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Ice Freezes Great Lakes Iron Ore Trade
Heavy ice blanketing the Great Lakes is constant to wreak havoc on the area’s iron ore commerce, highlighting the necessity for extra strong icebreaking capabilities.
According to the Lake Carriers’ Association, shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway totaled 4.3 million tons in April, almost 15 p.c beneath the month’s long-term common, due to ice cowl extent.
The Lake Carriers’ Association, a commerce affiliation representing U.S-flagged carriers within the Great Lakes, says that now solely is the ice slowing the vessels in service, it has delayed many vessels from even crusing. Several U.S.-flag vessel operators held again ships fairly than sit in ice as a result of the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards wouldn’t have sufficient icebreakers to adequately cowl the system, the Association says.
“April was again proof positive that we need more icebreaking resources,” stated James H.I. Weakley, President of Lake Carriers’ Association. “Even though domestic steel production has been slowed by dumped foreign steel and global overcapacity, the mills and power plants needed to be resupplied after the winter closure. Unfortunately, extreme ice conditions, especially in Whitefish Bay at the eastern end of Lake Superior, forced many vessels to wait until convoys could be formed and led through the ice fields.”
This is the second yr in a row a brutal winter has slowed early season shipments of iron ore and different cargos on the Lakes. In April 2014, shipments of iron ore totaled simply 2.7 million tons, a staggering 53.3 p.c beneath the month’s long-term common.
As a end result, Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI) included a provision within the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2015 (H.R. 1987) permitted by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that directs the U.S. Coast Guard to design and construct a brand new, multi-mission icebreaker to boost its capabilities on the Great Lakes.
“We thank Congresswoman Miller for recognizing the need for more U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers on the Great Lakes. This new icebreaker must be at least equal to the heavy icebreaking capabilities of the MACKINAW. We will be working with the entire Great Lakes delegation to ensure this provision remains in the final bill passed by the House and Senate.”
Through April 2015, the Lakes/Seaway ore commerce stands at 8.2 million tons, a lower of 16.5 p.c in comparison with the long-term common. Loadings out of U.S. ports on Lake Superior and Lake Michigan are down greater than 21 p.c in comparison with their long-term common.
In 2014, the Lakes iron ore commerce stood at 6.2 million tons via April, a lower of almost 43 p.c in comparison with 2013 and the long-term common.
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