U.S.-flag carriage on Great Lakes drops in August

U.S.-flagged vessels transported 10.3 percent less raw materials in August compared with last year, as trade was hindered from the MacArthur Lock failure, continued high levels of steel imports and repairs for three 1,000-foot lakers during the month.    U.S.-flag vessels on the Great Lakes moved 9.9 million tons of raw materials during the month of August, a year-over-year drop of 10.3 percent, according to the Lakes Carriers’ Association, which represents 16 American companies that operate 56 U.S.-flag vessels on the Great Lakes.
   The sluggish month resulted from the MacArthur Lock closure from July 29 through Aug. 17 due to mechanical issues with one set of gates, the fact that three 1,000-foot lakers were out of operation during the month while undergoing repairs, and continued high levels of steel imports.
   U.S-flag Great Lakes fleets shipped 4.3 million tons of iron ore in August, a year-over-year drop of 22 percent.
   All three of the 1,000-foot lakers that were out of operation during the month are active in the ore trade. In addition, two of these lakers actively participate in the coal trade, which was also sluggish during the month.
   One of the idled vessels returned to operation Aug. 28 and the other two vessels returned to operation last week.
   Although August was a slow month for U.S.-flag vessels on the lakes, year-to-date U.S.-flag carriage stands at 52.4 million tons, a year-over-year increase of 6 percent. This result, however, is still 1.5 percent below the five-year average for the January-August timeframe.