Superior's Midwest Energy Terminal shipped 22,354,161 net tons of coal during 2008 -- a new record for a calendar year. The total surpassed the dock's previous record by one million tons.
Midwest's record year helped the total Great Lakes coal trade for 2008 (39.8 million net tons) finish 1.3 percent greater than 2007's total. The trade was, however, down nearly one million tons from its five-year average, according to the Lake Carriers' Association.
Thunder Bay, Ontario, also saw a noticeable increase in its coal shipments. Loadings totaled 1.7 million net tons, an increase of 22.4 percent compared to 2007.
