Coal is leading the way as total cargo is up in the Lake Ontario to Montreal section of the St. Lawrence Seaway, according to the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System office in Cornwall, Ont.

But ship transits through the section are down slightly.

As of the end of the September, total cargo was 20,107 thousand tonnes (metric tons), compared with 18,983 thousand tonnes through September last year.

Coal shipments have almost doubled, from 895 thousand tonnes through September 2011 to 1,723 thousand tonnes through this September.

Iron ore cargoes have increased from 5,680 thousand tonnes to 7,672 thousand tonnes.

Down are grain shipments -- from 4,857 to 4,147 thousand tonnes-- dry bulk -- 3,785 to 3,190 thousand tonnes -- and liquid bulk -- 2,469 to 2,001 thousand tonnes.

Total transits have dropped slightly, from 1,969 through September last year to 1,924 this year.

The Seaway typically ends it season in mid- to late-December.