St. Lawrence Seaway reports shipping traffic up 1.66%
Great Lakes shipping doesn’t appear to be contributing to the global supply chain issues.
The Great Lakes Seaway Partnership reported St. Lawrence Seaway traffic saw an increase of 1.66% when compared to last year. Import volumes into the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System continue to climb as east and west coast ports experience congestion and shipping delays, officials said.
A total of 33,329,000 metric tons of cargo shipped through the Seaway from the opening of the navigation season on March 22 through Nov. 30. Additionally, total transits year-to-date reached 3,405 vessels, a 0.83% increase when compared to the same period last year.
Top performing commodities through Nov. 30 included grain at 8,974,000 metric tons and iron ore at 6,459,000 metric tons. While tonnage for grain shows a decrease compared to levels in 2020, grain shipments from the American Great Lakes ports of Toledo, Duluth, and Milwaukee helped close the gap.
Craig Middlebrook, deputy administrator of the U.S. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. welcomed the increased shipping traffic.
“We are encouraged by the level of vessel activity for the month of November, with increases in the movement of bulk cargoes like iron ore, steel and export grain (and) general cargo continued to gain ground on 2020’s volume,” he said. “These trends are anticipated to continue as we approach the final weeks of the 2021 navigation season.”
The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor is part of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System. Port Director Ryan McCoy said Burns Harbor has experienced heightened activity. “The Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor had a great November,” he said. “Year-to-date, Burns Harbor is up more than 25% overall.”
McCoy said the port is moving a lot of late-season coils, slabs, and bulk cargos.
“We have very full docks and a busy schedule up to the historical close of the season,” he said. “With warm weather in the long-range forecast, we believe domestic, barge traffic will stay strong into 2022.”
NW Indiana Business
Obituary: Adolph Ojard Jr.
Adolph Ojard, a resident of Reynolds Lake Oconee, GA, passed away on December 30, 2021, at University Hospital in Augusta, GA of complications from Myasthenia Gravis and Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome.
Adolph was born 06/10/1949 in Duluth, MN and grew up in Knife River, MN. He attended Gustavus Adolphus College but graduated from UMD with a degree in English Literature. He began his career at the DM&IR Railway loading boats and retired as General Manager of both the DM&IR and Great Lakes Fleet in 2001. He then was appointed and enjoyed his career as Executive Director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, retiring in 2013. He and his wife then moved to Lake Oconee in Greensboro GA. His 31-year-career included transfers to Erie and Pittsburgh, PA, back to Duluth, Mobile, AL and finally back to Duluth again.
His retirement consisted of golf and more golf, joining a fishing group and singing in the local chorus. He was proud and honored to have played at Augusta two times. He was a very talented woodworker and enjoyed creating furniture and many items in his workshop. He also loved gardening and pickling his produce. He made a canoe from scratch and rebuilt a ‘56 ChrisCraft woodie. There was nothing he couldn’t and wouldn’t do. He was obsessed with his Tesla S and all things Elon. Sadly, he hadn’t driven it in a very long time because of his disease. He was a man to be admired and never met a stranger.
He was preceded in death by his father, Captain of the Tug Edna G, Adolph Ojard, mother, Marion Torgersen Ojard and daughter, Berit Leigh. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Leigh Ann Goerts Ojard, daughters Courtenay (Scott) Weller of Harrisburg, PA and also Gretchen (Peter) Vikingson of Greensboro, GA. He lived for his grandchildren Emma, Mason and SadieMae Weller, and Bergen and Barrett Vikingson. He was a very fun papa who will be greatly missed. Adolph is also survived by brothers William (Jeanne) Kendall and Bradley (Joanne) Ojard.
If possible, a memorial will be held in Knife River church this summer. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America through myasthenia.org
Lay-up reports needed
As the end of the shipping season approaches, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/
