Great Lakes limestone trade falls again in June

U.S. and Canadian limestone shipments in the Great Lakes dropped 7.3 percent in June 2017 compared to the same period a year ago, according to data from the Lake Carriers’ Association.    Limestone shipments on the Great Lakes fell 7.3 percent in June 2017 compared to the same month a year ago, according to data from the Lake Carriers’ Association.
   At a total of nearly 3.5 million tons, June’s loadings were also 8.9 percent below the month’s five-year average. Loadings from U.S. quarries came to 2.8 million tons while shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 668,000 tons, year-over-year decreases of 5.5 percent and 14.3 percent, respectively.
   Year-to-date, the Great Lakes limestone trade stands at 8.8 million tons, a decrease of 10.4 percent compared to a year ago. The U.S. ports covered in this data assessment include five in Michigan and one in Ohio along the Great Lakes.
   The Great Lakes region has seen a steady decrease in limestone shipments since 2012 with recent months doing no better. April shipments dropped 16.3 percent, while May shipments were down 5.4 percent compared with the same 2016 period.