November 19, 1999
IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DULUTH, Minn., U.S.A.-Total waterborne commerce at the Port of Duluth-Superior through October was nearly a mirror image of 1998 and exceeded the five-year average by two percent, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority reported today.

All cargo through October totaled 31,259,445 metric tons, a mere 8,829 tons (or one-eighth of a typical laker cargo of iron ore) below last year's figure of 31,268,274 tons, and two percent above the five-year average of 30.8 million tons.

Coal shipments through the Port's Midwest Energy Resources terminal reached 12.1 million tons, six percent above the 11.5 million tons reached last year. Grain shipments of 3.6 million tons were up eight percent from last year's 3.3 million tons. Iron ore shipments of 12.4 million tons declined by six percent from last year's 13.2 million tons.
The strong international coal and grain shipments brought total international trade to 9.1 million metric tons-five percent above the 8.7 million tons of last year.

Decreased iron ore shipments factored into total domestic trade's 22.1 million metric tons, a two percent decrease from last year's 22.3 million tons.

Although iron ore shipments were a little below last year's level, overall production at major Northeastern Minnesota Iron Range taconite plants has steadily increased this decade.
"When the 1999 production year ends, the 1990s will become the taconite industry's most productive decade ever, with more than 420 million tons of taconite pellets produced," said Ann Glumac, president of the Iron Mining Association of Minnesota

"The increased production has caused increased investment and improvements by taconite plant owners-bringing about newer and larger mining equipment and state-of-the-art processing improvements which will help the plants stay competitive, and should mean a strong 2000 production year."

The Port's three principal cargoes of iron ore, coal and grain equaled 90 percent of total commerce-iron ore with 40 percent, coal following closely behind with 39 percent and grain at 11 percent.

There were 869 vessels visiting the port through October compared with 882 in 1998. Making up that total were 520 U.S.-flag, 214 Canadian-flag and 134 overseas vessel arrivals.

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CONTACT: Ray Skelton, Environmental & Government Affairs Director

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