May loadings at US ports increased 118 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments from Canadian ports rose 38 percent.
Year-to-date the Lakes ore trade stands at 15.8 million net tons, an increase of 140 percent compared to the same point last year. The end-of-May total is also within striking distance of the 5-year average for the January-May timeframe. Shipments from US ports are up 162 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings at Canadian ports are 32 percent ahead of last year's pace.