July loadings at US ports increased 70 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments from Canadian ports essentially doubled.
Year-to-date the Lakes ore trade stands at 27.6 million tons, an increase of 115 percent compared to the same point last year. The end-of-July total is also within striking distance of the 5-year average for the January-July timeframe. Shipments from US ports are up 124 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings at Canadian ports are 59 percent ahead of last year's pace.