Great Lakes Iron Ore Shipments Down

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) - The harsh winter is blamed for a drop in iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes.

Ore shipments through the end of June are down 17 percent from a year ago.

The winter produced thick ice on the Great Lakes. And Glen Nekvasil, vice president of the Lake Carriers Association, says it will be tough for the industry to catch up.

Nekvasil says good weather in the summer and fall would help carriers make up for some lost tonnage.

While the thick ice cover nearly brought shipping to a standstill, the frigid water has also slowed evaporation from the Great Lakes. Less evaporation, combined with heavy rain and snow, has caused water levels on Lake Superior and other lakes to rise by more than a foot.