U.S. Great Lakes limestone and iron ore trade increased in July

August 07, 2026

The Lake Carriers' Association reports that shipments of U.S. shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes increased to 3.1 million tons in July, an 8.7 percent increase compared to last year. The trade was also above the month's 5-year average by 3.2 percent.

Year-to-date, the Lakes limestone trade stands at 10.1 million tons, a decrease of 3 percent compared to 2025 and 4.2 percent below the month's 5-year average.

Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 5.1 million tons in July, an increase of less than one percent compared to 2025. Shipments were below the month's 5-year average by 7.2 percent.

Year-to-date, the iron ore trade stands at 22.5 million tons, an increase of 3.3 percent compared to a year ago. Iron ore shipments were 5.2 percent below their 5-year average for the first seven months of the year.

Source: Lake Carriers' Association