U.S.-Flag Jones Act lakers carried 13.2 million net tons of dry- and liquid-bulk cargos in September, an increase of 4 percent compared to the corresponding period last year. The strongest gains came in the iron ore and stone trades. The September cement total was impacted by a labor/management dispute at Inland Lakes Management. The grain trade remained mirred in its season-long slump.
For the season, U.S.-Flag carriage stands at 78.5 million tons, a decrease of roughly 700,000 tons. As has been noted before, the extreme ice conditions which prevailed during the first months of navigation slowed the resumption of the dry-bulk trades, but the fleet has been narrowing the gap as the season progresses.
| Commodity | September 1996 |
September 1995 |
Season to Date 1996 |
Season to Date 1995 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Ore | 6,634,168 | 5,985,091 | 39,655,581 | 39,368,183 |
| Coal - Western | 1,562,375 | 1,476,878 | 8,592,961 | 9,133,920 |
| Coal, Coke - Eastern | 878,986 | 1,110,813 | 5,320,420 | 5,542,697 |
| Total - Coal | 2,441,361 | 2,587,692 | 13,913,381 | 14,676,617 |
| Limestone, Gypsum | 3,343,435 | 3,167,207 | 19,156,249 | 19,195,869 |
| Cement | 341,283 | 428,707 | 2,540,097 | 2,527,123 |
| Salt | 104,144 | 83,615 | 765,430 | 425,857 |
| Sand | 42,482 | 28,198 | 167,876 | 192,094 |
| Grain | 67,135 | 129,426 | 352,451 | 832,247 |
| Liquid Bulk | 233,788 | 272,029 | 1,946,641 | 1,967,842 |
| Totals - All Commodities | 13,197,796 | 12,681,964 | 78,497,706 | 79,185,832 |
| Liquid Bulk - Barrels | 1,512,803 | 1,838,919 | 13,159,298 | 13,302,606 |
Given the limited number of gypsum producers (two), that commodity must be combined with limestone to insure confidentiality. Since tankers operate year-round, that trade is reported on a calendar-year basis. The 1995 totals include carriage by two non-members of Lake Carriers' Association - Kinsman Lines, Inc., [grain] and Hannah Marine Corporation [liquid bulk]. Starting with 1996, this survey also includes Upper Lakes Towing (one self-unloading tug/barge unit in various dry-bulk trades), Upper Lakes Barge (one self- unloading tug/barge unit in various dry-bulk trades), Andrie, Inc. (cement [as of August]) and Merce Transportation (cement).