Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 1.9 million tons in March, a decrease of 11.3 percent compared to a year ago, the Lake Carriers' Association reported. However, loadings were 9.3 percent ahead of the month's five-year average.
Shipments from US ports totaled 1.8 million tons, a decrease of 9.7 percent compared to a year ago. The March total included 116,000 tons shipped to Quebec City for loading into oceangoing vessels and delivery overseas. Shipments from Canadian ports totaled 113,000 tons, a drop of nearly 40 percent compared to a year ago.
Year-to-date, the Lakes ore trade stands at 5.2 million tons, a decrease of 11.1 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings are, however, up more than 26 percent compared to the five-year average for Q1.