U.S.-flag Great Lakes dry bulk volume down 3.8% in April

U.S.-flag Great Lakes dry bulk volume down 3.8% in April U.S.-flag members of the Lake Carriers’ Association transported 9.9 million net tons of dry bulk cargo in April, a 3.8 percent drop from the same month last year.
   The LCA said falling water levels, in particular on Lake Superior, which is eight inches below its long term average and nearly 13 inches lower than it was a year ago, combined with inadequate dredging of ports and waterways system-wide, limited the amount of cargo vessels could carry each trip.
   The largest iron ore cargo loaded in April, 62,325 net tons,    represented only 89.4 percent of the vessel’s rated capacity. April’s top coal load in the Head-of-the-Lakes trade, 62,666 net tons, was only a slight improvement at 91 percent of the vessel’s capacity.
   For the year, U.S.-flag carriage stands at 15.9 million tons, a nearly 12 percent decrease from the same point in 2006, but a slight increase over the five-year average for the January-April timeframe.
   Cleveland-based LCA represents 18 American companies that operate 63 U.S.-flag vessels on the Great Lakes.