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Duluth, MN – Superior, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
Making her first Twin Ports visit of the season at 10:33 Wednesday morning was American Steamship Company’s 1,004-foot American Spirit. The Spirit, returning to service in late May after an extended winter layup, has loaded ore exclusively at Marquette’s LS&I gravity dock this summer while on some unorthodox trade routes. This trip to Duluth breaks the pattern and finds the vessel taking on pellets under the shiploader at CN Dock 6. Candace Elise/Robert F. Deegan were outbound Duluth for Ludington at 12:24 after discharging calcium chloride at EnviroTech-Hallett Dock 8, with American Mariner heading outbound behind the pair at 13:12. She is headed for Thunder Bay to load wheat following a delivery of limestone to CN-Hallett Dock 5.
Two Harbors, MN – Silver Bay, MN – Gary Putney
The Walter J. McCarthy Jr. departed Two Harbors on 07/27 for Conneaut. Edwin H. Gott arrived Two Harbors on 07/27 at 12:55 for South of #2. At 20:00 on 07/22 the CSL Assiniboine was near Outer Island for Two Harbors.
Marquette, MI – Arthur Pickering
The Maumee arrived at the upper harbor ore dock today. Early tomorrow, the Great Lakes Trader should arrive.
St. Marys River – Know Your Ships
With the MacArthur Lock once again out of service, traffic was backed up Wednesday morning and afternoon at the Soo Locks. Upbound traffic Wednesday, most of which incurred delays, included Manitowoc (to Algoma), Olive L. Moore/barge Menominee, Algoma Sault, Indiana Harbor, Joyce L. VanEnkevort/barge Great Lakes Trader and Frontenac. Downbound passages included John G. Munson, Olive L. Moore/barge Menominee and American Century. Soo Locks tour boats have had to cancel cruises due to the traffic jams. They have been prevented from using the Canadian lock since last year due to Canada’s COVID protocols.
Early evening saw the passage upriver of the tall ship Santa Maria (aka Trinidad), a replica of the Spanish ships which traveled across the Atlantic Ocean in the 15th and 16th centuries. It was built in Spain by the Nao Victoria Foundation in 2017. She tied up at the Roberta Bondar Dock in Soo, ON, and will be open for tours 9am to 9pm July 28 up to and including the 31st.
Sturgeon Bay, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
Alright boatnerds, here we go! On a day over three years in the making, Interlake Steamship Company’s Mark W. Barker sailed outbound from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding on her maiden voyage at 10:03 local time. The newest vessel on the lakes headed north for Port Inland to take on her first cargo.
Port Inland, MI – Joshua Hebeisen
Weathered river-class veteran Calumet arrived at 11:45 from Milwaukee, departing at 21:15 with a stone cargo – one of countless in her career – for Ashtabula. In a stark contrast, backing in just over 30 minutes later for the first load of her career was rookie Mark W. Barker, fresh out of the shipyard. The newbuild is expected to deliver the historic cargo to Muskegon.
Southern Lake Michigan Ports – Joshua Hebeisen
Calumet Harbor, IL: Wednesday was a banner day of shipping for South Chicago with the most traffic the port has seen in months. The action was set up by a trio of early-morning passages, beginning with Algoma Compass departing back up the lake for Goderich at 00:33. Waiting just off the breakwater for the Compass to clear was a pair of tug/barge combos in G.L. Ostrander/Integrity and Laura L. VanEnkevort/Joseph H. Thompson. The two ATBs made back-to-back arrivals at 00:49 and 01:06 for Holcim and Middle River Marine, respectively. Later in the morning, yet another joint pair, Caroline McKee/Commander, were making their way up the Calumet River after unloading cement at the St. Marys facility. The two reached the river’s mouth and departed for Charlevoix at 08:33. Even a classic laker would get in on the action mid-afternoon when Arthur M. Anderson arrived and backed down the Calumet for the KCBX South Terminal at 15:42. The VanEnkevort/Thompson pair would pass the vaunted steamer on their way outbound for Bruce Mines at 17:12. Salties Maxima and Federal Bering would depart their respective berths at Iroquois at 17:56 and 21:42 to cap off the busy day, with the former headed up for the Twin Ports and the latter due next just up the lake at Milwaukee.
Indiana Harbor, IN: Mesabi Miner arrived at 03:23 from Duluth with ore (likely UTAC pellets) for delivery to Dock 7H. Wilfred Sykes was inbound at 04:22 from Port Inland and tied up just south of the Miner to unload; the steamer was back upbound just over six hours later and headed for Port Dolomite. Her fleetmate Joseph L. Block made an 11:01 arrival in port for Indiana Harbor West after making the short trip over from Burns Harbor.
Gary, IN: American Integrity departed at 14:32 for Superior, but not before being thoroughly beaten in the unloading process by Arthur M. Anderson – the AAA-class steamer was inbound at 05:23 and already back out on the lake before 14:00.
Burns Harbor, IN: Joseph L. Block departed Cleveland-Cliffs for Indiana Harbor at 08:24, while saltie Federal Beaufort was inbound just under an hour later for FMT Burns Harbor.
Northern Lake Huron Ports – Joshua Hebeisen
Port Dolomite, MI: Michipicoten was outbound at 05:15 for Sarnia.
Spragge, ON: Saginaw arrived from Port Inland at 09:05, departing for Calcite later in the day at 16:30.
Meldrum Bay, ON: Making a midnight arrival to load stone was Algoma Innovator; she appeared to depart for Sarnia sometime in the evening.
Calcite, MI: Fleetmates Herbert C. Jackson and Lee A. Tregurtha were outbound 12 hours apart on Wednesday with stone, the Jackson at 03:47 for Bay City and the Tregurtha at 15:37 for Buffington. Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader were inbound to load minutes after the LAT cleared. Saginaw anchored off the piers around 22:00, but has yet to arrive.
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Intrepid is expected Wednesday evening for salt, her 12th appearance here.
Detroit, MI – Windsor, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
After a visit to port on Tuesday by her sister Ocean Voyager, American Queen Voyages’ Ocean Navigator was inbound shortly after 07:00 for the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority’s public dock and terminal with passengers. She was cruising in the opposite direction of her fleetmate, departing downbound for Cleveland at 18:04. Algoma Intrepid departed Miller Aggregates Southwest for Goderich at 10:30, Iver Bright was outbound Detroit Shell at 13:54 for Montreal, and Thunder Bay was a 15:40 downbound departure for Johnstown. The latter was relieved at the Windsor Salt dock by her anchored sister Baie Comeau. Just up the river, saltie Beatrix remains at ADM. Samuel de Champlain/Innovation were at Holcim with cement after a 17:24 evening arrival, and H. Lee White stopped on the Detroit River for Mistersky between 20:01 and 23:29. The Grand River Navigation charter is due next in Meldrum Bay.
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Monroe, MI: Sam Laud departed at 05:13 for Toledo. Meredith Ashton arrived from Toledo at 15:54.
Toledo, OH: Sam Laud arrived at 08:10, loaded ore and left at 19:27 for the Soo. Meredith Ashton departed at 14:12 for Monroe, MI. In port are Evans Spirit, John D. Leitch, Sarah Andrie and Federal Kushiro
Kingsville, ON: Cuyahoga arrived at 11:49 to unload stone at Southwestern Sales Co. Once empty, she departed at 16:01
Sandusky, OH: Manitoulin departed with coal for the Soo at 11:54. Kaye E. Barker arrived at 16:06 to load coal.
Lorain, OH: H. Lee White arrived at 01:57, unloaded at Carmeuse and departed at 13:20 for Meldrum Bay.
Cleveland, OH: American Courage arrived late Tuesday night, unloaded stone at RiverDock and then moved to the Bulk Terminal to load a shuttle. Algoma Buffalo arrived at 20:17 to load salt at Cargill.
Fairport Harbor, OH: Defiance/Ashtabula arrived at 13:32
Erie, PA: Kaye E. Barker left for Sandusky at 05:41.
Nanticoke, ON: Harvest Spirit arrived at Stelco at 10:39 to load steel coils. Algoma Hansa is at Imperial Oil and Algoma Hansa is at anchor.