Great Lakes limestone trade dips in May

U.S. and Canadian shipments in the Great Lakes dropped 5.4 percent in May 2017 compared to the same period a year ago, according to data from the Lake Carriers’ Association.    Limestone shipments on the Great Lakes are down 5.4 percent in May 2017 compared to the same period a year ago. A total of 3.6 million tons were shipped last month, according to the Lake Carriers’ Association.
   U.S. quarries shipped 2.9 million tons of limestone in May, down 4.2 percent from a year ago, while shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 628,000 tons, down 9.3 percent compared to May 2016.
   Through the first five months of 2017, the Great Lakes limestone trade stands at 5.3 million tons, a decrease of 12.3 percent compared the same period last year.
   U.S. ports have traded approximately 2.9 million tons of limestone on average between 2012 and 2016 during the month of May, according to data from the Lake Carriers’ Association.
   The U.S. ports covered in this data assessment include five in Michigan and one in Ohio along the Great Lakes.