U.S.-Flag Cargo Movement on Lakes Down 14 Percent in April
CLEVELAND — U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) moved 6.1 million tons of cargo in April, a decrease of 14 percent compared to a year ago. The April float also trailed the month’s 5-year average by more than 5 percent.
Iron ore cargos for steel production totaled 3.9 million tons, a decrease of 12.6 percent. Some decrease was inevitable. The winter of 2017/2018 was more typical than 2016/2017 and vessels experienced many more ice-related delays this April. In fact, the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards continued to break ice in Whitefish Bay and the St. Marys River that connect Lake Superior to the lower four Great Lakes into May.