GLIN==> Big Dip in Lakes Coal Trade in September

Coal shipments on the Great Lakes in September totaled only 2,752,691
net tons, a decrease of 34 percent compared to a year ago.  It is rare
for the Lakes coal trade to total so few tons in a month unless impacted
by heavy ice or frequent storms that force the fleet to go to anchor for
extended periods of time.

 

The largest decrease came in shipments from Superior, Wisconsin.
Superior Midwest Energy Terminal loaded 1.5 million tons in September, a
decrease of 35 percent compared to a year ago.  The decline primarily
reflects decreased demand from a Canadian power plant.  However, vessel
availability issues and a couple weather-related delays also were a
factor.

 

The dredging crisis played a larger role in September.  Whereas in
previous months the largest coal cargo transiting the locks at Sault
Ste. Marie, Michigan had topped 67,000 tons, water levels are now
beginning their seasonal decline, so the best ships could do in the
Head-of-the-Lakes trade was 66,775 tons.  If the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers was maintaining the system to Congressionally-authorized
depths, the largest coal cargo could have approached 71,000 tons.  The
chronic lack of adequate dredging is essentially slashing the largest
vessels' per-trip carrying capacity by nearly 6 percent.

 

Year-to-date, coal shipments stand at 20.6 million tons, a decrease of
nearly 27 percent compared to a year ago.  The trade is more than 29
percent off the 5-year average for the first three quarters.

 

See attached for more details.

 

Glen G. Nekvasil

Vice President-Corporate Communications

Lake Carriers' Association

Suite 720

20325 Center Ridge Road

Rocky River, OH  44116

   P:  440-333-9996

   F:  440-333-9993

   C:  216-702-6360

   E:  nekvasil at lcaships.com

 




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