Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.6 million tons in May, a decrease of 5.4 percent compared to a year ago. May’s loadings were, however, slightly above the month’s five-year average.
Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 2.9 million tons, a decrease of 4.2 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 683,000 tons, a decrease of 9.3 percent.
Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at 5.3 million tons, a decrease of 12.3 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 4.3 million tons, a decrease of 11.4 percent. Shipments from Ontario quarries total 980,000 tons, a decrease of 16.3 percent.
Lake Carriers’ Association represents 13 American companies that operate 49 U.S.-flag vessels on the Great Lakes and carry the raw materials that drive the nation’s economy: iron ore and fluxstone for the steel industry, aggregate and cement for the construction industry, coal for power generation, as well as sand, grain and gypsum. Collectively, these vessels can transport more than 100 million tons of cargo per year.