IMMEDIATE RELEASE                November 15, 2000

DULUTH, Minn., U.S.A.-Low Great Lakes water levels continued to dampen nearly all cargo categories in the Port of Duluth-Superior through October, with waterborne commerce six percent below the same period a year ago, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority reported today.

(More detail)

While port ship traffic was virtually the same through October (870 ships compared with 869 in 1999), dropping lake levels held total tonnage at 29.5 million metric tons compared with 31.3 a year ago. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' reports showed Lake Superior's water level about 14 inches below average through October, while Lakes Huron and Michigan were down about 20 inches.

Navigation channels throughout the Great lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system are maintained at a minimum of 27 feet, but reduced water levels have restricted drafts of lake and ocean vessels presently leaving the port. For 1,000-foot lake vessels, each inch of vessel draft means about 270 tons of cargo.

The port's three principal cargoes each experienced decreases from last year's levels, with iron ore shipments down five percent, coal down four percent and grain down 12 percent. The year's tonnage trailed the five-year average of 31.1 million tons by five percent.

International trade totaled nine million tons, a decrease of one percent from the previous year's 9.1 million tons. Decreased iron ore and coal shipments were reflected in domestic trade's total of 20.5 million tons, an eight percent decrease from the 22.1 million tons reached in 1999.

Coal shipments through October ran a close second to iron ore with 11.7 million metric tons or 40 percent of total waterborne commerce. Iron ore shipments of 11.8 million tons slightly surpassed coal and also represented 40 percent of total commerce.

Bulk grain, the port's third-leading commodity, stood at 11 percent of the total with 3.2 million tons. Combined, iron ore, coal and grain equaled 91 percent of total commerce.

Total vessel arrivals of 870 showed an increase of one from last year. There were 493 U.S.-flag, 234 Canadian flag and 143 overseas vessels in port through October.

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CONTACT: Ray Skelton, Environmental & Government Affairs Director

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

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