August 20, 1999

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DULUTH, Minn., U.S.A.—Total waterborne commerce at the Port of Duluth-Superior through July mirrored the level reached in 1998, with the port’s top cargoes of iron ore and coal nearly dead-even, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority reported today.

Year-to-date cargo totaled 17,581,615 metric tons—uncannily close to the 17,581,194 tons reached in 1998 and four percent ahead of the five-year average of 17 million tons.

The port’s No. 2 commodity, coal, equaled nearly seven million metric tons, 40 percent of the port’s total traffic and crept ever closer to the port’s No. 1 commodity, iron ore, which reached 7.4 million tons (42 percent of the total.)

The No. 3 cargo, grain, held its own at 1.6 million metric tons, nine percent of total waterborne commerce and a strong 31 percent above levels reached last year.  Grain exports through July continued to defy a soft world market.

Iron ore’s century-long record as the port’s tonnage leader is being challenged by clean-burning low-sulfur coal through Midwest Energy Resources Co.’s terminal in Superior.  The facility has broken port coal-handling records for five consecutive years and expects to set another record in 1999.

Strong international trade of 4.8 million metric tons placed it 10 percent above the 4.3 million tons reached during the same period in 1998.

Decreased iron ore shipments were reflected in domestic trade’s total of 12.8 million tons, a four percent decrease from the 13.2 million tons reached last year.  Iron ore and other domestic traffic has been affected by low water levels in the St. Marys River and lower lakes, but port officials cannot estimate the percentage of tonnage lost.  One inch of vessel draft means anywhere from 70 to 270 tons of cargo for lake vessels depending on size.

Vessel calls kept an even pace with last year’s figures.  There were 484 vessels visiting the port through July compared with 481 in 1998.  Making up that total were 304 U.S.-flag, 114 Canadian-flag and 66 overseas vessel arrivals.

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CONTACT: Ray Skelton, Environmental & Government Affairs Director

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