The Lake Carriers' Association said Friday that shipments of coal on the Great Lakes totaled 2.2 million tons in April, a virtual tie with a year ago. The trade was, however, 19 percent below the month's five-year average.
Shipments from Lake Superior ports totaled 1.4 million tons, a slight increase over a year ago. Included in that total were 168,000 tons loaded in Superior, Wisconsin, and transshipped to Québec City for loading into oceangoing colliers.
Loadings in Chicago totaled 300,000 tons, again a slight increase compared to a year ago. Shipments from Lake Erie ports dipped to 500,000 tons, a decrease of 22 percent compared to a year ago.
Year-to-date the Lakes coal trade stands at 2.8 million tons, a decrease of 15.4 percent compared to a year ago, and 33 percent below the 5-year average for the January-April timeframe.