U.S.-Flag June Laker Cargo Up 2.3 PCT

U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) moved 9.9 million tons of cargo in June, an increase of 2.3 percent from a year ago.  The June float was, however, a near mirror image of the month’s 5-year average.

Iron ore cargos for steel production totaled 5.1 million tons, an increase of 10.5 percent from 2018, but a 7.6 percent decrease from June’s 5-year average.  Coal loads totaled 1.3 million tons, a decrease of 5.2 percent from 2018 and 24.2 percent from the month’s 5-year average.

Year-to-date U.S.-flag cargo movement stands at 32.3 million tons, an increase of 13.1 percent compared to the same point in 2018 and a nearly 9 percent increase from the 5-year average for June.