Total waterborne commerce reached 41.2 million metric tons, an 18 percent increase from the previous season’s 34.8 million tons and more than eight percent above the five-year average of 37.9 million tons.

Iron ore cargoes in Duluth-Superior increased more than 34 percent from last season’s 13.3 million tons to 17.9 million tons, with North American steel mills rebounding from a troubled 2003 season and now operating at high capacity rates.

Clean burning, low-sulfur western coal outbound from Superior’s Midwest Energy Resources company reached 17 million metric tons, nearly five percent above the previous season’s 16.3 million tons and the highest level reached for the facility since it began operations in 1976.

The Port’s third leading cargo, bulk grain shipments, reached 2.6 million tons as compared to the previous season’s 2.7 million tons, attributed mainly to a weak U.S. export market.

Both international and domestic trade increased from the previous season’s level, with international trade totaling 14 million tons, 19 percent above last season’s 11.8 million tons. Domestic trade’s 27.2 million tons was up 18 percent from 23 million tons a season ago.

The season’s first commercial vessel arrival was Seaway Marine Transport’s Canadian Progress March 26 at Superior’s Midwest Energy Resources Company for about 27,215 metric tons of coal for Nanticoke, Ont. (the vessel fueled at Duluth’s Murphy Oil USA, Inc., Duluth Marine Terminal prior to shifting to MERC’s facility).

The Lithuanian-flagged Kapitonas Andzejauskas was 2004’s first full St. Lawrence Seaway System transit, arriving April 10 at Superior’s CHS grain facility for about 10,150 metric tons of wheat for Italy.

The Port’s last ocean vessel of the season, the Gibraltar-flagged Ostkap, departed December 17 from Duluth’s AGP Grain Limited with about 6,800 metric tons of wheat for Northern Europe. The Montreal-Lake Ontario section of the St. Lawrence Seaway saw its last vessel traffic December 30, and the Welland Canal closed December 31. The St. Lawrence Seaway is scheduled to reopen to 2005 vessel traffic on March 25.

The Port’s final outbound cargo vessel of the season downbound through the Soo Locks was Burns Harbor Inc.’s Stewart J. Cort on January 14 from Superior’s Burlington Northern Santa Fe taconite facility with about 55,000 tons of iron ore for Burns Harbor, Ind. The Soo Locks officially closed to vessel traffic at midnight January 15, and are also scheduled to reopen to vessel traffic on March 25.

The Port’s last outbound cargo for an in-lake destination was marked on January 17, with the departure of Interlake Steamship Company’s James R. Barker from Superior’s Midwest Energy Resources Company with about 58,000 tons of coal for Presque Isle, Mich.

The Port’s last vessel traffic occurred January 22—with the arrival of Key Lakes Inc./GLF’s John G. Munson at Duluth’s Clure Public Marine Terminal for winter layup. Her arrival brought the number of vessels wintering in the Port to 11.

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

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