The strong increase in iron ore shipments from Canadian ports was not enough to offset the sharp decrease in loadings from U.S. ports, which is where the majority of Great Lakes shipments originate.
Iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 4.9 million tons in November, a 17 percent decline from November 2014, according to the Lakes Carriers’ Association.
Although November iron ore loadings from U.S. ports tumbled 21.6 percent from last November to 4.2 million tons, shipments from Canadian ports rose 29.3 percent to 710,000 tons.
Throughout the first 11 months of 2015, 49.3 million tons of iron ore was shipped on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, a 7 percent decline from the same period in 2014, with loadings from U.S. ports falling 11 percent and shipments from Canadian ports rising 29 percent.
Great Lakes iron ore trade declines 17% in November
