Port and vessel activity from Saturday, July 15, 2023, unless stated otherwise. Please send future port reports to news@boatnerd.net.
Two Harbors, MN – Gary Putney
Edwin H. Gott loading Two Harbors for Nanticoke.
Silver Bay, MN – Gary Putney
Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader loading in Silver Bay for Toledo. James R. Barker upbound Lake Superior for Silver Bay.
Thunder Bay, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
It took me long enough to figure out the real reason for CCGS Samuel Risley’s visit: Thunder Bay’s Coast Guard and Maritime History Day! At 08:30 Saturday morning, the workhorse of the Canadian Coast Guard Great Lakes fleet shifted over from Keefer Terminal to Pool 6 to tie up right next to retired cutter Alexander Henry, the vessel the Risley herself directly replaced in 1985 (awkward). Putting their grudge aside for a day, the two veterans would soon be open to the public for free tours in celebration of the Canadian Coast Guard and Thunder Bay’s rich maritime history. Smaller boats CCGS Cape Chaillon and CCGS Kelso would also join the lineup.
Commercial traffic in the harbor would have another big day, even with a 12-hour lull mixed in. Algoma Transport made port at 01:02, performing a 180-degree spin off the breakwaters in the dark before backing in for Thunder Bay Terminals. The vessel departed at 13:33 for Hamilton, ON, likely with petroleum coke. Harvest Spirit was outbound next, backing out from Richardson Main at 14:22 bound for Windsor, ON. The exodus continued lower in the harbor at 16:40 with Federal Churchill clearing MobilEx for Montreal, QC. As the big red saltie prepared to depart, the decidedly more greenish Andean cast off from Keefer Terminal to fill the newly vacant dock.
CSL’s Thunder Bay arrived her namesake port at 16:57 for a trip to Viterra B, tying up just across the way from fleetmate CSL Welland wrapping up at Viterra A. The latter was outbound at 18:55 for Montreal, QC. At long last, anchored salties Federal Nakagawa and Lubie would also make port in the evening, arriving at 19:14 and 20:46 for Thunder Bay Terminals and Richardson Main, respectively.
Blacky spent Saturday motionless at Keefer Terminal, while Osogovo is still on hook out on the lake.
Marquette, MI – Arthur Pickering
Since my last report, the Kaye E. Barker arrived early Friday morning, loaded, and departed in the afternoon. Late Friday night, the Lee Tregurtha arrived at the ore dock in Marquette’s upper harbor and is currently loading as of Saturday morning. Also scheduled for arrival on Saturday were the American Spirit and the Michigan Trader, while the Maumee is scheduled for an early Monday morning arrival.
Holland, MI – Noah H.
Everyone’s favorite red-hulled Interlake tug/barge combo stopped by at Holland on Saturday at 22:57. The duo is nestled all the way up at Brewer’s City Dock following an hour-long voyage across Lake Macatawa. This is their first visit since May after making around a half dozen trips last season.
Grand Haven, MI – Noah H.
Steamer Wilfred Sykes stopped by on Thursday with cargo for Meekhof’s D&M from both Indiana and Burns Harbors. She entered the piers at 19:34, and would already be gone by 01:05 on Friday morning. Next up for the Sykes is Port Inland.
Muskegon, MI – Noah H.
Passenger vessel Pearl Mist made another visit on Friday, arriving at 20:46 for an overnight stay. They would stay for most of Saturday before departing at 17:25 in the evening, due next at Mackinac Island.
Bruce Mines, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
Manitowoc made port at 14:15 to load at Ontario Trap Rock. Departing just before 23:00 with donuts on the brain, the vessel and her crew are due next in St. Joseph, MI, with a cargo of stone and an AIS destination of “St. Joughnuts” for good measure.
Meldrum Bay, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
Fresh off a rare trip to Charlevoix, MI, Algoma Mariner arrived at 17:30 to load for Windsor, ON.
Owen Sound, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
Classic laker Saginaw arrived at 22:03 on Friday with grain from Thunder Bay, ON. She unloaded her cargo into the hopper at P&H before departing 24 hours later for Drummond Island, MI.
Port Huron, MI – Sarnia, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
Algoma Discovery arrived at 17:08 for the North Slip. The nature of her visit is unknown, though this dock typically indicates repairs, lay-up, or a delay. The Harbor Lookout schedule still had her due next in Two Harbors, MN, as of Saturday evening.
Monroe, MI – Bill Kloss
New York/Double Skin 509A is unloading.
Toledo, OH – Bill Kloss
Sharon M1/Huron Spirit and Prentiss Brown/St. Marys Challenger both left for Cleveland. Victory/Maumee left for Sault Ste. Marie. A late-night arrival was the Hon. James L. Oberstar to Torco.
Marblehead, OH – Bill Kloss
American Courage arrived for a stone load at Holcim.
Sandusky, OH – Bill Kloss
CSL Niagara departed with coal for Hamilton, ON.
Cleveland, OH – Bill Kloss
G.L. Ostrander/Integrity delivered cement to Holcim then left for Essexville. Also arriving were Sharon MI/Huron Spirit with steel coils for the Port dock 24N, Federal Shimanto also with steel coils at dock 24W and Prentiss Brown/St. Marys Challenger with cement for St. Marys Columbus St. terminal. Sam Laud is on a shuttle for Cliffs.
Erie, PA – Bill Kloss
American Courage unloaded stone at Carmeuse then left for Marblehead.
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski
The American Mariner arrived with a load of wheat out of Superior, WI, for the Frontier Elevator at 01:30 and came straight in without tugs.
Nanticoke, ON – Bill Kloss
Algoberta is loading at Imperial Oil.
We do not currently have daily summaries for the following ports, but 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.
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- Flyer for Thunder Bay, ON’s Coast Guard and Maritime History Day. Port of Thunder Bay
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- Stewart J. Cort arrives her frequent haunt of Burns Harbor, IN, to unload ore from Superior, WI. Jack Anderson (Burns Harbor, IN – July 13)
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- The footer passes steamer Wilfred Sykes loading nearby. Jack Anderson (Burns Harbor, IN – July 13)
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- A stark contrast in size between the two veterans! Jack Anderson (Burns Harbor, IN – July 13)
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- The Cort passes by with the blue lake beyond. Jack Anderson (Burns Harbor, IN – July 13)
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- Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder illuminate the piers for a spooky late-night arrival. Jason Bhaskaran (Holland, MI – July 15)
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- Pearl Mist docks in Muskegon Lake on another visit to port. Corey Kieft (Muskegon, MI – July 15)
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- Saginaw unloads grain at the P&H Great Lakes Elevator. Scott McAteer (Owen Sound, ON – July 15)
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- Federal Rideau passes the Detroit, MI, skyline as storm clouds roll in from the west. Andrew Russell (Detroit, MI – July 14)
