The major U.S.-Flag Great Lakes carriers moved 10.9 million net tons of dry-bulk cargo in May, a decrease of 9.4 percent compared to a year ago. However, that decrease does represent an improvement of sorts. In April, U.S.-Flag carriage was down nearly 20 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2001. For the season, U.S.-Flag carriage stands at 21.2 million net tons, a decrease of 15.5 percent.
Iron ore cargos for the steel industry continued their long slump in May. Loadings totaled 4.9 million net tons, a decrease of 16.4 percent. For the season, U.S.-Flag iron ore cargos total 9.8 million tons, a decrease of 27.4 percent. One bright spot was the revival of the Lorain/Cleveland iron ore "shuttle." The trade resumed on May 23 when the EARL W. OGLEBAY (Oglebay Norton Marine Services Company) loaded 15,762 net tons (14,073 gross tons) of iron ore pellets for delivery to ISG's Cleveland Works. The shuttle had been inactive since shortly before the closure of LTV Steel. (Since the steel mill in Cleveland is located at the end of the commercial section of the twisting and confined Cuyahoga River, it cannot be served by the largest vessels in the fleet. Starting in 1981, 1,000-footers have been delivering iron ore to LTV's Pellet Terminal at the mouth of the Black River in Lorain. The cargo is then reloaded into vessels small enough to transit the Cuyahoga. To better serve ISG, the boat loader in Lorain will be moved to Cleveland Bulk Terminal before the beginning of the next navigation season, so this is likely the last season for the shuttle.)
Coal cargos in U.S. bottoms were essentially unchanged in May, and are holding even for the season. Shipments of western coal are off by nearly 12 percent, the result of a cutback at a major Michigan utility. On the other hand, loadings at Lake Erie ports are up by 31 percent. A Detroit-area steel mill has increased its take of metallurgical coal and a number of small consumers of steam coal have opted to advance some delivers in the event last season's coal availability problems resurface.
Limestone loadings in U.S.-Flag lakers totaled 3,146,535 net tons in May, a decrease of 2.5 percent. Since the resumption of the stone trade in late March, U.S.-Flag cargos stand at 5.6 million tons, an increase of one cargo in a mid-sized self-unloader.
Of the other cargos the fleet carries, cement again registered a significant decrease in May - 16.3 percent. A wet spring and a generally sluggish construction industry have produced a season-to-date decrease of 15 percent..
U.S.-FLAG CARRIAGE
MAY AND SEASON-TO-DATE: 2002 - 2001
(net tons)
Commodity | May 2002 | May 2001 | S-T-D 2002 | S-T-D 2001 |
| Iron Ore | ||||
| Direct Shipments | 4,789,800 | 5,477,048 | 9,693,814 | 11,903,662 |
| Transshipments | 135,733 | 414,983 | 135,733 | 1,640,343 |
Total - Iron Ore | 4,925,533 | 5,892,031 | 9,829,547 | 13,544,005 |
| Coal | ||||
| Lake Superior Ports | 1,278,274 | 1,494,004 | 2,680,818 | 3,039,232 |
| Lake Erie Ports | 683,049 | 520,075 | 1,384,690 | 1,031,184 |
| Lake Michigan Ports | 332,063 | 282,036 | 589,007 | 582,643 |
Total - Coal | 2,293,386 | 2,296,115 | 4,654,515 | 4,653,059 |
| Limestone | 3,146,535 | 3,228,198 | 5,612,044 | 5,592,920 |
| Cement | 398,024 | 475,503 | 853,709 | 1,007,088 |
| Salt | 50,098 | 39,508 | 169,723 | 184,661 |
| Sand | 48,809 | 61,790 | 48,809 | 61,790 |
| Grain | 67,237 | 65,332 | 82,914 | 97,497 |
| Totals | 10,929,622 | 12,058,477 | 21,251,261 | 25,141,020 |
In addition to the U.S.-Flag Lakes operators who comprise Lake Carriers' Association, this survey includes Andrie, Inc.
(cement only), Great Lakes Associates (grain), Hannah Marine Corp. (cement only), Pere Marquette Shipping Company and
Upper Lakes Towing Company, Inc. (both various dry-bulk cargos).
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DATE OF PUBLICATION: JUNE 12, 2002
For more information, contact Glen Nekvasil (216-861-0592/ggn@lcaships.com).