September Fourth Straight Month Lakes Limestone Up
CLEVELAND—Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.5 million tons in September, an increase of 2.3 percent compared to a year ago, and the fourth month in a row that loadings topped the corresponding period last year. Shipments also bettered the month’s long-term average by 3.1 percent.
Year-to-date, the Lakes limestone trade stands at 19.3 million tons, a decrease of 3 percent compared to a year ago. Since ice conditions eased in May, the gap between this year and last has continued to narrow. The delays experienced in April were so severe that limestone cargos were then down 55 percent compared to the same point in 2013.