WASHINGTON – The steel and construction industries pushed the demand for North American commodities such as iron ore, stone and cement and provided the 2012 shipping season with a solid start.
The St. Lawrence Seaway reports that year-to-date total cargo shipments through the end of April were 4.4 million metric tons, up 2.24 percent from last year.
“Coal shipments, the Seaway’s second largest commodity by tonnage for more than a decade, registered a 40 percent increase in April to start off the waterway’s 2012 navigation season,” said Rebecca Spruill, director of the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp.’s Office of Trade Development.
The North American steel industry is showing signs of continued improvement and iron ore shipments through the Seaway rose to 1.1 million metric tons, which included transshipments to Quebec for international export.
