Great Lakes shipping cargo was down in 2012

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - Great Lakes freighters carried less cargo in 2012 compared to 2011.
    
That's according to the annual report released Friday by Ohio-based Lake Carriers' Association.
    
U.S.-flag ships working on the Great Lakes carried 89.5 million tons of the dry-bulk cargo last year, which is down 4.6 percent from 2011. The Green Bay Press-Gazette reports it's also down 1.5 percent from the five-year average of 90.8 million tons.
    
Iron ore shipments dropped 4.3 percent from 2011, but the total was above the five-year average of 42 million tons.
    
Coal shipments fell to 17.6 million tons last year, below the five-year average of 22.5 million tons.
    
The decline has been partly attributed to the phasing out of Canadian coal-fired electrical plants.
    
Cement and limestone shipments were slightly ahead of the five-year average.