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St. Lawrence Seaway sees uptick in steel, general cargo

TIN news:    The St. Lawrence Seaway reported that year-to-date cargo shipments for the period March 21 to August 31 were 17.2 million metric tons, down 7.5 percent over the same period in 2015. The dry bulk category was down nearly 14 percent. Iron ore was down 18 percent; coal was down almost 8 percent. While the general cargo category was down nearly 6 percent overall, steel slabs and other general cargo were up almost 70 percent.
Commodity markets have not fully recovered, affecting Twin Ports shipping.
“Shipments of iron ore and coal through the Port of Duluth-Superior are still running below average,” said Vanta Coda, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. “However, there are two highlights at this point in the 2016 shipping season: the Port Authority’s nearly $18 million dock redevelopment project is just weeks away from completion and, as of August, grain shipments were running some 18 percent ahead of last year.”
During the month of August, export cargoes consisted of general cargo, containerized cargo, wheat, soybeans and corn, according to The Great Lakes Seaway Partnership.
“As we approach the mid-year point of the 2016 navigation season we continue to see a diversified mix of cargoes moving throughout the Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Seaway System,” said Betty Sutton, administrator of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. “Cargo diversification is an important factor in keeping our Great Lakes ports busy, and that was clearly reflected in last month’s Seaway traffic.”

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