |
| Coal - Western | 1,494,004 | 1,553,215 | 3,039,232 | 3,158,514 |
| Coal - Eastern | 802,111 | 593,767 | 1,613,827 | 1,505,228 |
Total - Coal | 2,296,115 | 2,146,982 | 4,653,059 | 4,663,742 |
| Limestone and Gypsum | 3,204,934 | 3,472,324 | 5,566,385 | 6,062,915 |
| Cement | 475,503 | 494,086 | 977,913 | 1,055,291 |
| Salt | 39,508 | 95,062 | 184,661 | 262,424 |
| Sand | 61,790 | 40,805 | 61,790 | 40,805 |
| Grain | 65,332 | 16,322 | 97,497 | 16,322 |
| Totals | 12,035,213 | 12,733,413 | 24,948,089 | 27,319,590 |
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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