Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.9 million tons in July, an increase of 15.4 percent compared to a year ago, according to the Lake Carriers’ Association. July’s loadings were also slightly ahead of the month’s five-year average.
Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 3.16 million tons, an increase of 22.3 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 700,000 tons, a decrease of 60,000 tons.
Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at 12.6 million tons, a decrease of 9.6 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 10.3 million tons, a decrease of 1.4 percent. Shipments from Ontario quarries total 2.35 million tons, a decrease of 13.4 percent.
The 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.