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Duluth, MN – Superior, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
Despite a full harbor of ships, the Twin Ports saw only two vessel passages on Friday, May 27, both through the Duluth Ship Canal. After taking on a load of taconite from the gravity dock at CN 6, Great Republic departed at 11:16 for Quebec. This is a rare trip up the Welland Canal and into the St. Lawrence River by an American laker, where the ore in her holds will likely be transferred to an oceangoing vessel for export overseas. Fellow Great Lakes Fleet member Arthur M. Anderson was inbound at 21:34 and proceeded to the CN-Hallett Dock 5 in West Duluth. As usual, the venerable steamer brought up a backhaul of stone on the return trip to Lake Superior before she loads ore destined for the lower lakes. It remains to be seen whether the Anderson will be loading at CN 6 in Duluth or CN 2 in Two Harbors once she finishes discharging dolomite at Hallett. Two docks to the east is fleetmate Edgar B. Speer loading at the CN 6 shiploader. Across the harbor, American Integrity is still loading at BNSF 5 while CSL Tadoussac waits off the piers; the latter arrived to anchor around noon. Nunalik is at Berth 1 of the Duluth Port Terminal unloading wind turbine parts from Europe, while Federal Ruhr is farther south at Berth 7 discharging cement powder at Ash Grove, the former Holcim facility. The Ruhr is tentatively expected to depart Saturday evening. Federal Seto is at anchor off the Duluth Entry and scheduled to proceed inbound on the evening of May 30 to load wheat at CHS 1. In Superior, Lee A. Tregurtha is prepping for a June 1 departure from Fraser Shipyards and extended layup.
Two Harbors, MN – Silver Bay, MN – Gary Putney
Indiana Harbor departed Two Harbors on May 27 at 04:49 for Conneaut. American Mariner arrived at 05:26 and departed Two Harbors at 14:11. She has no updated AIS, but it is likely she’s headed for Algoma-Soo. Michipicoten stopped off Two Harbors at 07:30 and arrived at 14:25. As of 20:15, she is preparing to depart. She used Heritage Marine’s Nels J. both in and out. Cliffs Northshore Mining saw the Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader arrive on the 27th at 07:27 and depart on the same day at 16:39 for Toledo. Due Two Harbors on Saturday, May 28 is Algoma Equinox.
Thunder Bay, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
Cruise ship Viking Octantis made port at 17:29 for a short stay in Canada. The vessel and her passengers are due next in Duluth on May 30 and the Houghton area on June 1.
Marquette, MI – Joshua Hebeisen
Interlake’s classic Hon. James L. Oberstar arrived the southern harbor at 11:22 to unload at the Shiras dock. She later cast off from the berth and made her way upbound for the north side of the LS&I dock, where the overloaded Victory/Maumee discharged some of their taconite cargo into the holds of the Oberstar in a rare ship-to-ship transfer. Once lightened to an acceptable degree, the tug/bargo combo set sail for Toledo at 23:07. The Oberstar remained at the dock to finish loading via the gravity chutes.
Sturgeon Bay, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
American Spirit moved out of the graving dock on Tuesday, May 24 to tie up along an outer dock face. She is expected to depart on Saturday, though her next port of call is unclear. AIS reports her destination as the abandoned CN dock in Escanaba, though this may be more good-natured fun after the idled Collingwood was listed earlier this week.
Southern Lake Michigan Ports – Joshua Hebeisen
Calumet Harbor, IL: A pair of cement barges were inbound early Friday morning; G.L. Ostrander arrived at 03:58 with cement for Lafarge, while Caroline McKee/Commander were inbound at 06:07 to discharge the same cargo at the St. Marys terminal. Up the river, Drawsko departed her berth at Iroquois Lakehead en route to Thunder Bay.
Indiana Harbor, IN: Joseph L. Block arrived at 12:46 for Indiana Harbor West to continue shuttling pellets to Burns Harbor. Walter J. McCarthy joined her in port when she arrived at 22:34 for 7H with ore from Two Harbors.
Gary, IN: John G. Munson arrived at 09:19 with Minntac for Gary Works before departing at 21:31 for Port Inland.
Burns Harbor, IN: Joseph L. Block departed at 09:16 from Cleveland-Cliffs for more pellets at Indiana Harbor.
Detroit, MI – Windsor, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
On her way to Goderich for salt, Algoma Central’s Algoma Buffalo made a brief visit to Mistersky from 01:55 to 04:03 to begin what would be a busy day for the fueling dock. Prentiss Brown/St. Marys Conquest were next in line to top off at 07:34. The Port City pair had been delivering cement to Lake Erie ports and cast off at 09:46 to reload at Charlevoix. Ocean Voyager arrived at the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority’s facility after 07:00 on another cruise ship visit to Detroit. Laura L. VanEnkevort/Joseph H. Thompson stopped at Mistersky from around 11:00 to 13:30 on their way to Drummond Island, while in the meantime, Defiance/Ashtabula tied up just inside the entrance to the River Rouge. Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader were the fourth articulated tug/barge unit to visit Detroit at 16:06, refueling at Mistersky before heading upbound for Superior at 18:23. Sam Laud tied up for fuel before midnight, and Federal Bering is still at ADM in Windsor.
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Monroe, MI: New York/Double Skin 509A departed for Detroit at 10:04.
Toledo, OH: Departures were Saginaw for Sandusky at 06:26 and Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader for Superior at 15:47.
Marblehead, OH: Herbert C. Jackson departed at 02:20.
Sandusky, OH: Sam Laud arrived at 05:39 to load coal at the Norfolk Southern dock. She departed at 16:46. Saginaw moved up to load at 12:24.
Lorain, OH: Laura L. VanEnkevort/Joseph H. Thompson left at 03:11 for Drummond Island.
Cleveland, OH: NOAA vessel Thomas Jefferson arrived at the Great Lakes Shipyard at 08:09. Karen Andrie/Endeavor left for Indiana Harbor at 09:59. Assisted by G-tugs Ohio and Pennsylvania, USS Minneapolis-St. Paul arrived at Dock 30 at the Port at 10:09. A rare visitor to Cleveland, Wifred Sykes arrived at 18:49 and anchored in Lake Erie due to river currents; she was last here in 2019. Petite Forte/St. Marys Cement are at St. Marys Cement.
Fairport Harbor, OH: Defiance/Ashtabula arrived at 03:07 to unload stone at Osborne. The tug/barge combo departed for Marblehead at 17:03.
Ashtabula, OH: Sam Laud departed late Thursday night for Sandusky.
Nanticoke, ON: Departures were Federal Clyde for Montreal at 00:04, Algoma Hansa for Sorel-Tracy at 15:42, and CSL Niagara for Two Harbors at 14:36.
Hamilton, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
ArcelorMittal Dofasco saw a trio of vessels arriving on Friday, with Algoma Harvester, Algoma Transport, and Florence Spirit making their way inbound to unload at 10:25, 11:59, and 13:19, respectively. The Harvester and Spirit were carrying ore for Berth 21, while the Transport tied up at Berth 20 with an unknown cargo before departing for Thunder Bay at 23:43. Her fleemate Algoma Strongfield arrived to anchor in the inner harbor at 20:38, joining Harbour Progress and Federal Hunter on the hook. Maria G is at Richardson loading grain, Federal Yoshino is nearby taking on the same cargo at G3 Canada, Edenborg is across the harbor at P&H, and Vectis Pride is putting steel ashore at Federal Marine Terminals 14 West.