U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) moved 7.5 million tons of cargo in April, an increase of 23 percent compared to a year ago. The April float was 20.7 percent above the month’s 5-year average.
April iron ore cargos for steel production totaled 4.3 million tons, an increase of 9.2 percent from last year and an increase of 18 percent from the month’s 5-year average.
Coal shipments rose 61.3 percent to 1.2 million tons. Limestone cargos increased 37 percent to 1.5 million tons.
Year-to-date U.S.-flag carriage stands at 11.8 million tons, an increase of 25 percent compared to the same point in 2018. Iron ore cargos total 7.7 million tons, an increase of 13.6 percent. Coal loadings nearly doubled to 1.6 million tons. Limestone cargos have also increased to 1.7 million tons.