IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DULUTH, Minn., U.S.A.—The Port of Duluth-Superior handled five percent more waterborne commerce through October than during the same period in 1997, the Seaway Port Authority of Duluth reported today.

Fueled by increased Canadian coal exports and overseas grain shipments, the port’s year-to-date cargo reached 31.3 million metric tons compared with 29.9 million tons during the same period last year. Total cargo also exceeded the five year average of 30.2 million tons by four percent.

Both international and domestic commerce exceeded last year’s level. International commerce of 8.8 million metric tons represented a strong 15 percent increase from the 7.5 million tons reached last year. Domestic trade of 22.6 million tons represented an increase of one percent from last year’s 22.4 million tons.

International trade was boosted mainly by Canadian market demand for the clean burning coal supplied by Superior’s Midwest Energy Resources. Also assisting the increase were continued large volumes of grain moving through the port. Grain shipments in October reached the first (292,978 metric tons), third (271,001 tons) and fourth (267,676 tons) highest weekly levels since the global recession of the mid-1980s.

Increased domestic iron ore shipments put domestic trade just above last year’s level. Although Minnesota Department of Revenue figures placed overall Iron Range iron ore (taconite) production down one percent from the same period in 1997, shipments through the Port of Duluth-Superior of 13.15 million tons slightly exceeded the 13.14 million tons reached last year.

Minnesota iron mines produce two-thirds of the ore used to make steel in the United States, and iron ore is number one of the big three cargoes shipped through this port. Coal and grain factor in second and third. The three combined equaled 90 percent of total waterborne commerce through October. Iron ore contributed 42 percent, coal 37 percent (with 11.5 million tons) and grain 11 percent (with 3.3 million tons).

Vessel calls exceeded last year’s figure by 86. There were 882 vessels visiting the Port through October compared with 796 in 1997. Making up that figure were 544 U.S.-flag, 192 Canadian-flag and 146 overseas vessels.

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CONTACT: Ray Skelton, Environmental & Government Affairs Director