The following is the text of a news release from the Lake Carriers' Association (LCA):
(CLEVELAND) — Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway totaled 6.6 million tons in May, an increase of 53 percent compared to ice-impacted April, and 4 percent better than a year ago and the month’s five-year average.
Loadings at U.S. ports on Lake Superior and Lake Michigan totaled nearly 6 million tons, an increase of 2.6 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments from Canadian ports in the Seaway totaled 700,000 tons, an increase of 17.8 percent.
Through May, the Lakes/Seaway ore trade stands at 14.9 million tons, an increase of 16.9 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings from U.S. ports total 12.9 million tons, an increase of 18.3 percent, but still trail their five-year average by 12 percent. Shipments from Canadian ports total 2 million tons, an increase of 8 percent compared to a year ago, and 15.8 percent ahead of their five-year average.
The Lake Carriers’ Association represents 16 American companies that operate 56 U.S.-flag vessels on the Great Lakes and carry the raw materials that drive the nation’s economy: iron ore and fluxstone for the steel industry, aggregate and cement for the construction industry, coal for power generation, as well as salt, sand and grain. Collectively, these vessels can transport more than 115 million tons of cargo per year. More information is available at www.lcaships.com.
