Great Lakes limestone trade was down 6.8 percent in May

June 06, 2025

The Lake Carriers' Association reports that shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.6 million tons in May, a decrease of 6.8 percent compared to a year ago. May's loadings were above the month's 5-year average by 1.1 percent.

Loadings from U.S. quarries decreased 6.9 percent compared to 2024 to 2.9 million tons. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 688,697 tons, a decrease of 6.2 percent.

Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at 5.6 million tons, a decrease of 13.2 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 4.6 million tons, a decrease of 11.9 percent. Shipments from Ontario quarries decreased 18.4 percent to 985,761 tons.

Source: Lake Carriers' Association