December cargo shipments and vessel transits on the St. Lawrence Seaway both rose by just under 10 percent, according to numbers from the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.

The organization's report says total cargo for December 2017 was 38,121 metric tons, 8.9 percent more than the 35,010 metric tons in December 2016.

The biggest tonnage increases were in general cargo and iron ore.

General cargo shipments went up 30.3 percent to 3,426 metric tons last month from 2,628 in December 2016.

Iron ore shipments went up 29 percent from 8,039 metric tons in December 2017 and 6,233 the same month last year.

Dry bulk shipments were up 17.9 percent to 10,485 metric tons in December from 8,892 the same month in 2016.

Grain shipments went down 10.6 percent to 10,069 metric tons in December 2017 from 11,266 the same month in 2016.

Liquid bulk shipments went up slightly, 2.8 percent, to 3,790 metric tons in December 2017 from 3,685 in December 2016.

Coal shipments went up less than 1 percent, totaling 2,257 metric tons in December 2017 compared to 2,248 the same month a year prior.

Total vessel transits went up 9.1 percent, totaling 4,119 in December 2017 and 3,774 in December 2016.