Port and vessel activity from February 13, 2023, unless stated otherwise. Please send future port reports to news@boatnerd.net.
St. Marys River – Joshua Hebeisen
Algocanada came to an abrupt stop in Munuscong Lake before 16:30 Monday afternoon, possibly due to ice conditions on the St. Marys River. The tanker is due in Sault Ste. Marie, ON, with another load of petroleum products. She remained motionless into the night.
Sturgeon Bay, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
USCGC Mobile Bay made a morning departure via the ship canal at 09:29 and started north on Lake Michigan, her AIS indicating she will be conducting ice operations on the St. Marys River. The Coast Guard vessel will presumably be assisting Algocanada to the Soo as part of her duties.
Calumet Harbor, IL – Joshua Hebeisen
It takes one to come in, two to go out… Algoma Conveyor was in port between 07:56 and 22:46 Monday with a load of salt from Goderich, ON, initially entering the Calumet River bow-first with the solitary help of G-tug Massachusetts and heading down to the salt dock off 21st Street. The empty vessel would opt to back all the way up the river on departure, requiring some late-night assistance from both Massachusetts and fleetmate Illinois on the lines. Salt from Goderich is once again next on the menu for the Conveyor… she could really go for a refreshing lemonade right about now.
Eastern Lake Huron – Joshua Hebeisen
CCGS Griffon headed into the eastern waters of Lake Huron early Monday afternoon and spent the rest of the day performing a north-south patrol of the area. While nothing has been confirmed, it is possible she may be aiding in the search effort for the unidentified object shot down by the U.S. military on Sunday afternoon. Aircraft tracker Flightradar24 notably displayed a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130J transport aircraft conducting a similar search pattern to the north near Manitoulin Island in addition to a military helicopter on the scene farther south. The U.S. government has stated that recovery operations are underway on Lake Huron, though no official details have been released as of yet. AIS shows no other vessels in the area.
Griffon has spent the past few weeks conducting ice operations, and her AIS still reads “Ice Ops.” She left her station in Amherstburg, ON, on Sunday night to head to her current location.
Port Huron, MI – Sarnia, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
Proudly returning from Nanticoke, ON, with petroleum products was tanker Algoterra, making port at 15:40 and tying up at the Imperial Oil lower dock. Farther down the Canadian riverbank, Iver Bright departed her berth at Suncor around 19:45 after several days of inactivity. She is headed to the Mistersky Fuel Dock in Detroit, MI.
Detroit, MI – Windsor, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
08:05 Monday morning marked the arrival of Algoma Intrepid in the Motor City. Loaded with salt from Goderich, ON, the vessel was assisted up the River Rouge to Motor City Materials by tugs Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The same duo would assist the Intrepid out of port on her 17:02 departure back to where she came.
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Algoterra departed for Sarnia, ON with petroleum products she loaded at Imperial Oil in Nanticoke. Fleetmate Algosea is at Imperial Oil.
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- USCGC Mobile Bay departs Sturgeon Bay, WI, to conduct ice operations on the St. Marys River. Nick Dumas image, February 13
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- A look at CCGS Griffon’s sailing pattern on Lake Huron, as reported by AIS. MarineTraffic image, February 14
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- A U.S. Coast Guard transport vessel mimics a similar pattern to the north. Flightradar24 image, February 13