Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 5.8 million tons in June, an increase of 47.8 percent from 2022. Shipments were 12.7 percent above the month’s 5-year average. Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 19.9 million tons, 44 percent below the previous year’s total of 13.8 million tons. Iron shipments are above their 5-year average by 7.9 percent for the first half of the year.

Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.1 million tons in June, a decrease of 17.6 percent from a year ago. This June’s loadings were also below the month’s 5-year average by 17.4 percent. Loadings out of U.S. quarries totaled 2.5 million tons, a decrease of 15.2 percent compared to last year. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 610,702 tons, a decrease of 26.4 percent. Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at nearly 8.1 million tons, a decrease of 16.9 percent compared to 2022. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries decreased by 15.8 percent from a year ago. Shipments from Ontario quarries total 1.6 million tons, a decrease of 21.2 percent.