American Courage aground off Fairport Harbor
MARBLEHEAD, OH – Around 9 am local time, the self-unloading vessel American Courage ran aground off the Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Light while attempting to back into port. The American Courage is currently loaded with limestone from Marblehead, Ohio, and as of Monday morning remained aground while Great Lakes Towing’s tugs Ohio and Pennsylvania were nearby in an attempt to free the vessel. It is unknown if there has been any damage to the hull.
Jack Hurt
Expanding container shipping along the Great Lakes and Seaway
The rise in fuel prices has prompted renewed interest in expanding container shipping at America’s Great Lakes ports, like Duluth and Cleveland. There is potential for Port of Duluth to develop containerized dry bulk agricultural exports to Europe, where growing numbers of customers are willing to take delivery of containers of agricultural produce.
The Port of Cleveland played an instrumental role in developing viable container shipping between Europe and the Great Lakes when it introduced a direct service to Antwerp. A comparatively small container ship of under 1,000 TEU has feasibly carried containers between Antwerp and Cleveland, with rates that compete with the alternative option – a mega-size container ship sailing to Port of Newark followed by high-cost railway connection to Cleveland. The Port of Duluth involves an even greater railway distance (1250 miles), making direct Duluth – Europe container shipping potentially more attractive.
The Port of Hamilton on Lake Ontario took the initiative to develop a maritime container connection to the Port of Montreal, with future potential to expand to include a future interline connection to the Port of Halifax. There is potential for a viable Europe – Halifax – Hamilton connection courtesy of terms negotiated in the Canada – Europe Trade Agreement (CETA) that makes provision for container transshipment at Port of Halifax.
The precedent of the Antwerp – Cleveland container shipping service provides an economic basis and business case to extend the service to Port of Duluth, located in the western region of Lake Superior. Duluth’s metro population of 290,000 is located within close proximity to the Minneapolis – St. Paul metropolitan area, with a population of almost 3.7 million. Nearby Winnipeg, Canada is home to another 825,000. The Port of Duluth can serve a population of over 10-million that would include the states of North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska and the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
While ports around the Great Lakes represent destinations for containers that originate from overseas, there is a need to develop an export market involving empty containers that arrived with import items near Great Lakes and Seaway ports. An initiative involving the transportation of dry bulk in containers has been tested along sections of the American inland waterway system, involving tugs and barge tows. Agricultural dry bulk includes wheat, barley, oats, soy, peas, beans and corn with non-agricultural dry bulk including salt and also of potash fertilizer that may be transported inside containers.
Agricultural dry bulk cultivated in regions that could be exported in containers via Port of Duluth include durum wheat, spring wheat, corn, soy, peas, beans, lentils, barley and oats. Main production areas would include North and South Dakota along with Saskatchewan and Manitoba in Canada. Saskatchewan is the world’s biggest exporter of peas, lentils, durum wheat and oats as well as being the world’s leading producer of potash that is used for fertilizer. Main highways and railway lines link Port of Duluth with important American and main Canadian agricultural regions that would benefit from containerized export of their produce.
European markets have indicated a willingness to accept delivery of containers of dry bulk agricultural produce. There is potential to connect Port of Duluth with European ports that would accept delivery of containerized dry bulk agricultural production. Railway trains would carry most of the containers of agricultural dry bulk from producing areas to Port of Duluth, for transfer to Seaway-max size container ships of up to 1,400 TEU capacity. The vessels on this route could take aboard additional containers of agricultural dry bulk at one of the ports along the St. Lawrence Seaway prior to sailing to Europe.
At the present time, the Port of Cleveland is the main destination on the Great Lakes for container ships that connect to Europe. The potential to transfer containerized agricultural dry bulk for export to overseas markets at Port of Duluth would significantly increase container shipping along the Seaway and across the Great lakes. While there might be the option to transfer containers between smaller vessels and mega-size container ships at Port of Halifax, the precedent between Ports of Cleveland and Antwerp has proven that a small container ship can feasibly sail between the Great Lakes and Europe.
European customers have become willing to take delivery of containerized agricultural dry bulk from North America. Such a shift in the market provides opportunity for Port of Duluth to develop agricultural dry bulk container shipping to Europe and make productive use of available empty containers. Such an operation would complement the export of agricultural dry bulk from the Port of Thunder Bay, where bulk carriers are often loaded to capacity before sailing to European destinations.
The Maritime Executive
Know Your Ships book signing is Saturday at Port Huron
PORT HURON, MI – On Saturday May 28, the Great Lakes Maritime Center in Port Huron will host its 2022 “Know Your Ships” Book Signing with editor and publisher Roger LeLievre from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Along with the book, Roger will have Great Lakes caps and Stack & Flag charts for sale.
Great Lakes cartoonist / illustrator artist Don Lee, whose freighter cartoons have often appeared on Facebook, will have his easel and will sketch your likeness, with or without freighter (tips appreciated).
Also on hand will be Roger Hulett, author of “A Lot More To Do – Frank Mays Survival of the Tragic Carl D Bradley Sinking.” Ken Niemi, a Great Lakes historian, will have used maritime books, art and some artifacts for sale.
If you can’t make Saturday’s Know Your Ships signing, Roger will also be set up Sunday, May 29, at the Mariner Theater, 430 S. Water St., Marine City, between noon and 3 p.m.
Great Lakes Maritime Center
Help wanted: Lake Michigan Carferry
Lake Michigan Carferry is accepting applications for placement in the engine department aboard the historic S.S. Badger. Candidates must possess a Merchant Mariner’s Credential with QMED (Fireman/Oiler/Watertender) endorsement, a current Medical Certificate and a valid TWIC card. QMED will expect to live aboard and stand a 4 hour watch, twice a day, 7 days a week for the remainder of the 2022 sailing season (as soon as possible to Oct 16th, 2022) QMED wage is $28.91p/hr ($43.37 for OT hours). Visit our web site at http://www.ssbadger.com > Join the Crew to fill out an online application or email lbialochowski@interlakems.com for more information.
Time running out for Boatnerd freighter-chasing cruise early bird rate
After going on pandemic hiatus for the last two years, the Annual Boatnerd Soo Freighter Chasing Cruise is back in business!
•When: Friday – June 24, 6–9 pm, rain or shine
•Where: Soo Locks Boat Tours, Dock #2 (next to the Valley Camp)
•Limit: 100 passengers
•Food: Pizza and salad included with paid passage
•General Admission (US funds): Early Bird rate $30.00 each, $35.00 each from June 1-June 17
•Youth Admission (US funds): Early Bird rate $20.00 each, $25.00 each from June 1-June 17. Youth admission applies to those under 18.
This year’s St. Marys River cruise will be aboard a Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours boat on Friday, June 24. Boarding begins at 5:30 pm, and we cast off at 6pm. The cruise is three hours long. We plan to travel through the U.S. Locks, but that may change in order to chase freighters. (NOTE: At this time, we can approach the Canadian Locks, but not transit through them. We can also approach Algoma Steel, but we cannot enter the slip.)
Pizza and salad are included in paid passage. There will be a cash bar on board. You can bring your own food and beverages (no alcohol).
Reservations are a must, as the group is limited to 100 passengers. Reservations (both online and mail-in) must be received no later than Friday, June 17. Buy tickets here: https://tinyurl.com/2p86wujf
If the cruise is not sold out, Angie Williams will take CASH ONLY reservations through the end of the Boatnerd Picnic on Thursday, June 23, at the Procrastinator Price of $40.00 per General Admission ticket, and $30 per youth ticket.
Contact Angie at griffinclawangie@gmail.com or 734-386-0899 if you have questions or wish to reserve without using EventBrite,.
The Boatnerd Picnic will be Thursday, June 23, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Sherman Park, just west of the locks. Bring a dish to pass. Burgers, hot dogs, buns and condiments will be provided by Boatnerd. Free.) Save the date and think early about your travel plans and lodging. The event will be held rain or shine, but lets hope for sunshine!
Events are in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers annual Engineer’s Day (Friday, June 24) open house at the Soo Locks, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
