U.S.-Flag vessels moved more than 14 million net tons of dry-bulk cargo on the Great Lakes in July. The increase is slight compared to a year ago, but only because a major stone shipping dock temporarily curtailed production after a fire. For the season, cargo movement in Jones Act lakers stands at 58,256,816 tons, an increase of 5.6 percent over the record-setting 1997 navigation season.
Iron ore shipments in U.S. bottoms topped 7.2 million tons in July, the highest monthly "float" in several years. Despite the labor dispute at General Motors, the American steel industry continues to operate at virtually full capacity and steel shipments from North American mills are up 4.6 percent through June. Therefore, as July ended, U.S.-Flag iron ore cargos had increased 8.2 percent to 30.6 million tons.
Coal cargos in U.S.-Flag lakers totaled 2,564,525 tons in July, a decrease of roughly 150,000 tons. Some falloff was expected as July was vacation month at many of the nation's coal mines. For the season, U.S.-Flag coal cargos stand at 10.1 million tons, a decrease of 4 percent. The mild winter meant many utilities found themselves with high inventories as the season began, so the need to rebuild stockpiles has lessened to a degree.
U.S.-Flag lakers hauled 3.5 million tons of stone in July, a seemingly significant decrease, but a fire at Michigan Limestone's Calcite operation, one of the largest stone-loading facilities on the Lakes, temporarily reduced production. For the season, stone shipments in U.S. hulls total 14.8 million tons, an increase of 10.7 percent.
As of today (August 19), U.S.-Flag Great Lakes operators have 67 of their 69 vessels in service. A small cement carrier (E. M. FORD) and a mid-sized grain carrier (KINSMAN ENTERPRISE) remain available for service should demand for those cargos increase.
| Commodity | July 1998 |
July 1997 |
Season to Date 1998 |
Season to Date 1997 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Ore | 7,215,343 | 6,596,182 | 30,568,913 | 28,250,670 |
| Coal - Western | 1,629,502 | 1,604,910 | 6,325,766 | 6,310,650 |
| Coal, Coke - Eastern | 935,023 | 1,097,075 | 3,801,329 | 4,240,131 |
| Total - Coal | 2,564,525 | 2,701,985 | 10,127,095 | 10,550,781 |
| Limestone, Gypsum | 3,505,234 | 3,907,783 | 14,788,090 | 13,355,852 |
| Cement | 553,783 | 483,215 | 1,967,569 | 1,907,637 |
| Salt | 115,478 | 113,650 | 585,046 | 490,574 |
| Sand | 50,961 | 49,347 | 126,484 | 136,264 |
| Grain | 0 | 64,530 | 93,619 | 353,091 |
| Totals - All Commodities | 14,005,324 | 13,916,995 | 58,256,816 | 55,044,869 |
Notes: Given the limited number of gypsum producers (two), that commodity must be combined with limestone to insure confidentiality. Cargo totals represent the members of Lake Carriers' Association and the following: Great Lakes Associates; Upper Lakes Barge; Upper Lakes Towing; Andrie, Inc. (cement only); and Merce Transportation.
The tracking of liquid-bulk cargos has been suspended pending implementation of a new reporting system.