Great Lakes limestone trade up in July 2018

Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.98 million tons in July, a 3.1 percent increase compared to one year ago.

The trade bettered the month’s five-year average by 5.5 percent, the Lake Carriers’ Association says.

Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 3.14 million tons, a decrease equal to one cargo in a mid-sized laker. Shipments from Canadian quarries rose to 843,000 tons, an increase of 20 percent and the highest monthly total this decade.

The Great Lakes limestone trade stands at 13.3 million tons on the year, meaning trade is up 5 percent through the first seven months of 2018.

Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 10.85 million tons, an increase of 5.5 percent. Shipments from Ontario, Canada, quarries total 2.4 million tons, an increase equal to about four boatloads in mid-sized lakers.