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 54.4 million tons in 2015, a decrease of 8.5 percent compared to 2014. Shipments slipped 7.8 percent compared to the trade’s five-year average.
Loadings at U.S. ports totaled 47.1 million tons, a decrease of 12.4 percent compared to 2014, and 10.3 percent off their five-year average.
Loadings at Canadian Seaway ports totaled 7.3 million tons, an increase of 29.8 percent compared to 2014, and 11.6 percent ahead of their five-year average.
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.
