Great Lakes limestone trade up in October

Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.6 million tons in October, an increase of 8.3 percent compared to a year ago, according to the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA).

Limestone cargos were also above the month’s five-year average by 1.6 percent.

LCA adds that loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 2.9 million tons, an increase of 13.2 percent from September, and shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 638,517 tons, a 9.9 percent decrease from the month prior.

On the year, the limestone trade stands at 24.6 million tons, an increase of 9 percent compared to 2020. 2021 loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total nearly 19.4 million tons for an increase of 8.3 percent, while shipments from Ontario, Canada, quarries total 5.2 million tons – an 11.6 percent increase.