Frequent weather delays hampered the iron ore trade on the Great Lakes in November, according to the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA), who said shipments totaled 5.7 million tons, an increase of just 60,000 tons compared to a year ago. Loadings did fare better when compared to the month’s five-year average, increasing by 260,000 tons, or 4.8 percent.
Shipments from U.S. ports totaled 5.2 million tons in November, again a small increase, 2.2 percent. Loadings at Canadian terminals in the Seaway decreased by 10 percent to 480,000 tons.
Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 54.9 million tons, an increase of 11.9 percent compared to the same point in 2016. Year-over-year, loadings at U.S. ports total 50.7 million tons, an increase of 14.7 percent. Shipments from Canadian ports in the St. Lawrence Seaway total 4.2 million tons, a decrease of 13.2 percent.