Port Reports – April 15, 2023

Port and vessel activity from April 14, 2023, unless stated otherwise. Please send future port reports to news@boatnerd.net.

Duluth, MN – Superior, WI – Scott Bjorklund
Duluth Entry
Defiance and Ashtabula departed with iron ore pellets early Wednesday morning at 04:07 (Central) for Indiana Harbor. Burns Harbor then arrived from anchor at 05:15 to load at CN#6. Burns Harbor didn’t depart until 07:18 Thursday morning; their load of ore was destined for Indiana Harbor as well. American Mariner, which was partially loaded under the gravity chutes, departed at 15:57 with iron ore pellets for Cleveland. Finally, American Century arrived at 17:08 Thursday night to fuel before loading coal at SMET. As of Thursday night, only American Century was in port on the Duluth side, fueling at the marine terminal. 

Mesabi Miner arrived at 05:48 Friday morning to load at CN#6. Arthur M. Anderson arrived at 07:29 with limestone for CN-Hallett #5. American Century departed at 13:30 Friday afternoon with low sulfur coal for St. Clair, Michigan. Finally, James R. Barker arrived at 21:15 to load low sulfur coal at SMET. As of Friday night, Mesabi Miner was loading at CN and Arthur M. Anderson was waiting at CN-Hallett #5. Due to a backup at Two Harbors, Michipicoten is expected early Saturday morning to load at CN. Mesabi Miner is estimated to depart sometime in the morning with iron ore pellets. James R. Barker is estimated to depart mid-morning with low sulfur coal.

Superior Entry
Baie Comeau departed at 07:15 (Central) Wednesday morning with iron ore for Nanticoke. Algoma Strongfield came in next at 07:45 to load at BNSF; they departed at 20:43 with iron ore for Quebec City, QC. Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin arrived at 21:10 Wednesday night to load at BNSF. The Martin departed at 10:14 Thursday morning with iron ore for Nanticoke, and Stewart J. Cort arrived at 11:40 to take their turn at BNSF.

Two Harbors, MN – Gary Putney
CSL Laurentien, after loading in Two Harbors, headed down the lake Wednesday. The Indiana Harbor after departing is heading for Conneaut. Anchored off Two Harbors as of Wednesday night were the Michipicoten, Whitefish Bay, and Great Republic.

Michipicoten departed Two Harbors 4/12 for Algoma Soo. The Great Republic arrived and departed Two Harbors on 4/13 for the Gary Works. Heading for Two Harbors as of Thursday night were the Algoma Discovery, CSL Niagara, and the Joseph L. Block.

Block arrived Two Harbors at 09:52 Friday for the shiploader. The Algoma Discovery and the CSL Niagara are stopped just off the Two Harbors harbor waiting for the shiploader dock. The John G. Munson arrived Two Harbors at 13:00 for S of #1 layby. Also in the greater Two Harbors area as of Friday night are the James R. Barker and the Michipicoten.

Marquette, MI – Noah H.
April 12
After a sub-8 hour load, the classic Herbert C. Jackson departed for Detroit at 03:09. Herbie has been making the Marquette run near exclusively this season, so she should be back in the near future. Fleetmate Hon. James L. Oberstar unloaded limestone before loading next to the Jackson. Limestone has not been a factor up until this point at Marquette. The Oberstar departed at 21:57 after a near 24 hour visit, impacted of course by the unloading time. Arriving in the opening hours of Thursday morning will be the tug/barge combo Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader, replacing fleetmate Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader on the schedule. The latter is headed to BNSF at Superior instead.

April 13
Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader arrived at 01:20 and has not yet departed. It’s the duo’s second visit of the season, after making around 10 trips last season. Provided that Clyde doesn’t go anywhere for a few more hours, there could be a Marquette barge party with the upcoming arrival of Victory/Maumee. The runner-up in total visits last season is getting a late start in 2023, though last year’s first place vessel Hon. James L. Oberstar has been somewhat inconsistent thus far, leaving the door wide open for a new champion. Speaking of ships which could steal the throne, the Lee A. Tregurtha is on her way up once again.

April 14
Despite what the “official” arrival and departure times may read, the Victory/Maumee did not arrive until a little after 07:15, well after the Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader departed for Cleveland at around 06:50. Therefore, devastatingly, there was not a barge party at Marquette on Friday. Later in the evening, at 19:00, the Victory departed for Toledo. Alas, any barge party must wait until a future day. Due up next at the unusually empty dock are the Kaye. E. Barker and Lee A. Tregurtha.

Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Bradshaw McKee/St. Marys Conquest arrived from Calumet Harbor Tuesday morning with cement for the Kinnickinnic River terminal. It appeared there were bow thruster problems as she was escorted to her berth by G-Tug Hawaii. The pair departed for Charlevoix late that afternoon. Polsteam’s Isadora arrived from Burns Harbor at 06:50 Wednesday and tied up at Federal Marine Terminals, south slip one, outer harbor. She carries steel coils from IJmuiden, Netherlands, and is the first salty to call at Milwaukee in 2023. GL Ostrander/Integrity arrived Wednesday night with cement for the Lafarge terminal.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Compass cleared 20:48 Monday upbound for Green Bay, WI with salt. Patagonman (saltie, Singapore) arrived 15:20 Monday and is at the elevators. Algoma Conveyor arrived 21:40 Tuesday and loaded at Compass Minerals. Second appearance here for Algoma Conveyor this new season.

Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
April 12
Monroe, MI: Karen Andrie/Endeavor arrived to unload at the Port dock. Returning from Detroit is the Vane Bros. tug and barge New York/Double Skin 509A with another load of liquid asphalt.
Toledo, OH: In port are Albert/Margaret and Wilf Seymour/Allouette Spirit.
Sandusky, OH: Algoma Transport arrived at Norfolk Southern to load coal.
Cleveland, OH: Wilfred Sykes departed for Port Inland, MI. Mark W. Barker went to Cargill to load salt after unloading at Osborne. Arriving were John J. Boland with 30,000 tons of Tilden pellets for the Bulk Terminal and Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder. The Boland anchored while Dorothy Ann proceeded to the Bulk Terminal to load a shuttle. American Courage departed for Stoneport. Petite Forte/St. Marys Cement is still unloading.
Erie, PA: McKeil Spirit is at Don Jon Marine.
Buffalo, NY: Manitoulin is at ADM and NACC Alicudi is at Holcim. The saltie Blacky is at WS Services.
Nanticoke, ON: Algosea departed with petroleum products for Tracy. Kitikmeot W is still at Imperial Oil. Algoterra and Capt. Henry Jackman remain anchored.

April 13
Monroe, MI: Karen Andrie/Endeavor left for Detroit. New York/Double Skin 509A is at the Port dock. Paul R. Tregurtha has coal for the DTE plant.
Toledo, OH: Albert/Margaret and Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader are at Ironville while Edgar B Speer is at CSX and John J. Boland is at Midwest Terminals. Wilf Seymour/Alouette Spirit departed for Detroit.
Marblehead, OH: Cuyahoga loaded stone at Holcim and left for Kingsville, ON, arriving later in the evening to unload at Southwestern Sales Co.
Sandusky, OH: Algoma Transport left for Hamilton and Kaye E. Barker is at Norfolk Southern to load coal.
Cleveland, OH: Departures were John J. Boland empty for Toledo, Petite Forte/St. Marys Cement for Bowmanville, ON and Mark W. Barker with salt for Milwaukee. Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder is running the shuttles.
Ashtabula, OH: CSL’s Oakglen is at anchor. She will unload at the Pinney Dock. Cuyahoga awoke from a long nap and departed for Marblehead.
Erie, PA: McKeil Spirit is at Don Jon Marine.
Buffalo, NY: Departing were NACC Alicudi for Bath, ON and Manitoulin. Blacky is stil in port.
Nanticoke, ON: Kitikmeot W departed with petroleum products for Montreal. Algoterra is still anchored while Capt. Henry Jackman moved to Stelco.

April 14
Monroe, MI: Still unloading is New York/Double Skin 509A. Paul R. Tregurtha departed for Superior, WI and fleetmate Kaye E. Barker took her place at DTE to unload coal. Mrs. Barker departed for Marquette once empty.
Toledo, OH: Edgar B Speer and John J. Boland are still in port. Departing were Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader for Silver Bay, MN and the tug Albert with her barge Margaret for Sarnia. Samuel de Champlain/Innovation was an evening arrival with cement for Holcim.
Kingsville, ON: Cuyahoga unloaded stone and left with a destination of Fairport Harbor, OH.
Sandusky, OH: Kaye E. Barker loaded coal and departed for Monroe, MI.
Cleveland, OH: Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder is on the shuttles.
Fairport Harbor, OH: Cuyahoga is loading at the Morton Salt dock.
Ashtabula, OH: Oakglen unloaded at Kinder Morgan’s Pinney Dock. Once empty, she departed for Superior, WI.
Nanticoke, ON: Algoterra weighed anchor and went to Imperial Oil. Capt. Henry Jackman departed for Quebec. Over at Stelco, Frontenac departed for Thunder Bay, ON, Harvest Spirit is loading steel coils and Presque is unloading ore. Mia Desgagnes and Algonova are at anchor.

Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski
The Manitoulin arrived with a load of Canadian Red Wheat for the ADM Standard elevator at 11:00 on the 11th. She met the Vermont at the North Entrance and winded in the Outer Harbor. An unexpected mechanical issue forced the Vermont to head back upriver so the crew could switch over to the Oklahoma instead. The Captain of the Manitoulin decided to back up the Buffalo River and meet the second tug below Ohio St. The Oklahoma caught up with her in the reach below the bridge and the tow picked back up again. They made the turn and got to the elevator around 12:45.

The Oklahoma went out to tow in the NACC Alicudi on the morning of the 12th. She helped the ship wind in the Outer Harbor and then towed her in stern first for the Holcim cement terminal at 01:00. Later that afternoon, around 13;00, the Vermont went out to help the salt water ship Blacky into Gateway Metroport in Lackawanna. They came straight in through the South Entrance and went up the slip to the Sucros Sourcing plant on the Main Dock. The ship was positioned off of their bulk apron where a new hopper was ready for its first use in flood loading trucks with raw sugar cane right off the ship. It takes two buckets to fill one dump truck and the plan is to eventually install a conveyor to take the sugar straight into the building instead.

The NACC Alicudi was ready to go at Holcim Cement at 21:00 on the 12th and had the Vermont check her stern on the way out. With the cement boat clear of the dock below Ohio St., the Manitoulin was able to sneak out behind them without tugs. Two city bridge tenders were on hand to make the moves and both ships came down one after the other, clearing Buffalo harbor around 22:00.

While we do not currently have daily summaries for the following ports, their respective port authority websites post schedules of vessel traffic that are featured below. Each schedule is a miniature webpage within a box. Scroll with your cursor in 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.

Check out tomorrow’s post (April 16) for an expanded gallery of images from the past week!