Five Large Lakers Idled
Lay-Ups Affect September U.S.-Flag Float

With 5 U.S.-Flag lakers idled for various lengths of time during the month of September, U.S.-Flag cargo movement on the Great Lakes slipped to less than 12 million tons of dry-bulk commodities. That is one of the lowest monthly levels recorded in recent years excluding start-up and close-of navigation months. In comparison to a year ago, the September U.S.-Flag "float" represents a decrease of 11.2 percent or 1,504,894 tons.
 
The U.S.-Flag lakers idled in September were the ROGER BLOUGH (43,900 g.t. per trip capacity); ARTHUR M. ANDERSON (25,300); and ELTON HOYT 2ND (22,300). Remaining in their season-long inactive status were the EDWARD L. RYERSON (27,500) and JOHN J. BOLAND (20,109).
 
The most significant fall-offs came in iron ore and stone. Iron ore cargos carried in U.S.-Flag lakers decreased 12.7 percent to only 5.5 million tons. Stone loadings in U.S. bottoms fell by nearly 700,000 tons.
 
For the season, U.S.-Flag carriage stands at 77.8 million tons, a decrease of 9 percent or 7.7 million tons.
 
  
U.S.-FLAG CARRIAGE
SEPTEMBER AND SEASON-TO-DATE: 1999-1998
(net tons)

Commodity

September 1999

September 1998

S-T-D 1999

S-T-D 1998

Iron Ore (a)

5,468,969

6,265,187

38,738,205

43,600,103

Coal - Western

1,454,491

1,428,238

9,480,151

9,216,678

Coal - Eastern

888,159

981,545

5,530,586

5,915,004

Total - Coal

2,342,650

2,409,783

15,010,737

15,131,682

Limestone, Gypsum

3,241,368

3,919,884

19,657,051

22,513,341

Cement

526,479

478,612

3,052,525

2,977,317

Salt

168,923

164,861

970,072

858,940

Sand

26,421

36,699

193,267

205,227

Grain

53,063

57,741

194,086

222,817

Totals

11,827,873

13,332,767

77,815,943

85,509,427

(a) Includes Lorain/Cleveland shuttle.

ggn@lcaships.com
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