Port Reports – October 24, 2022

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Duluth, MN – Superior, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
Wherever she goes, it seems there is never an uneventful day in the life of the American Spirit. Sunday’s shenanigans saw the footer arrive the Superior Entry from anchorage at 06:37 and chug all the way up to the port terminal to fuel at Superior Refining. Later casting off around 10:30, the Spirit would receive an unusual escort by G-tug Kentucky as she made her way back down the harbor bound for BNSF. The rare tug assist and lack of a smoke plume from her port-side stack indicate that ASC’s flagship is likely dealing with engine troubles once again. She would not pull into the dock to load until around noon. As if the Spirit hadn’t already had an interesting day, a rare load for the Soo and quick turnaround time of about seven hours put the cherry on top. She is currently on her way to unload at Algoma Steel. Atlantic Huron had departed Superior earlier Sunday morning at 08:00 with 30,000 tons of Keetac for Hamilton. The Spirit was likely carrying Keetac product as well. 

Duluth saw some action at 15:20 with the arrival of steamer Philip R. Clarke, carrying her usual backhaul cargo of stone to discharge at Hallett Dock 5 before a scheduled load of taconite pellets soon to follow. American Integrity was inbound shortly after 19:00 to load coal at Midwest Energy; she met fleetmate Walter J. McCarthy Jr. in the inner harbor as the latter was departing with ore for Indiana Harbor. Her load had been taken under the shiploader conveyors at CN Dock 6. Mesabi Miner, due next at CN and at anchor since dinnertime, attempted to maximize efficiency by arriving Superior during the McCarthy’s Duluth departure and making her way up the basin for the dock. She became the second footer of the day to arrive via the southern entrance and immediately begin the trek up to the Zenith City, an unusual move.

Marquette, MI – Oggdo Bogdo
Victory/Maumee departed for Cleveland at 01:40 after a fast load. The Hon. James L. Oberstar would depart later that morning in daylight, at 09:24 for Dearborn. The two regulars will be followed by another common visitor in the Lee A. Tregurtha in the coming days.

Port Inland, MI – Andrew Meyer
Finally arriving in the early hours of October 20th was the Kaye E, Barker. The Barker had been stuck in Muskegon due to weather since the 16th. Also arriving on the 20th was the Great Republic at 1325. The Barker and Republic would essentially compose and afternoon “two-fer” with the Barker outbound shortly before the Republic. Great Republic would depart at 0238 on October 21. The next order of business for Port Inland was the Calumet, inbound Friday evening at 1915. The vessel would spend the night in town before an early morning 0526 departure. The Kaye E. Barker, presumably on some sort of shuttle duty, was back on October 22 at 1301. Her stay in port stuck with the standard 12 hour load time before she departed shortly after midnight on Sunday. She’d be replaced an hour later at 0152 by the Sam Laud. Great Republic is due before the weekend is over and the Joseph L. Block has an early Monday morning arrival posted.

Southern Lake Michigan Ports – Andrew Meyer
Chicago, IL: Caroline McKee and Commander made an arrival at 1229 on October 22, and departed light at 01612 for another Charlevoix run. Federal Yukina is still in port- she arrived October 14. Federal Churchill arrived from Port Colborne at 1349 on Saturday afternoon. At the time of this writing, Algoma Niagara is being pulled up the Calumet River by the tugs Illinois and Arizona. The Niagara arrived on the 21st from Goderich to unload salt.
Indiana Harbor, IN: Manitowoc made port at 1155 on Friday. She departed at 0852 on Saturday morning. Joseph L. Block made port on Friday as well, with a 2047 arrival. Her visit was slightly overlapped with the Undaunted and Pere Marquette, arriving at 0153 on Saturday after an extended stay up north waiting out the weather. The pair would depart at 1345 and the Block departed at 1936. Arriving late evening on Saturday was the John D. Leitch.
Gary, IN: Edgar B. Speer arrived late on the evening of October 19, after taking the long route down the western edge of Lake Michigan to avoid the weather. The Speer would spend her standard 14 hours at Gary Works before heading north again to Two Harbors. The Philip R. Clarke was due in Gary and it’s likely she arrived before the Speer, but no records are showing up in AIS for her for me. Either way, the Clarke is on her way to Duluth after loading stone in Calcite. The Presque Isle called on the port at 1501 on October 21. The Presque Isle has been photographed a lot lately, but mostly for the fact she spent the day the Humbergracht was loading ore in Two Harbors sitting on the other side of the slip at North #2. Her departure at 0757 on October 22 saw her returning north to Two Harbors once again. Edwin H. Gott is set to round off the GLF-footer trifecta- she is currently at anchor waiting for space to open up at the dock, likely after the Block leaves. Due later this week is the Edgar B. Speer with another load from Two Harbors, a route she has stuck to this season with Cort-like clockwork.
Burns Harbor, IN: October 20 saw a fairly busy day for the port. Inbound first was the Burns Harbor at 0504. Dirk S. VanEnkevort rolled in shortly after at 0623. The steamer Wilfred Sykes arrived at 1437. The Burns and Dirk would have slightly longer that average stays in port, with their subsequent departures occurring at 1012 and 0638 respectively on October 21. Stewart J. Cort arrived at 1124 on the 21st, rounding out the traffic for the day. The Sykes would not leave town until 1444 on October 22. The Cort likely did not begin to unload until after the Sykes left, because her departure didn’t come until 0316 Sunday morning. Less than an hour later, Joseph L. Block arrived, and the Federal Shimanto followed the Block by an hour. With the traffic being backed up for a few days, there’s a bit of a traffic jam for the port this weekend.

St. Joseph – St. Joseph Benton Harbor, MI – Michael Moran
No arrivals were recorded last week. Shoaling in the harbor entrance rendered the harbor closed to all large commercial traffic. The Corps of Engineers responded with record speed to get the harbor surveyed to determine the extent of the shoaling. All stakeholders, including the three shipping docks, are working with the Corps of Engineers in an attempt to obtain critical emergency dredging.

Holland, MI – Oggdo Bogdo
Undaunted/Pere Marquette 41 arrived at 01:00 and was closely followed by Grand River Navigation’s Calumet, inbound at 01:28. It would be the latter departing first at 09:30 for Drummond Island, with another 7 hours before the tug/barge combo departed for Alpena at 16:47.

Grand Haven, MI – Oggdo Bogdo
The fan favorite Wilfred Sykes departed at 08:30, allowing for daylight viewing. She is headed to Port Dolomite next.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Buffalo cleared 21.12 Friday upbound for Alpena MI with salt. Barbro G (saltie Germany ) cleared 08.37 Sunday downbound for Montreal, loading in Goderich past six days.

Alpena, MI – Jason Luther
Saturday morning at 8:30 saw the Algoma Buffalo backing into the Thunder Bay River with the first load of road salt for the season, after loading from across Lake Huron at Goderich. Right on her heels at 9:00 was the octogenarian steamer Alpena making for her namesake port to load cement at LaFarge.

Another busy day at LaFarge Alpena on this Sunday. Tug Defiance with her beauty queen barge Ashtabula arrived to unload pet coke early this morning just after 6:00. A few hours later the A.T.B., G.L. Ostrander with barge Integrity, mored under the silos at LaFarge to load cement.

Calcite, MI – Joshua Hebeisen
Per norm, Calcite has been cranking out the limestone this weekend. The John G. Munson made port at 0100 on October 20, and would be the only vessel in town for the day, with a departure logged at 1737. The equally classic Cuyahoga would make port at 0202 on the 21st. Her departure at 0927 allowed the dock to cool off just for a bit, with the classic Philip R. Clarke arriving at 1016. The Clarke would spend all day in town. October 22 saw quite the influx of traffic in Calcite. The Clarke kicked things off with a 0205 departure for the twin ports. Moments later, Algoma Compass made her way into town. American Mariner joined the party at 0448.  The Compass would make her departure at 1513, the Mariner at 1954. Before the day’s end, Dirk S. VanEnkevort guided her brand-new barge into port, ending a busy day. October 23 also proved to be busy, just not quite as busy. Olive L. Moore and Menominee arrived at 0924 and H. Lee White and Michigan Trader swapped spots at the other berth at about 1300 hours. 

Lake Erie Ports (10/23) – Bill Kloss
Toledo, OH: Arrivals were Prentiss Brown/St. Marys Challenger at 01:48, Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader to Torco at 10:40 and Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader to Ironville at 16:28. Wigeon is at Midwest Terminal. After a partial unload, Prentiss Brown/St. Marys Challenger left for Cleveland at 09:56. Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader departed for Silver Bay at 18:56.
Marblehead, OH: Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder left late Saturday night for Lorain, OH. American Courage arrived at 11:13 to load stone.
Sandusky, OH: Michipicoten arrived at 03:17 to load coal at Norfolk Southern. Once loaded, she left for Sault Ste. Marie at 13:35.
Lorain, OH: Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder had a quick unload at Carmeuse and then left for Cleveland at 05:11.
Cleveland, OH: American Courage departed for Marblehead at 00:35. Leonard M/Huron Spirit arrived at 07:22, unloaded steel coils at the Port and departed for Detroit at 19:12. Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder arrived at 08:39, unloaded and left for a return to Marblehead at14:39. . Prentiss Brown/St. Marys Challenger arrived at 19:19 and went to the Columbus St. terminal. Polsteam’s Miedwie arrived at 19:33 and went to dock 26W at the Port alongside Federal Dart at 24E.
Fairport Harbor, OH: Frontenac departed at 12:32 with salt for Toronto.
Buffalo, NY: Arrivals were GLMA training vessel State of Michigan at 08:46 and John J. Boland at 09:11. The saltie Puna is on port.
Nanticoke, ON: Algoma Hansa arrived at 02:23, joining Algonova and Algocanada at anchor. Algonorth departed at 18:03 with petroleum products for Tracy, PQ. Algonova weighed anchor at 18:23 and moved to the dock at Imperial Oil. 

Lake Erie Ports (10/22) – Bill Kloss
Monroe, MI: American Century departed for Two Harbors at 12:23.
Toledo, OH: Departures were Arthur M. Anderson for Stoneport and Algoma Equinox. Wigeon is at Midwest Terminal.
Marblehead, OH: Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder arrived at 09:33 to load stone at Holcim.
Cleveland, OH: H. Lee White departed for Calcite late Friday night. Departures were Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder for Marblehead at 00:57 and McKeil Spirit at 11:22. Federal Dart is at the Port and American Courage is running the shuttles.
Fairport Harbor, OH: CSL Tadoussac departed with salt for Bowmanville, ON at 10:09. Frontenac docked at Morton Salt at 10:42.
Conneaut, OH: Indiana Harbor left for Duluth, MN at 07:05.
Nanticoke, ON: Algonorth is at Imperial Oil. Algocanada and Algonova remain at the Port Dover anchorage.

Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski
The training ship STATE OF MICHIGAN arrived for the Visiting Ship’s Dock on the Buffalo River at 8:45AM on the 23rd. She came in without assistance and tied up for the day near the Naval Park. About a half hour later the 690-foot self-unloader JOHN J BOLAND arrived with sand from Brevort, MI for CSI. She was loaded deep again with extra storage product to be dropped off in Lackawanna first before continuing on to Buffalo with the rest of the sand. They came in the South Entrance around 9AM, winded off the CRH plant, and backed all the way up the Lackawanna Canal until they were nearly alongside the PUMA that had been in port a few days. The BOLAND tied up just off the big Salty’s stern and began unloading her sand cargo along the West dock apron on the Coke Oven side of the slip. During the unload, she was eased ahead to lay down a smaller size pile along the pier. This will be for storage use during winter when the CSI landing runs out. The Boland shifted from Lackawanna to Buffalo via the lake at 3PM and went up to CSI to finish off her unload of sand without tugs.

While we do not currently have daily write-ups for the following ports, their respective port authority websites post schedules of vessel traffic that are embedded below. Each schedule takes the form of a miniature webpage within a box – scroll with your cursor within the box (or slide your finger within the box on a mobile device) to move through the schedule as you would a normal webpage. To move up or down the actual Port Reports page itself, make sure your cursor/finger is outside of the box.

Green Bay, WI – Port of Green Bay
Click on vessel image for voyage info.

Hamilton, ON – Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority
Scroll past AIS map for arrival/departure schedule.