The following is text of a news release from the Lake Carriers' Association:
(CLEVELAND) — Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway totaled 6.3 million tons in May, an increase of 3.1 percent compared to a year ago, and just about on par with the month’s five-year average.
Shipments from U.S. Great Lakes ports totaled 5.9 million tons in May, an increase of 2.4 percent.
Loadings at Canadian terminals in the Seaway totaled 443,000 tons, an increase of 13.7 percent.
Year to date, the iron ore trade stands at 15.7 million tons, a decrease of 7.6 percent compared to the same point in 2017. Year over year, loadings at U.S. ports total 14.1 million tons, a decrease of 9 percent. Shipments from Canadian ports in the St. Lawrence Seaway have increased slightly to 1.64 million tons.
The Lake Carriers’ Association represents 13 American companies that operate 45 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 sand, grain and other dry-bulk cargoes. Collectively, these vessels can transport more than 100 million tons of cargo per year. More information is available at www.lcaships.com.
