Great Lakes Limestone Trade Down 18% in September
According to the Lake Carriers Association, 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 the month’s 5- year average by 4.4 percent.
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.
Year-to-date the limestone trade stands at 19.3 million tons, 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 of 7.5 percent.
GREAT LAKES LIMESTONE TRADE: SEPTEMBER 2015-2020 AND LONG-TERM AVERAGE (NET TONS)
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Average | |
| U.S. Ports | 2,928,040 | 2,495,401 | 2,867,135 | 2,921,027 | 3,270,324 | 2,693,111 | 2,896,385 |
| Canadian Ports | 341,047 | 463,121 | 609,425 | 710,782 | 784,589 | 631,840 | 581,793 |
| Total | 3,269,087 | 2,958,522 | 3,476,560 | 3,631,809 | 4,054,913 | 3,324,951 | 3,478,178 |
YEAR-TO-DATE 2015-2020 AND LONG-TERM AVERAGE (NET TONS)
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Average | |
| U.S. Ports | 17,886,395 | 15,689,454 | 16,510,035 | 17,018,993 | 19,147,903 | 15,383,253 | 17,250,556 |
| Canadian Ports | 3,240,027 | 3,776,333 | 3,633,578 | 3,968,955 | 4,263,902 | 3,944,368 | 3,776,559 |
| Total | 21,126,422 | 19,465,787 | 20,143,613 | 20,987,948 | 23,411,805 | 19,327,621 | 21,027,115 |
U.S. ports: Calcite, MI; Cedarville, MI; Drummond Island, MI; Marblehead, OH; Port Inland, MI; and Presque Isle, MI (Stoneport).
Canadian ports: Bruce Mines, Manitoulin Island (Meldrum Bay), Port Colborne (from August 2017 on), and Smelter Bay.