U.S.-flag Great Lakes cargo rises nearly 11% in September

Through the first nine months of 2017, U.S.-flag cargoes have grown 2.7 percent to 60.5 million tons compared with the same 2016 period, according to the Lake Carriers’ Association.    U.S.-flagged Great Lakes freighters moved 10.1 million tons of cargo in September, a 10.7 percent increase compared to the same month a year ago, according to newly released data from the association that represents over a dozen companies operating vessels on the Great Lakes.
   September’s shipments also bettered the month’s long-term average by 3.1 percent, or 300,000 tons, according to data released Oct. 11 by the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA).
   Iron ore cargoes for steelmaking totaled 4.9 million tons last month, a 14 percent jump compared to a year ago, LCA data show, while coal loadings approached 1.9 million tons, an increase of 6.1 percent, and limestone cargoes rose 10.1 percent to 2.7 million tons.
   Through the first nine months of the year, U.S.-flag Great Lakes cargoes totaled 60.5 million tons, an increase of 2.7 percent over the same 2016 period, according to the LCA.
   Additionally, iron ore shipments increased 7.1 percent to 32.4 million tons; and coal cargoes rose 85,000 tons to 9.4 million tons year-over-year, statistics show.
   The 15.3 million tons of aggregate, fluxstone and scrubber stone shipped was down 3.3 percent from last year’s end-of-September total of 15.7 million tons, the LCA said in a statement.
   Additionally, although the 10 million tons of cargo moved in September was a jump from the 9.7 million tons moved in September 2016, the 60.54 million tons of cargo moved through the first nine months of the calendar year were a dip from the 61.68 million tons shipped during the corresponding period last year.