Coal shipments on the Great Lakes in May declined 10.7 percent compared to a year ago, according to the Lake Carriers' Association.
Shipments in May were 4.1 million net tons.
Coal shipments out of the Twin Port held relatively strong, however. Midwest Energy Resources Co. operates the largest coal terminal on the Great Lakes in Superior.
May shipments from the Superior facility slipped 2.5 percent, compared with last year.
Midwest's year-to-date shipments remain even more solid. The facility has loaded 5.4 million tons of coal onto lakers through May -- just 1.4 percent less than it did during the same period last year and 18.7 percent more than its five-year average of 4.6 million tons.
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For the lakes overall, coal shipments through May were 10.4 million net tons, a 15.5 percent decrease compared to the same time period in 2006.
Mechanical problems at a dock at Lake Erie in Ohio and an inability to carry full loads because of low water levels affected shipments, according to the association.
