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Duluth, MN – Superior, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
Indiana Harbor arrived Duluth in the 01:19 early-morning darkness, headed to the Superior side of the harbor for her first load at SMET of the season. She would spend the morning taking on 68,000 tons of low-sulfur western coal, all destined for St. Clair, before departing at 14:09. Great Republic was underway from CN Dock 6 with taconite pellets mid-morning and made her way outbound for Gary at 08:16. Just minutes after the Indiana Harbor made her departure from Duluth, 1,000-foot fleetmate Burns Harbor was also getting underway at Superior’s BNSF Dock 5. She eventually cleared the piers at 14:37 with 63,000 tons of Hibtac pellets for Cleveland-Cliffs Burns Harbor. Sitting off the Superior Entry at anchor since 23:00 Thursday night, classic Canadian laker Frontenac made her way inbound to load at 15:02. Wrapping up the day with a 21:34 arrival was Polsteam’s Iryda, her blue hull a perfect match for the beautiful blue hour sky. The saltie arrived under the Aerial Lift Bridge and went to Gavilon for grain. Federal Churchill remains at Ash Grove discharging cement.

Marquette, MI – Arthur Pickering
The Kaye Barker is currently en route to Marquette and should arrive tomorrow morning.

Southern Lake Michigan Ports – Joshua Hebeisen
Indiana Harbor, IN: Joseph L. Block departed for Toledo at 18:59, likely with excess pellets from Indiana Harbor West.
Buffington, IN: After unloading overnight, Lee A. Tregurtha was back on the lake at 03:30 and headed for another stone cargo at Stoneport.
Burns Harbor, IN: Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader arrived for Carmeuse at 13:26, while saltie Federal Beaufort remains at FMT Burns Harbor across the pier.

Muskegon, MI – Joshua Hebeisen
The 06:00 sun rose on a new era in Great Lakes shipping as Interlake newbuild Mark W. Barker arrived on her maiden voyage. Laden with stone from Port Inland, the innovative new laker tied up at Verplank to unload. A ceremony celebrating the occasion was reported to be held at the dock.

Northern Lake Huron Ports – Joshua Hebeisen
Port Dolomite, MI: Wilfred Sykes departed at 04:00, heading south for Indiana Harbor once again. Tug/barge Undaunted/Pere Marquette 41 arrived from Calcite at 05:40 to top off before heading to Ferrysburg shortly after 10:00.
Drummond Island, MI: Olive L. Moore/Menominee were outbound for Bay City at 00:34.
Bruce Mines, ON: Laura L. VanEnkevort/Joseph H. Thompson made their way inbound at 06:20 and departed at 17:00 for Chicago.
Meldrum Bay, ON: 
AIS coverage in the area was weak overnight, though Cuyahoga appeared to depart for Cleveland sometime very early in the morning. Taking her place around 05:15 was H. Lee White.
Calcite, MI: Undaunted/Pere Marquette 41 arrived at 22:53 Thursday night. After a quick stop at the dock, the pair was once again headed north for Port Dolomite at 01:21. Classic laker Herbert C. Jackson was due next to load stone and made port at 02:08. Her departure for Toledo would not occur until 21:30 Friday evening.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Compass cleared 09.21 Friday downbound for Cote St Catherine with salt. Algoma Transport expected Friday evening for salt, she’ll be making her only 2nd appearance here this season.

Detroit, MI – Windsor, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
A quiet day for both sides of the Detroit River wouldn’t see action until 19:00 Friday evening when Michipicoten arrived for Sterling Fuels on her way to the Soo. Beatrix departed ADM downbound for Montreal 30 minutes later, and Samuel de Champlain/Innovation made port for Mistersky at 21:04.

Toledo, OH – Andrea Guerriero
The Philip R. Clarke will be leaving Toledo Saturday morning at 00:01am… Yep one minute past midnight… unbeknownst to me, there is apparently a superstition among some mariners where it’s not good to fitout a vessel on a Friday, so since they are just finishing up the work that needs to be done, they will wait until just after the clock strikes 12am and then leave so it’s technically Saturday.

Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Monroe, MI: 1,000 footer American Century arrived at 12:04 to unload coal at DTE. Meredith Ashton departed at 15:32. Manitowoc is anchored in Lake Erie.
Toledo, OH: Arrivals were Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader and Federal Yukon. CSL Niagara is still at anchor. Evans Spirit departed for Hamilton, ON at 08:48.John D. Leitch Sarah Andrie
Marblehead, OH: Defiance/Ashtabula departed at 03:03 for  return to Fairport Harbor.
Sandusky, OH: Michipicoten left for the Soo at 12:34. Florence Spirit is the next in line to arrive, which she did at 18:01.
Cleveland, OH: Heerengracht left at 03:16. Polsteam’s Isolda arrived at dock 24E at 06:29.The next saltie to arrive was Wagenborg’s Fagelgracht at dock 22W at 11:14.Samuel deChamplain/Innovation left for Alpena at 11:52. A late evening arrival was Harvest Spirit with steel for the Port.
Fairport Harbor, OH: Defiance/Ashtabula arrived at 09:53, unloaded and left at 15:36.
Ashtabula, OH: Calumet arrived at the Pinney dock at 14:38.
Conneaut, OH: John G. Munson arrived at 05:18, unloaded ore at the P&C dock and departed for Calcite at 11:22.
Nanticoke, ON: CSL Tadoussac arrived with ore for Stelco at 10:28. Harvest Spirit departed at 11:10 with coils for Cleveland.  Algonova Algocanada and Algonorth are all at anchor off of Port Dover.

Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski
The Karen Andrie – Endeavor arrived at 7:30AM this morning & headed down the Black Rock Canal for Marathon in Tonawanda. Around 8AM the tug Vermont  arrived in Lackawanna from Buffalo to help the Brattensborg out from Gateway Metroport. She towed her into the Outer Harbor stern first, helped the ship wind, and then headed back to Buffalo as Brattenborg departed via the South Entrance for Port Colborne. The Ryba tug Thomas Morrish was idling in the Union Ship Canal with her derrick boat & 2 hopper barges. They’re in town to do some breakwall repairs & are currently loading large dimensional stone at the dock there.