The big boats are back

The Port Huron Times Herald carries a story about the increase in lake freighter traffic last year:

The Lake Carriers' Association, representing 15 shipping companies on the Great Lakes, reported 102 million tons of cargo shipped by the end of November, a 19% increase from a year ago.

Two main factors rise to the surface to explain the good shipping year: higher water levels and a growing construction industry.

"2004 was a year of noticed improvement," said Glen Nekvasil, association spokesman. "But one does have to be very frank: 2003 was a very bad year. We had a number of vessels that didn't sail or sailed short seasons."

By the end of the shipping season this month, Nekvasil estimates the total cargo shipped to end up between 110 million and 112 million tons. By contrast, the same vessels in the highly successful 1997 season hauled 125,000 tons.