Great Lakes coal shipments dip in November

The following is the text of a news release from the Lake Carriers' Association:

(CLEVELAND) — Coal shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 2.6 million tons in November, a decrease of 3 percent from a year ago. Shipments were affected by weather-related delays.

Shipments from Lake Superior ports totaled 1.5 million tons, a slight decrease from a year ago. Loadings on Lake Michigan totaled 209,000 tons, a decrease of 33 percent compared to a year ago. Lake Erie was the one port range to register an increase. Loadings totaled 840,000 tons, an increase of 9 percent.

Year-to-date the Great Lakes coal trade stands at 21.4 million tons, a decrease of 4.8 percent compared to the same point last year. The deficit was much worse earlier in the season when heavy ice blanketed the Great Lakes. As April came to an end, shipments were down nearly 48 percent.

The Lake Carriers’ Association represents 17 American companies that operate 56 U.S.-flag vessels on the Great Lakes and carry the raw materials that drive the nation’s economy: iron ore and fluxstone for the steel industry, aggregate and cement for the construction industry, coal for power generation, as well as salt, sand and grain. Collectively, these vessels can transport more than 115 million tons of cargo per year. Those cargos support more than 103,000 jobs with an average wage of $47,000. More information is available at www.lcaships.com.

By Professional Mariner Staff