U.S.-Flag Shipping on the Great Lakes Up 3 Percent in 2017

CLEVELAND — U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) moved 85.7 million tons of cargo in 2017, an increase of 3 percent over 2016. The 2017 float was, however, 2.4 percent behind the fleet’s long-term average. Iron ore cargos for steelmaking totaled 46 million tons, an increase of 4.3 percent compared to 2016. Coal loadings increased 2.8 percent to 13.3 million tons. Limestone cargos increased 1.7 percent to 21.55 million tons.