Great Lakes coal drops 3.8% in April

   Shipments of coal on the Great Lakes totaled 2.2 million tons in April, a decrease of 3.8 percent compared to a year ago.
   However, when compared to its 5-year average, the trade was down nearly 27 percent, said the Cleveland-based Lake Carriers’ Association.
   The trade group said loadings at Lake Superior ports increased by nearly 10 percent, but shipments from Chicago fell by a third, while Lake Erie ports were off 12.3 percent, or 90,000 tons.
   Year-to-date the Great Lakes coal trade stands at 3.3 million tons, a decrease of 8.7 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings are 31 percent behind the 5-year average for the January-April period.
   The Lake Carriers’ Association represents 17 American companies that operate 57 U.S.-flag vessels on the Great Lakes. In addition to coal, these vessel operators transport a variety of bulk cargoes, such as iron ore, fluxstone, aggregate, and cement. Collectively, the carriers can transport more than 115 million tons of cargo per year.