Great Lakes’ iron ore shipments strong in June, but ships still running light due to lack of dredging
July 09, 08 by TheFleetIf you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Source: Lake Carriers’ Assn.
Iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes remained strong in June. Loadings totaled 6.4 million net tons, an increase of 2.6 percent compared to both a year ago and the month’s 5-year average.
The trade was down from May’s total of 7.3 million tons, but that month was a period of stockpile replenishment as well as meeting current production demands.
Although there has been some recovery in water levels, the dredging crisis remained a millstone around Great Lakes shipping’s neck in June. Only three iron ore cargos topped 65,000 tons during the month, so even the best cargos represented only 91 percent of vessels’ rated carrying capacity. The worst case was when a vessel left the loading dock only 81 percent full because the receiving port is so in need of dredging.
For the year, the Lakes iron ore trade stands at 25 million tons, an increase of 9 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments are 8 percent ahead of the 5-year average for the first half of the year.
Lake Carriers’ Association represents 16 American corporations that operate 63 U.S.-Flag vessels on the Great Lakes. These vessels carry the raw materials that drive the nation’s economy: Iron ore and fluxstone for the steel industry, limestone and cement for the construction industry, coal for power generation…. Collectively, these vessels can transport more than 115 million tons of cargo a year when high water levels offset the lack of adequate dredging of Great Lakes ports and waterways. More information is available at www.lcaships.com
