Great Lakes limestone trade up slightly in 2013

   Limestone shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 27.6 million tons in 2013, an increase of 1.7 percent compared to 2012, the Lake Carriers’ Association stated in a report Wednesday. The trade was 4-percent below its long-term average.
   The Lake Carriers’ Association also reported that shipments from U.S. ports totaled 23.9 million tons, an increase of 5.7 percent compared to 2012. That total is also the highest for U.S. ports since 2008. Shipments from Canadian ports totaled 3.7 million tons, a decrease of 18 percent compared to 2013.
   Stone trade during the ice season totaled 313,000 tons, or 25 percent of the December float. The report also stated that the limestone trade typically ends sooner than iron ore and coal, as much of the stone moving on the Lakes is washed prior to loading into vessels and is susceptible to freezing as temperatures plummet.