Port Reports – December 12, 2023

PORT REPORT  12/12/2023

TWO HARBORS, MINNESOTA-Tom Geiger
12/12/2023  Edgar B. Speer-ETA-7:15 AM
12/13/2023  Joseph L. Block-ETA-5:30 AM
12/13/2023  Presque Isle-ETA-9:30 PM

TWO HARBORS-MINNESOTA-EB
Philip R. Clarke, originally slated to load at Duluth, diverted into Two Harbors instead on Monday afternoon, December 11th, performing an impressive stern-first maneuver to get through the breakwall in challenging southwesterly winds and seas.
Burns Harbor was also on their way toward Two Harbors Monday, expecting to arrive in the evening, but with Clarke at the loading dock and no good anchorage outside Two Harbors in a borderline southwest gale, Burns Harbor diverted toward the Superior Entry with their AIS destination updated accordingly.
Two Harbors-bound Edgar B. Speer and Silver Bay-bound Mesabi Miner both took shelter in Keweenaw Bay Monday as southwest gales blew across western Lake Superior. The pair of thousand footers tucked into anchor less than a mile from each other just off the eastern entrance to the Portage Canal/Keweenaw Waterway.

SILVER BAY, MINNESOTA-Tom Geiger
12/13/2023  Mesabi Miner-ETA-12:00 PM

SILVER BAY, MINNESOTA-EB
Silver Bay-bound Mesabi Miner and Two Harbors bound Edgar B. Speer both took shelter in Keweenaw Bay Monday as southwest gales blew across western Lake Superior. The pair of thousand footers tucked into anchor less than a mile from each other just off the eastern entrance to the Portage Canal/Keweenaw Waterway.

DULUTH,MINNESOTA-Tom Geiger
12/12/2023  Hon. James L. Oberstar-ETA-3:43 AM
12/12/2023  Paul R. Tregurtha-ETA-5:09 AM
12/12/2023  American Mariner-ETA-12:15 PM
12/12/2023  Narie-ETA-5:45 PM
12/13/2023  Radcliffe A. Latimer-ETA-1:30 AM
12/13/2023  Kaye E. Barker-ETA-9:00 PM

DULUTH, MINNESOTA-EB
Polish Steamship Company’s ocean-going bulker Drawsko (pronounced “DRAHF-sko”) had a swift load out of Duluth’s Riverland Ag grain terminal; after loading all day Sunday, only a partial day’s shift was needed to finish the job on Monday, Dec. 11th; loading was wrapped up by about 2pm. Despite strengthening southwest winds howling along the slip, Drawsko eased out of the berth at around 3pm, assisted by tug Missouri. Drawsko is now on their way to Casablanca, Morocco, a common destination for durum wheat exported via Duluth-Superior.
As Missouri eased Drawsko around to line up for departure via Duluth Entry, ocean-going freighter Federal Montreal, next in line for a loading berth at Riverland Ag, weighed anchor just outside the Duluth Entry and began looping around to line up its own approach to the harbor. Just twenty minutes after Drawsko departed, Federal Montreal arrived Duluth, riding high and ready for cargo, with tugs Missouri and Kentucky making the docking assist in a strong headwind.
Southwest gales slowed the progress of several Duluth Entry-bound ships Monday afternoon and evening. Paul R. Tregurtha and Hon. James L. Oberstar, in ballast for loads of coal and iron ore pellets, respectively, were west-bound just north of the Apostle Islands running at reduced speeds, as was limestone-laden American Mariner, running slow and hugging the Minnesota North Shore after taking the northern route across the Lake over the past day.
Polish Steamship Co’s oceangoing freighter Narie (more or less pronounced “NAR-yeh”), west northwest-bound on eastern Lake Superior for Duluth-Superior and a load of grain, appeared to have slowed a bit after rounding Whitefish Point but did not otherwise appear to be on a course to take shelter.
With west / northwest gales in the forecast for eastern Lake Superior, Duluth Entry-bound Kaye E. Barker, loaded with limestone, took shelter behind Whitefish Point after transiting the Soo upbound on Monday.

SUPERIOR,WISCONSIN-Tom Geiger
12/12/2023  Burns Harbor-ETA-4:15 AM
12/12/2023  CSL Assiniboine-ETA-5:00 PM
12/13/2023  Stewart J. Cort-ETA-1:00 AM

SUPERIOR,WISCONSIN-EB
Another Fednav ship, Federal Hunter, was also in port Monday at CHS 1 on the Superior, WI waterfront. Federal Hunter had deck cranes raised and hatches open; it’s likely that they got a start to their own loading operations Monday, which might put them on track for a Tuesday evening or Wednesday afternoon departure via the Duluth Entry.
American Century arrived at dawn on Monday, December 11th to load iron ore pellets at BNSF. They appeared to still be loading as of Monday evening.
Burns Harbor, originally expected to load at Two Harbors on Monday the 11th, appeared to be on approach to the Superior Entry as of late Monday evening. It was unclear whether the Burns Harbor’s loading orders had changed or whether they were headed for a lay-by berth inside the harbor, such as the Lakehead Pipeline dock near the Superior Entry, to wait their turn at Two Harbors after Philip R. Clarke.
Superior Entry-bound CSL Assiniboine joined Duluth-bound Kaye E. Barker at anchor behind Whitefish Point Monday evening, sheltering from forecast west/northwest gales. As of late Monday evening, Superior-bound Stewart J. Cort appeared to be on course to join the anchored party.

TOLEDO, OHIO-Bill Kloss
Departures were Alpena to Alpena, American Spirit to Detroit for fuel, Arthur M. Anderson to Duluth and CSL Laurentien to Superior, WI.

SANDUSKY, OHIO-Bill Kloss
CSL Niagara arrived to load coal at Norfolk Southern.

CLEVELAND, OHIO-Bill Kloss
At anchor in Lake Erie are American Courage with stone and Mark W. Barker. Wilfred Sykes arrived with 22,000 tons of Tilden pellets. She’ll lighter 6,000 tons at the Bulk before heading up the Cuyahoga River to the Cliffs mill. Happy River departed for Conneaut, arriving there early Monday morning. It’s extremely rare that a saltie calls at Conneaut.

NANTICOKE, ONTARIO-Bill Kloss
Algoterra and Algoluna are loading at Imperial Oil while Algotitan remains anchored. Presque Isle and Edwin H. Gott unloaded ore at Stelco and both Great Lakes Fleet vessels are on their way to Two Harbors.