According to a release from the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) Wednesday, shipments of coal on the US Great Lakes totaled 2.8 million tons in October, an increase of 92,000 tons compared to a year ago. Shipments were up 135,000 tons compared to September.

Shipments from Lake Superior ports totaled 1.7 million tons, a slight increase (54,000 tons) compared to a year ago. Coal transshipped from Superior, Wisconsin, to Québec City, Québec, for loading into oceangoing colliers totaled 122,000 tons. Exports to Europe from Superior total 1,376,000 tons through October. In 2012, Superior’s overseas exports totaled 1,173,000 tons through October.

Loadings in Chicago totaled 412,000 tons, an increase of 50 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments from Lake Erie ports totaled 690,000 tons, a decrease of 12.6 percent compared to a year ago.

Year-to-date the Lakes coal trade stands at 19.8 million tons, a decrease of 2.2 percent compared to a year ago.