Great Lakes Coal Down 18% in August

Coal shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 2.6 million tons in August, a decrease of 18 percent compared to a year ago.  Loadings also trailed the month’s long-term average by nearly 19 percent.

Shipments from Lake Superior ports totaled 1,542,703 tons, a decrease of 28 percent compared to a year ago, and a drop of 20 percent compared to the month’s long-term average.

Loadings on Lake Michigan totaled 196,413 tons, a decrease of 34 percent compared to a year ago, and some 38 percent off the month’s long-term average.

Shipments from Lake Erie ports totaled 885,120 tons, an increase of 18 percent compared to a year ago, but a decrease of 10 percent compared to the month’s long-term average.

Year-to-date the Lakes coal trade stands at 12,786,720 tons, a decrease of 11 percent compared to a year ago.  The decrease would be more, but higher water levels have allowed for larger payloads this season.  The largest coal cargo that moved in the Head-of-the-Lakes trade in 2013 totaled 65,796 tons.  Through August of this year, the top coal load transiting the Soo Locks has totaled 67,992 tons.  However, even this season’s best coal load still comes up about 3,000 tons short of a full load.  Furthermore, Lakes water levels normally begin to fall in autumn, so going forward, individual cargos will be less than those hauled this summer.