The following is the text of a news release from the Lake Carriers' Association:
(CLEVELAND) — Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.3 million tons in September, a decrease of 8 percent compared to a year ago. The decrease came almost entirely at Canadian quarries. Shipments from the three quarries fell 257,000 tons compared to a year ago, a decrease of 43 percent.
Year to date, the Lakes limestone trade stands at 21.1 million tons, an increase of 9 percent. U.S. quarries account for much of the increase. Loadings from the quarries in Michigan and Ohio have increased by more than 1.5 million tons.
The Lake Carriers’ Association represents 15 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 100 million tons of cargo per year. More information is available at www.lcaships.com.
