Great Lakes iron ore trade up 47.8 percent in June
CLEVELAND – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 5.8 million tons in June, an increase of 47.8 percent from 2022. Shipments were 12.7 percent above the month’s 5-year average.
Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 19.9 million tons, 44 percent below the previous year’s total of 13.8 million tons. Iron shipments are above their 5-year average by 7.9 percent for the first half of the year.
Limestone trade down in June
CLEVELAND — Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.1 million tons in June, a decrease of 17.6 percent from a year ago. This June’s loadings were also below the month’s 5-year average by 17.4 percent.
Loadings out of U.S. quarries totaled 2.5 million tons, a decrease of 15.2 percent compared to last year. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 610,702 tons, a decrease of 26.4 percent.
Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at nearly 8.1 million tons, a decrease of 16.9 percent compared to 2022. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries decreased by 15.8 percent from a year ago. Shipments from Ontario quarries total 1.6 million tons, a decrease of 21.2 percent.
U.S. ports: Calcite, MI; Cedarville, MI; Drummond Island, MI; Marblehead, OH; Port Inland, MI; and Presque Isle, MI. Canadian ports: Bruce Mines, Manitoulin Island, Port Colborne (from August 2017 on) and Smelter Bay (all Ontario).
Obituary: Chief Engineer James Stitt
It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of James Royal Stitt of Kemble, Ontario, on July 5, 2023 at the age of 88. Born in Chapleau, Ontario, on March 12th 1935. Loving husband to Claire for 65 years. Survived by his children, Jim (Ene), Ken, Ron (Mary); his grandchildren Ellen, Lauren, Amanda, Bayley and Trevor; great granddaughter Isla; and many nieces and nephews.
James lived a life sailing on the Great Lakes, finishing his career as Chief Engineer on the ferry Chi-Cheemaun. His kindness, humor and stories will be missed by family, neighbors and life-long friends.
Jim was a remarkable character to every soul he encountered. He passed down strong values of work ethic, honesty, and togetherness to his family. He inspired each generation to strive for their best and did everything he could to provide a good life for his family.
His good friend, retired Captain Graham Grattan, offers these memories: “Before the 1970s Jim worked on the Q&O ships and may have been chief engineer with them. He worked for Cooper Bessemer diesel and for that reason, about 1975, he was hired by Algoma Steel Marine as shore engineer. Yankcanuck had a eight cylinder Cooper Bessemer diesel of 1860 hp.
When Capt. Leith Davis left Algoma Steel to oversee the expansion of his old employer HALCO, Jim Stitt moved into the position of Manager Algoma Steel Marine and Algoma Steel Marine Services (Algoma Steel’s stevedoring services).
In March 1977 he hired me as captain on Yankcanuck; this was over the concerns of senior Algoma Steel executives who couldn’t understand how he could hand over the ship to a 26-year-old when the previous captain was 62.
When Algoma Steel sold Yankcanuck in 1991 Jim was hired by Owen Sound Transportation as the alternate chief engineer on Chi-Cheemaun. Jim was again working with his old friend Leith Davis who was now manager at Owen Sound Transportation.
There were two captains for Chi-Cheemaun but only one chief and he was getting up in years. Jim ended his sailing career on Chi-Cheemaun. Of interest, in 1985 Jim agreed to help out his good friend Jack Purvis and bring Jack’s newly purchased tug Avenger IV from the U.K. to Canada. Jim would be ‘chief’ and he brought his son Jim along to help.”
Online condolences may be left at www.funeraloptions.ca.
Joseph L. Block unloads stone into the hopper at CN Dock 6. (Duluth, MN – May 4, 2008)
