Great Lakes Limestone Rally Continues

The Great Lakes limestone trade racked up its fifth straight month of increases over the corresponding period last year in October, Lake Carriers’ Association reported.

Stone cargos totaled 3.7 million tons, an increase of 2.8 percent.  The trade also bettered its long-term average by 8.1 percent.

Despite the five-month rally, year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade is still slightly behind last year’s pace. The 23 million tons shipped through October represent a decrease of 2.1 percent.  Weather will play a leading role in determining if the 500,000-ton gap between this year and last can be erased.  Some Novembers have been so stormy that the Lakes fleet had to go to anchor for more than 5,000 hours.  Last year the U.S. Coast Guard started breaking ice on December 6, the earliest date on record.