Data for the month reflected a rise across North American commodities for the industrial and manufacturing sectors led by a 9.8% year-on-year increase in total cargo shipments to 4.4 million metric tons.
While the seaway’s shipments to power generation facilities and steelmakers in October came to 378,000 tonnes, a 13% reduction over last October, coal shipments rose 25% year-on-year.
Iron ore shipments in October were 6% higher than the same time in 2011, and year-to-date figures revealed a 20% increase.
Overall, Saint Lawrence Seaway recorded total cargo shipments of 29.5 million tonnes for the period between March 22 and October 31, up 1.4% over the same period last year.
“In the general cargoes category, shipments through the seaway of iron, steel slabs, project cargoes and domestic general cargoes jumped 9% over last year’s tally,” Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation trade development director Rebecca Spruill told local news outlet WDIO.
