(CLEVELAND) — U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) carried 71.3 million tons of cargo in 2025, an 8.9 percent decrease from a year ago, the Lake Carriers’ Association reported. Cargo movement in 2025 on the Great Lakes was 8.1 percent below the fleet’s five-year average.
Except for salt shipments, which increased by 4.1 percent, all commodity shipments decreased in 2025. Iron ore shipments were down 10.8 percent from 2024 to 39.1 million tons. Coal cargoes declined to 6.5 million tons, a decrease of 12 percent. Limestone shipments of 20.1 million tons were below last year’s shipments by 4.7 percent. Cement cargoes saw a decrease of 1 percent, while sand and grain shipments were down 26.5 percent and 13.1 percent, respectively, in 2025.
Since 1880, the Lake Carriers’ Association has represented the U.S.-flag Great Lakes fleet, which today can move more than 90 million tons of cargoes annually that are the foundation of American industry, infrastructure and power: iron ore, stone, coal, cement and other dry-bulk materials such as grain, salt and sand. More information is available at www.lcaships.com.
