U.S.-Flag Lakes Cargos Up in November, But Fleet Still Trails Last Year
CLEVELAND — U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) moved 9.3 million tons of dry-bulk cargo in November, an increase of 6.2 percent compared to a year ago. The total would have been higher, but there were a number of weather-related delays. In fact, the November float actually represents a decrease of nearly 18 percent compared to October’s volume.
Iron ore for the steel industry totaled 4.6 million tons in November, an increase of 22.4 percent compared to a year ago. That increase allowed the year-to-date total for iron ore to inch passed 2013’s end-of-November tally by 350,000 tons.