Lakes Limestone Trade Up 27% in July

Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3,682,308 net tons in July, a decrease of 4.7 percent compared to June, but an increase of 27 percent compared to a year ago.  The trade was down 11.5 percent when compared to the month’s 5-year average.

Loadings at U.S. ports were up nearly 850,000 tons compared to a year ago, but shipments from Canadian docks slipped by 65,000 tons.

Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at 13,669,350 net tons, an increase of 32.5 percent compared to a year ago, but a decrease of 15.2 percent compared to the 5-year average for the January-July timeframe.  Loadings at U.S. ports are up 39.3 percent compared to a year ago.  Shipments from Canadian docks are 10.5 percent ahead of last year’s pace.