Great Lakes Coal Trade Up Slightly in October

Shipments of coal on the Great Lakes totaled 2.8 million tons in October, an increase of 92,000 tons compared to a year ago. Shipments were up 135,000 tons compared to September.

Shipments from Lake Superior ports totaled 1.7 million tons, a slight increase (54,000 tons) compared to a year ago. Coal transshipped from Superior, Wisconsin, to Québec City, Québec, for loading into oceangoing colliers totaled 122,000 tons. Exports to Europe from Superior total 1,376,000 tons through October. In 2012, Superior’s overseas exports totaled 1,173,000 tons through October.

Loadings in Chicago totaled 412,000 tons, an increase of 50% compared to a year ago.

Shipments from Lake Erie ports totaled 690,000 tons, a decrease of 12.6% compared to a year ago.

Year-to-date the Lakes coal trade stands at 19.8 million tons, a decrease of 2.2% compared to a year ago.

Lake Carriers’ Association represents 17 American companies that operate 57 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.

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