Limestone trade still trending below normal on Great Lakes

Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.3 million tons in September, a decrease of 18 percent compared to a year ago.

Limestone cargos were below September’s five-year average by 4.4 percent, the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) reports.

Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 2.7 million tons, a decrease of almost 17.7 percent from 2019. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 631,840 tons, a decrease of 19.5 percent.

Back in August

In August, limestone shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 3.6 million tons, a decrease of 16.6 percent from 2019. Loadings from U.S. quarries in August totaled 2.9 million tons, representing a decrease of 18 percent compared to a year ago. August shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 729,336 tons, a decrease of 10.8 percent.

Year to date

On the year, the limestone trade stands at 19.3 million tons. That’s a decrease of 17.4 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 15.4 million tons, a decrease of 19.7 percent. Shipments from Ontario quarries total 3.9 million tons, a decrease 7.5 percent.

About LCA

LCA represents the U.S.-flag Great Lakes fleet, which today can move more than 90 million tons of cargos annually. The cargos include iron ore, stone, coal, cement and other dry bulk materials such as grain, salt, and sand.