Iron Ore Trade Up 8.4 Percent in May

June 5, 2026

CLEVELAND – Shipments of iron ore from U.S. Great Lakes ports increased 8.4 percent from May 2025 to 5.4 million tons. Shipments were also 4.7 percent above the month’s 5-year average.

Year-to-date, the iron ore trade stands at 12.2 million tons, an increase of 4.1 percent compared to a year ago.  Iron ore shipments were 6.2 percent below their 5-year average for five months of the year.

Since 1880, Lake Carriers’ has represented the U.S.-flag Great Lakes fleet, which today can move more than 90 million tons of cargos annually that are the foundation of American industry, infrastructure, and power: iron ore, stone, coal, cement, and other dry bulk materials such as grain, salt, and sand.