Great Lakes iron ore shipments rise 10% in August

In addition to the higher monthly average for August 2017, shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway also bettered the month’s five-year average by 6.2 percent, according to data from the Lake Carriers’ Association.    A total of 6.7 million tons of iron ore were shipped on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway last month, a 10.1 percent increase of compared to a year ago, the association that represents companies operating vessels in the area revealed Sept. 25.
   In addition to the higher monthly average, shipments also bettered the month’s five-year average by 6.2 percent, according to data from the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA), which represents 13 American companies that operate 49 U.S.-flag vessels on the Great Lakes.
   There was a total 6.3 million tons of shipments from U.S. Great Lakes ports in August, an increase of 18 percent compared to a year ago. That was countered, however, by loadings at Canadian terminals in the Seaway dropping by nearly 50 percent to 360,000 tons, according to LCA data.
   Through the first eight months of 2017, the iron ore trade stands at 36.8 million tons, an increase of 12.2 percent compared to the same point in 2016, the LCA said, while year-over-year loadings at U.S. ports total 33.8 million tons, an increase of 15.2 percent. 
   Shipments from Canadian ports in the St. Lawrence Seaway, however, dropped 13.3 percent to three million tons.
   Lake Carriers’ Association member companies primarily carry raw materials, like iron ore and fluxstone for the steel industry; aggregate and cement for the construction industry; coal for power generation; and sand, grain and other dry-bulk cargoes. Collectively, their vessels can transport more than 100 million tons of cargo per year, according to the LCA.