September Trade of Great Lakes Iron Ore Drops
Shipments of iron ore from U.S. ports on the Great Lakes decreased 1.2 percent from last year to 4.6 million tons in September. Shipments were below the month’s 5-year average by 11.4 percent.
Year-to-date, the iron ore trade stands at 32.2 million tons, a 2.4 percent increase compared to 2025.
Through September, iron ore loadings are 6.1 percent below their 5-year average for the first three quarters of the year.
Great Lakes Iron Ore Shipments: September 2021-2026 and 5-Year Average | |||||||
Includes Transshipments to Quebec City for Shipment Overseas | |||||||
(net tons) | |||||||
| Average | ||||||
Port | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2021-2025 |
Duluth, MN | 1,059,854 | 1,006,157 | 994,576 | 780,340 | 605,012 | 467,060 | 889,188 |
Superior, WI | 1,366,365 | 1,318,224 | 1,141,618 | 1,383,871 | 892,833 | 952,030 | 1,220,582 |
Two Harbors, MN | 1,349,179 | 1,590,522 | 1,683,023 | 1,702,757 | 1,483,586 | 1,483,709 | 1,561,813 |
Silver Bay, MN | 726,301 | 267,144 | 546,116 | 407,936 | 557,019 | 425,581 | 500,903 |
Marquette, MI* | 520,461 | 540,303 | 787,918 | 819,819 | 816,612 | 929,059 | 697,023 |
Cleveland, OH** | 338,860 | 337,137 | 418,808 | 369,575 | 331,657 | 372,617 | 359,207 |
Ashtabula, OH | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 5,361,020 | 5,059,487 | 5,572,059 | 5,464,298 | 4,686,719 | 4,630,056 | 5,228,717 |
*Marquette = Presque Isle in previous reports | |||||||
**Transshipments within Cleveland Harbor | |||||||
Year-To-Date 2021-2026 | |||||||
| Average | ||||||
Port | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2021-2025 |
Duluth, MN | 6,514,507 | 4,959,927 | 6,517,107 | 5,876,277 | 5,917,978 | 4,999,716 | 5,957,159 |
Superior, WI | 8,761,105 | 8,293,091 | 8,808,529 | 8,158,211 | 6,197,382 | 5,961,334 | 8,043,664 |
Two Harbors, MN | 10,825,752 | 9,683,025 | 10,810,369 | 11,158,402 | 9,595,446 | 9,450,103 | 10,414,599 |
Silver Bay, MN | 4,100,001 | 1,280,618 | 2,163,643 | 3,267,115 | 2,842,214 | 2,583,628 | 2,730,718 |
Marquette, MI* | 4,726,335 | 3,585,807 | 5,162,131 | 5,127,792 | 4,838,288 | 5,968,635 | 4,688,071 |
Cleveland, OH** | 2,438,417 | 1,444,320 | 3,276,770 | 2,918,241 | 2,015,270 | 3,162,158 | 2,418,604 |
Ashtabula, OH | 28,553 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34,181 | 5,711 |
Total | 37,394,670 | 29,246,788 | 36,738,549 | 36,506,038 | 31,406,578 | 32,159,755 | 34,258,524 |
Information based on data from knowledgeable sources. However, accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Lake Carriers’ Association assumes no legal responsibility for the outcome of decisions or commitments made on the basis of this information. Report represents the views of Lake Carriers’ Association and may not necessarily represent the views of its individual members.
