Port and vessel activity from May 2, 2023, unless stated otherwise. Please send future port reports to news@boatnerd.net.
Editor’s Note: Thank you for your patience with the lack of consistent posts over the past few weeks. Unfortunately, I recently had a death in the family. Everything sent in from April 29 onwards should be included below, and typical daily posting will resume tomorrow. — Joshua
Duluth, MN – Superior, WI – Scott Bjorklund
Duluth Entry
It was a relatively quiet weekend in the Twin Ports compared to recent weeks! G.L. Ostrander arrived at 07:21 (Central) Saturday morning with cement for Holcim in Superior. H. Lee White departed empty a few hours later at 09:37 to load wheat in Thunder Bay. Paul R. Tregurtha departed at 23:39 with iron ore pellets for Cleveland. Joseph L. Block was the only arrival for Sunday, entered Duluth at 02:59 to unload limestone at CN#6 before loading at the same dock.
As of Tuesday, Duluth Ship Canal has been quiet the last few days due to high winds on the other side of the lake. Joseph L. Block’s departure Tuesday morning at 08:47 with iron ore pellets for Indiana Harbor was the only major action. As of Tuesday night, no vessels were in port on the Duluth side. Since the winds are calming down, and the boats have started moving again, we will see the American Century (loading coal at SMET) and American Integrity (loading iron ore pellets at CN) arriving sometime Wednesday night or early Thursday.
Superior Entry
Burns Harbor arrived at 10:12 (Central) Saturday morning to load iron ore pellets at BNSF#5. After a long load, they finally departed at 17:35 Sunday evening with iron ore for her namesake port. Stewart J. Cort arrived at 18:41 to load at BNSF.
Stewart J. Cort departed at 11:13 Monday morning with iron ore for Burns Harbor. CSL Tadoussac loaded quickly, arriving at 11:51 and departing at 23:35 with iron ore for Nanticoke. Mesabi Miner arrived at 06:06 Tuesday morning to load at BNSF. Finally, after several days in port waiting on weather, G.L. Ostrander and Integrity departed empty at 10:28 for another run to Alpena. As of Tuesday night, Mesabi Miner was still loading at BNSF; they are estimated to depart sometime Wednesday morning. Clyde S. VanEnkevort is expected next sometime Thursday.
Two Harbors, MN – Silver Bay, MN – Gary Putney
Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader departed Silver Bay on 4/28 at 21:47 for Toledo Ironville. The Great Republic arrived Two Harbors on 4/28 at 17:43 and departed at 04:00 on 4/29 for the Gary Works. The Victory/Maumee shifted on 4/29 from North of #2 from 04:08 to the shiploader at 04:21. She departed at 12:59 to Algoma Soo.
Marquette, MI – Noah H.
Less-than-ideal conditions have cast some uncertainty into the Marquette visitors’ schedules. 1,000-foot American Spirit lumbered in for her first visit of the season at 06:19 after making a loop or two out on the lake on her approach. She just recently made it out of Superior, WI after receiving some repairs. The Spirit would be closely followed by the Hon. James L. Oberstar at 06:44. The classic laker would already be gone by 12:38, heading west to Keweenaw Bay to wait out some wind. The American Spirit departed at 16:42 and also headed west, settling in north of the Oberstar near Bete Grise. It is assumed that despite the short loading times, both vessels are fully loaded for their respective steelworks destinations. Up next, if the storm subsides once she clears the locks, would be the grand Kaye E. Barker.
St. Marys River – Know Your Ships
Groupe Desgagnes’ Miena Desgagnes made a trip to the upper lakes Tuesday afternoon when she passed upbound through the Soo Locks headed for Thunder Bay, ON, with a cargo of windmill parts. She was built in China in 2017.
Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Algoma Innovator arrived at 03:59 Saturday with salt from Compass Minerals, Goderich, and headed for the Kinder Morgan bagging plant along south slip three of the outer harbor. Two hours later, Polsteam’s Solina arrived from Burns Harbor carrying steel from IJmuiden. With an assist from G-Tug Louisiana, Solina backed into south slip one of the outer harbor and tied up at Federal Marine Terminals. Bradshaw McKee/St. Marys Conquest is expected Saturday afternoon with cement for the Kinnickinnic River terminal.
Muskegon, MI – Noah H.
Samuel de Champlain/Innovation arrived at 04:10 Saturday, their first visit of the season. The duo came from Milwaukee with cement to unload at LaFarge, which they finished at 16:43. Next up for the pair is South Chicago.
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Compass cleared 02:18 Monday upbound for Chicago with salt. Algoma Intrepid arrived 22:45 Monday and loaded at Compass Minerals.
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
April 29
Monroe, MI: New York/Double Skin 509A is still unloading.
Toledo, OH: Departing were Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader to Detroit and Herbert C. Jackson to Burns Harbor.
Cleveland, OH: Petite Forte/St. Marys Cement departed for Bowmanville, ON. American Courage is on the shuttles.
Conneaut, OH: Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. arrived to unload ore at the P&C dock.
Buffalo, NY: CSL Niagara is in port.
Nanticoke, ON: Kitikmeot W loaded petroleum products and departed for Quebec.
April 30
Monroe, MI: New York/Double Skin 509A is still unloading.
Toledo, OH: Manitoulin departed for Sault Ste. Marie.
Lorain, OH: Mark W. Barker arrived late Saturday night with stone for Holcim. After unloading, she left for Marblehead to load stone at Holcim.
Cleveland, OH: NACC Argonaut arrived with cement for Holcim. She unloaded for a few hours, then went to anchor in Lake Erie to allow Alpena to unload. American Courage departed to Marblehead.
Fairport Harbor, OH: Defiance/Ashtabula brought in stone for Osborne.
Ashtabula, OH: American Mariner delivered stone to the Pinney dock, then left for Fairport Harbor. McKeil Marine’s tug Eccose and barge MM220 are carrying steel beams to Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie.
Conneaut, OH: Walter J. McCarthy Jr. unloaded ore at the P&C dock, then left for Two Harbors once empty. The saltie Onego Merchant is loading ore.
Buffalo, NY: CSL Niagara departed for Nanticoke.
Nanticoke, ON: Arrivals were CSL Niagara to unload coal at Stelco and Algoterra to load at Imperial Oil.
May 1
Toledo, OH: Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader and CSL Niagara are both anchored in Lake Erie.
Marblehead, OH: Mark W. Barker departed for Cleveland. American Courage weighed anchor and moved to Holcim to load stone.
Lorain, OH: Laura L. VanEnkevort/Joseph H. Thompson arrived with stone for Terminal Ready Mix.
Cleveland, OH: Alpena departed for Essexville and NACC Argonaut moved back to finish unloading at Holcim. Federal Oshima is at Dock 26W with containers, general cargo and steel. Mark W. Barker arrived to unload stone at Holcim’s West 3rd St. Yard
Fairport Harbor, OH: Defiance/Ashtabula departed for Cedarville. American Mariner unloaded at Osborne and left for fuel at Miserskys in Detroit. Frontenac was anchored in Lake Erie but departed with no updated destination.
Conneaut, OH: Onego Merchant is at the P&C Dock.
Nanticoke, ON: At Stelco, CSL Niagara departed for Toledo once empty and fleetmate Baie Comeau arrived to unload ore. At Imperial Oil, Mia Desganes arrived and anchored. Algoterra left with petroleum products for Sarnia.
May 2
Due to winds and waves on Lake Erie, quite a few boats are anchored or remaining in port.
Toledo, OH: Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader, CSL Niagara and Algoma Sault are anchored. Wilf Seymour/Alouette Spirit departed for Windsor.
Marblehead, OH: American Courage departed for Lorain.
Lorain, OH: Laura L. VanEnkevort/Joseph H.Thompson is tied up on the Black River and American Courage is anchored in Lake Erie.
Cleveland, OH: Polsteam’s Narie is at Dock 24E at the Port. Algoma Buffalo is anchored in Lake Erie, Mark W. Barker is tied down at Lehigh Cement and NACC Argonaut is at Holcim. Federal Oshima is unloading at the Port docks.
Conneaut, OH: Onego Merchant departed with a destination of Iceland.
Nanticoke, ON: Baie Comeau left and is headed to Thunder Bay. Mia Desgagnes is anchored off of Port Dover.
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski
The Niagara departed Lackawanna with a load of coal for Nanticoke at 11PM on the 29th.
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.
Hamilton, ON – Hamilton–Oshawa Port Authority
Scroll past AIS map for arrival/departure schedule.