Great Lakes Iron Ore Trade Up Slightly in July

August 4, 2026

CLEVELAND – 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.

Lake Carriers’ Association