IMMEDIATE RELEASE        May 25 , 2001

DULUTH, Minn., U.S.A.-Coal shipments took an early-season lead in 2001 Port of Duluth-Superior maritime commerce, but low Great Lakes water levels restrained tonnage in virtually all cargo categories, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority reported today.

(More detail)
Total waterborne commerce of 4.2 million metric tons represented a three percent decrease from last year's 4.4 million tons, with coal shipments of 1.9 million tons reaching 46 percent of the total. Iron ore shipments through April of 1.8 million tons equaled 42 percent.

Coal eclipsed iron ore in the 2000 season as the Port's leading cargo for only the second time in more than a century. First shipped through the Port in 1892, iron ore became dominant in 1895 and continued as the No. 1 annual cargo with the exception of 1932 during the midst of the Great Depression. That year inbound coal was the tonnage leader.

Now outbound through the Port, low-sulfur coal from Montana and Wyoming has broken coal-handling records at Superior's Midwest Energy Resources facility for seven consecutive years.

Record-breaking spring rainfall brought Lake Superior's water level up to six inches below average (from the 16 inches below average at the end of last season), but Lakes Huron and Michigan were still nearly two feet below average through April, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports. For the largest domestic vessels, each inch of draft means about 270 tons of cargo.

Bulk grain, historically the Port's third-leading commodity, stood at seven percent of all commerce with 303,191 metric tons-an 11 percent increase from last year's 274,350 tons. The Port's three principal cargoes of coal, iron ore and grain combined equaled nearly 95 percent of total commerce.

Despite strong early-season grain shipments, international trade of 1.1 million metric tons represented a 12 percent decrease from last year's 1.3 million tons. Decreased Canadian exports of iron ore factored into the decline.

Domestic trade, 3.09 million tons, was one percent above last year's 3.06 million tons, fueled in part by early inbound bulk cargoes.

Vessels visiting the Port through April mirrored last year's level at 121, with 70-U.S. flag, 31 Canadian-flag and 20 overseas vessels making up the total.

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CONTACT: Ray Skelton, Environmental & Government Affairs Director

Lisa Marciniak, Port Promotion Manager, 218-727-8525

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