Great Lakes Ore Trade Down 11.3% in March

Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 1.9 million tons in March, a decrease of 11.3% from a year ago. Loadings were 9.3% ahead of the month’s five-year average, however.

Shipments from U.S. ports totaled 1.8 million tons, a decrease of 9.7% compared to a year ago. The March total included 116,000 tons shipped to Quebec City for loading into oceangoing vessels and delivery overseas.

Shipments from Canadian ports totaled 113,000 tons, a drop of nearly 40 percent compared to a year ago.

Year-to-date, the Lakes ore trade stands at 5.2 million tons, a decrease of 11.1% compared to a year ago, while loadings are up more than 26% compared to the five-year average for the first quarter.

Lake Carriers’ Association represents 17 American companies that operate 57 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 115 million tons of cargo per year.