IMMEDIATE RELEASE                August 23, 2000

DULUTH, Minn., U.S.A.-Low Great Lakes water levels continued to dampen Port of Duluth-Superior tonnage in virtually all cargo categories, with waterborne commerce through July eight percent below the same period in 1999, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority reported today.

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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' reports showed Lake Superior's water level about eight inches below average through July, while Lakes Huron and Michigan were down about 18 inches.
Year-to-date cargo totaled 16.1 million metric tons compared with 17.6 in 1999. The year's tonnage trailed the five-year average of 17.3 million tons by seven percent.

Iron ore regained its claim as the port's number one cargo, as it has been for most of the past century, with shipments through July totaling 6.7 million metric tons. This represented 42 percent of total commerce and a 10 percent decrease from last year's level of 7.4 million tons.

Coal shipments, an early-season leader in Port of Duluth-Superior maritime commerce, slipped back into second place with 41 percent of the total. Overall shipments of 6.6 million tons represented a five percent decrease from the nearly seven million tons reached last year.

Bulk grain, historically the port's third-leading commodity, stood at eight percent of the total with 1.3 million tons-a 19 percent decrease from last year's level of 1.6 million tons.

Combined, the port's three principal cargoes of iron ore, coal and grain equaled 91 percent of total commerce.

International trade totaled 4.8 million tons, a slight increase of .7 percent from the previous year. Decreased iron ore and coal shipments were reflected in domestic trade's total of 11.3 million tons, a 12 percent decrease from the 12.8 million tons reached in 1999.

Making up the total of 475 vessels visiting the Port through July were 274 U.S.-flag, 133 Canadian-flag and 68 overseas vessels.

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CONTACT: Ray Skelton, Environmental & Government Affairs Director

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

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