U.S.-flag Cargo Movement on Great Lakes Up

U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) moved 10.6 million tons of cargo in May, an increase of 11.9 percent from last year.  

According to Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) represents 13 American companies that operate 46 lakers on the Great Lakes, the May float was ahead of the month’s 5-year average by 8.4 percent.

Iron ore cargos for steel production totaled 5,590,145 tons, an increase of 677,194 tons from May of 2018.

Coal shipments were little changed from a year ago.  Loadings totalled 1,381,110, a decrease of 24,879 tons, roughly one cargo of a mid-sized self-unloader. Limestone loads totaled 3,120,416 tons, a gain of 12.6 percent from a year ago.

Year-to-date U.S.-flag carriage stands at 22.4 million tons, an increase of 18.6 percent compared to the same point in 2018.  Iron ore cargos total 13.3 million tons, an increase of 13.7 percent.  Coal loadings total nearly 3 million tons, an increase of 32.7 percent.  Limestone cargos now top 4 million tons, an increase of 19.6 percent.

Collectively, LCA's members can transport more than 90 million tons of dry-bulk cargo per year and employ more than 1,600 men and women, all of whom are U.S. citizens or legally admitted aliens, and provide annual wages and benefits of approximately $125 million.  

In turn, the cargos its members carry create and sustain nearly 116,000 jobs in the eight Great Lakes states and generate more than $20 billion in economic activity, $8.3 billion in personal income, $16.4 billion in business revenue, $4.1 billion in local purchases and $3.7 billion in taxes.