Port Reports – November 15, 2022

Unless where otherwise noted, port and vessel activity from November 13-14, 2022. Please send future port reports to news@boatnerd.net.

Duluth, MN – Superior, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
Great Lakes Fleet’s John G. Munson rolled out of bed early Sunday morning at 03:00, shifting from her overnight moorings at Graymont all the way across the harbor to CN Dock 6. Her slumber resumed alongside the gravity chutes, where the classic laker sat looking up Indiana Harbor’s nose while waiting for the footer to finish up at the shiploader. The wait would continue throughout the remainder of the morning and into the early afternoon…

In the meantime, G.L. Ostrander/Integrity arrived Duluth at 07:05 with another load of cement powder for Holcim. It was hoped that classic steamer Alpena – the Twin Ports’ usual cement courier for years – would make an appearance this fall when bad weather renders tug/barge units unfavorable, but time is quickly running out. Ostrander/Integrity and fellow ATB unit Samuel de Champlain/Innovation have taken over the run since 2021, with the Alpena’s lone appearance since then coming in late October of last year. It would likely be the first time in many years without an appearance by the 1942-vintage laker if she fails to find a way up north by season’s close. This particular Ostrander/Integrity journey will be very much out of the ordinary; the pair is scheduled to head over to nearby Fraser Shipyards after unloading to undergo their five-year survey and inspection. Big blue saltie Lubie went to anchor off the piers shortly after the cement-carrying combo proceeded inbound. 

Indiana Harbor packed up her things and cast off from CN 6 in the early afternoon, allowing the awakened John G. Munson to slide on down the dock to take her place. Indy cleared the Duluth Ship Canal at 15:43 after a long journey up the bay and will be headed to her namesake port on Lake Michigan. Former fleetmate (now corporate cousin) American Mariner was inbound three hours later with stone for CN-Hallett Dock 5 from Port Dolomite. Superior’s only traffic of the day came at 20:43 with Baie Comeau departing BNSF for Nanticoke, 30,000 tons of Hibtac pellets in her holds. Saltie Fagelgracht closed out the evening in Duluth with a 21:42 departure empty for Oswego. She had spent a day in port unloading massive wind turbine blades and a couple more hauling ashore bags of quartz sand.

Minutes after midnight, Joseph L. Block went to anchor off the Duluth piers waiting to load at CN after the Munson… or so she thought. Still waiting 10 hours later, the decision was made for her to enter via Superior instead and load up on pellets at BNSF. Near-sister American Mariner had since departed Duluth overnight at 03:35 empty for Thunder Bay and a load of grain, a run she has made on several occasions this season. Baby Mark W. Barker was in for what is already her third appearance of the season at 06:13. This trip saw her go to the east side of CN Dock 6 in preparation to load after the Munson.

An evening snowfall across the harbor brought with it a nice blanket of white stuff and a trio of ship passages heading out for the cold lake. After spending several days at Ash Grove cleaning out her holds in preparation for loading a grain cargo (you don’t want cement in your cereal… trust me), Federal Katsura was headed out of Duluth riding high for Toledo at 19:42 with Gary-bound John G. Munson seven minutes behind her. The dock clear, Mark W. Barker was in place at the CN shiploader to commence a load of her own at 22:30. Across state lines, Joseph L. Block cleared just after 21:00 for Burns Harbor after a quick load of about 10 hours.

Marquette, MI – Oggdo Bogdo
The classic Lee A. Tregurtha fittingly made a visit during Veteran’s Day weekend at 16:59 Sunday. Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader left the dock around 19:00 after arriving the previous night, but they are anchored outside the port for what are likely weather-related concerns. The Hon. James L. Oberstar took its place at 19:30.

There was plenty of action at LS&I on Monday, starting with an early 01:56 departure of the Lee A. Tregurtha. Fleet mate Hon. James L. Oberstar would follow later that morning at 09:03. Both lakers are headed to Dearborn. In addition to Interlake’s vessels, the Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader departed at 23:46 after unloading stone, though it’s unclear what the previous day’s arrival and departure was for. The duo has spent a lot of time anchored off the dock in the last few days, perhaps waiting for the other ships to clear. Regardless, they will head up the lake further to Silver Bay to load ore, instead of the presumed Marquette load.

St. Joseph – Benton Harbor, MI – Michael Moran
Shoaling in the harbor entrance continues to render the harbor restricted to all large commercial traffic. Bids for a dredge contract are currently being accepted by the Corps. I will continue to monitor with the Corps and stakeholders and will update when we know more.

Muskegon, MI – Oggdo Bogdo
Samuel De Champlain departed at 11:04 Sunday for Alpena after another run at LaFarge Holcim. Busy days are ahead at Muskegon; the John J. Boland and Great Republic are making trips, in addition to a visit from CG Mobile Bay.

The John J. Boland made a day trip to Muskegon on Monday, arriving at 08:21 with cargo apparently from Bay City, unloading at B.C Cobb Verplank. She would depart at 19:22 for Port Inland, where the Great Republic had just left before arriving Muskegon at 17:28. The Republic is also at Cobb Verplank.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Compass continues loading at Compass Minerals as of Sunday. Algoma Buffalo remains tied up along North Pier. Algoma Innovator expected next for salt.

Alpena, MI – Jason Luther
Samuel De Champlain with barge Innovation arrived at LaFarge from Muskegon at 2:44 Monday afternoon. Queen of the lakes Alpena, on the heels of the pair, saw her idling out in Thunder Bay this evening for her turn at the silos to load cement.

Lake Erie Ports (11/14) – Bill Kloss
Monroe, MI: American Century unloaded at DTE and then departed for Superior, WI at 09:40.
Toledo, OH: Departures were John D. Leitch at 08:13 with ore for Hamilton, ON, Leonard M/Huron Spirit at 09:35 with steel coils for Cleveland and Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader at 14:07 empty for Silver Bay, MN. Herbert C. Jackson arrived at 16:02. She will be having repairs to her thruster at Hans Hansen. Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder arrived at 20:06 with salt for the ARMS dock. Spruceglen is loading at Torco.
Lorain, OH: With assistance from G tug Pennsylvania due to bow thruster issues, Herbert C. Jackson departed for Toledo at 09:41.
Cleveland, OH: Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder departed at 09:55 with salt for Toledo. Mesabi Miner arrived at the Bulk Terminal at 14:00 with 58,000 tons of UTAC pellets.
Fairport Harbor, OH: Frontenac departed at 02:31 with salt for Bowmanville, ON.
Ashtabula, OH: The ATB Victory/Maumee left at 07:54 for Sault Ste. Marie, ON. Kaye E. Barker arrived at 21:29 to unload stone.
Conneaut, OH: ASC’s Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. is at the P&C dock.
Nanticoke, OH: CSL Tadoussac departed for Bowmanville, ON at 11:32. With a change of orders, Algonorth weighed anchor and departed for Sarnia, ON at 08:04. Paul A. Desgagnes arrived at Imperial Oil at 11:45, joining Algocanada there.

Lake Erie Ports (11/13) – Bill Kloss
Monroe, MI: American Integrity arrived at 06:44 to unload coal at DTE. Tanker Iver Bright left for Sarnia at 08:54. American Century anchored in Lake Erie to wait for American Integrity to finish unloading. The Integrity departed for Two Harbors, MN at 20:15, then the Century went to DTE once the other footer cleared.
Toledo, OH: Arrivals were John D. Leitch to Torco, Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader to Ironville and Leonard M/Huron Spirit to Midwest Terminals. Wilfred Sykes departed for Port Inland and Spruceglen is at CSX.
Marblehead, OH: Calumet arrived late Saturday night to load at Holcim. Once loaded, she departed at 12:49 and headed to Detroit for fuel at Misterskys.
Lorain, OH: Herbert C. Jackson weighed anchor and moved to Carmeuse to unload stone. She has bow thruster issues and was diverted to Lorain as she was originally scheduled for Cleveland.
Cleveland, OH: The Royal Wagenborg saltie Fuldaborg arrived at 03:14 and went to dock 24W at the Port. She has steel coils and plates. Finished with a shuttle, Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder went up the Cuyahoga River to Cargill to load salt. Floragracht departed for Thunder Bay at 15:34.
Fairport Harbor, OH: Frontenac is at Morton Salt.
Ashtabula, OH: Victory/Maumee is at the NS dock.
Conneaut, OH: Walter J. McCarthy, Jr arrived at 08:37 and anchored. She has ore for the P&C dock.
Nanticoke, OH: Algocanada arrived at 19:19 and anchored off Port Dover. Algonorth is at Imperial Oil.

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.