Lakes Limestone Trade Down 8 Percent in October
CLEVELAND—Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.4 million tons in October, a decrease of 8 percent compared to a year ago. However, the trade was only 2 percent below the month’s 5-year average.
Shipments from U.S. ports totaled 2.9 million tons in October, a decrease of 6 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings out of Canadian quarries totaled 505,000 tons, 20 percent less than a year ago.
Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at 24.5 million tons, an increase of 6.5 percent compared to the same point in 2014, and 4.5 percent better than the 5-year average for the January-October timeframe. Shipments from U.S. ports are up 7 percent. Loadings out of Canadian quarries are up 4.3 percent.