The following is the text of a news release from the Lake Carriers' Association:
(CLEVELAND) — Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway totaled 54.1 million tons in 2016, a decrease of 0.5 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments also trailed the trade’s long-term average by 8.3 percent.
Shipments from U.S. Great Lakes ports totaled 48.9 million tons, an increase of 3.8 percent. Four ports saw shipments rise over 2015 levels, but three ports registered decreases.
Loadings at Canadian terminals in the Seaway totaled 5.2 million tons, a decrease of 28.3 percent. Both ports saw shipments fall compared to 2015.
The Lake Carriers’ Association represents 13 American companies that operate 49 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.
