Great Lakes/Seaway Iron Ore Trade Behind 2017

May 8, 2018

Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway totaled 5.5 million tons in April, a decrease of 6.3 percent compared to a year ago but nearly 15 percent ahead of the month’s five-year average, the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) reported.

Shipments from U.S. Great Lakes ports in April were down 4.5 percent at 5.1 million tons, LCA said. The mine that shipped through Escanaba, Mich. has been permanently idled, meaning all the iron ore shipped to U.S. steel mills in April had to transit the Poe Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. The MacArthur Lock is undergoing maintenance so has yet to open for this season.

Loadings at Canadian terminals in the Seaway totaled 380,000 tons in April, a decrease of 18.2 percent.

At 9.4 million tons, the year-to-date the iron ore trade is down 13.7 percent compared to the same point in 2017. Year-over-year, loadings at U.S. ports are down 15.6 percent at 8.2 million tons.

Meanwhile, Shipments from Canadian ports in the St. Lawrence Seaway have increased slightly to 1.2 million tons.

Iron Ore Shipments from Great Lakes and Seaway Ports to Great Lakes Destinations
Includes Transshipments to Quebec City for Shipment Overseas
April 2013-2018 and Long-Term Average (net tons)

*U.S. Great Lakes Ports*
Port	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	Average 2013-2017
Duluth, MN	1,034,913	172,262	579,316	707,895	792,096	873,939	657,296
Superior, WI	881,485	288,686	675,646	1,062,329	1,121,954	1,096,469	806,020
Two Harbors, MN	1,533,917	440,462	1,158,696	1,621,255	1,622,011	1,450,134	1,275,268
Silver Bay, MN	525,084	87,177	383,847	0	583,001	593,178	315,822
Presque Ise, MI	630,811	144,932	390,416	823,281	617,451	638,010	521,378
Escanaba, MI*	89,340	772,625	416,359	432,117	237,780	0	389,644
Cleveland, OH	170,999	153,700	312,688	334,181	314,468	318,905	257,207
Ashtabula, OH	0	41,559	0	0	31,392	110,710	14,590
Conneaut, OH	0	31,966	0	0	0	0	6,393
Total	4,866,549	2,133,369	3,916,968	4,981,058	5,320,153	5,081,345	4,243,619
Canadian Seaway Ports
Pointe Noire, QC	87,031	0	0	0	0	0	17,406
Port Cartier, QC	459,399	452,476	424,080	368,172	464,618	380,227	433,749
Sept Iles, QC	147,541	150,847	0	6,625	42,218	0	69,446
Total	693,971	603,323	424,080	374,797	506,836	380,227	520,601
Total - U.S., Canada	5,560,520	2,736,692	4,341,048	5,355,855	5,826,989	5,461,572	4,764,221