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Great Lakes ore shipments down in June

   Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 6 million tons in June, a decrease of 6 percent compared to May, and a drop of 7 percent compared to a year ago, according to the Lake Carriers’ Association.
   Loadings also trailed the month’s long-term average by 4.4 percent. 
   Iron ore shipments from U.S. ports reached 5.3 million tons, a decrease of 6.7 percent compared to a year ago. The June total included 305,000 tons shipped to Québec City for loading into oceangoing vessels and delivery overseas. Year-to-date overseas exports total 1.057 million tons, the association reported.
   Shipments from Canadian ports to Great Lakes destinations totaled 753,000 tons, a decrease of 9.5 percent compared to a year ago.
   “Year-to-date, the Great Lakes ore trade stands at 23.2 million tons, a decrease of 8.1 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings are 3.4 percent below the long-term average for the first half of the year,” the association said.
   The Lake Carriers’ Association represents 17 American companies that operate 57 U.S.-flag vessels on the Great Lakes. Collectively, these vessels can transport more than 115 million tons of cargo per year.

Chris Gillis

Located in the Washington, D.C. area, Chris Gillis primarily reports on regulatory and legislative topics that impact cross-border trade. He joined American Shipper in 1994, shortly after graduating from Mount St. Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, Md., with a degree in international business and economics.