Great Lakes limestone trade down in April

The Great Lakes region has seen a steady decrease since 2012 with 2017 numbers showing a 24.3 percent decrease compared to 2016.    Shipments of limestone to the Great Lakes decreased 16.3 percent to 1.6 million tons in April 2017 compared with the same period a year ago, the Lake Carriers’ Association reported Wednesday.
   Loadings at U.S. quarries totaled 1.3 million tons, a decrease of 14 percent year-over-year, while overall loadings trailed the March five-year average by 22.4 percent, the association said.
   Shipments from Canadian docks decreased 24.7 percent for the month, while shipments from U.S. quarries were down 23.3 percent from March 2016.
   Year-to-date, overall Great Lakes limestone trade currently stands at 1.7 million tons, a decrease of 24.3 percent compared to the same 2016 period.
   The total net tons of limestone traded in the Great Lakes region over the last six years was at its highest in 2012 at 2.6 million net tons. That number has fluctuated some, but fell to 1.6 million net tons in 2017, with a five year average of 2.1 million net tons in 2016, according to the LCA.
   The Lake Carriers’ Association represents 13 American companies that operate 49 U.S.-flag vessels on the Great Lakes and carry raw materials such as iron ore and fluxstone for the steel industry, aggregate and cement for the construction industry, coal for power generation, and sand and grain. Collectively, these vessels can transport more than 100 million tons of cargo per year, according to the LCA.