Iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 2 million tons in January, a near match to 2025. Loadings were below the month’s 5-year average by 14.5 percent.
Since 1880, Lake Carriers’ has represented the U.S.-flag Great Lakes fleet, which today can move more than 90 million tons of cargos annually that are the foundation of American industry, infrastructure, and power: iron ore, stone, coal, cement, and other dry bulk materials such as grain, salt, and sand.
Watch a recent Maritime Reporter TV interview with LCA's Eric Peace to hear about latest Great Lakes shipping traffic and cargo trends:
Great Lakes Iron Ore Shipments: January 2021-2026 and 5-Year Average | |||||||
Includes Transshipments to Quebec City for Shipment Overseas | |||||||
(net tons) | |||||||
| Average | ||||||
Port | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2021-2025 |
Duluth, MN | 292,543 | 318,804 | 418,605 | 373,120 | 468,561 | 261,893 | 374,327 |
Superior, WI | 661,488 | 445,019 | 550,995 | 707,819 | 310,849 | 455,990 | 535,234 |
Two Harbors, MN | 1,015,888 | 689,076 | 679,400 | 876,738 | 722,274 | 534,587 | 796,675 |
Silver Bay, MN | 145,983 | 75,473 | 0 | 280,262 | 222,357 | 85,463 | 144,815 |
Marquette, MI* | 420,526 | 239,224 | 396,724 | 269,324 | 189,862 | 276,321 | 303,132 |
Cleveland, OH** | 50,466 | 88,956 | 432,677 | 277,990 | 97,787 | 394,848 | 189,575 |
Ashtabula, OH | 28,553 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5,711 |
Total | 2,615,447 | 1,856,552 | 2,478,401 | 2,785,253 | 2,011,690 | 2,009,102 | 2,349,469 |
* Marquette = Presque Isle in previous reports | |||||||
** Transshipments within Cleveland Harbor |