Unless where otherwise noted, port and vessel activity from January 10, 2023. Please send future port reports to news@boatnerd.net.
Duluth, MN – Superior, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
Making a cornucopia of coal carryings over the course of the past 10 months, Paul R. Tregurtha departed Duluth with her last such load of the season at 05:10 on January 8th. She will be heading down to St. Clair to unload before making the return trip north, this time for iron ore. American Spirit was inbound the Superior Entry from anchor on the same date, making her last official port call of the season at 13:31 before mooring at Elevator M for winter lay-up.
Sticking in Superior to begin the 9th, Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader departed at 04:02 with ore for Toledo. Anchored footer Burns Harbor came in about four hours later to take her place. The anchorage continued to deplete later in the afternoon, with James R. Barker arriving via the Duluth piers at 14:44 for a trip to the port terminal’s Superior Refining fuel dock. Nearby, Mark W. “MarkBark” Barker was finished unloading steel beams at Berth 1 and cast off around 17:00, passing her namesake’s father on her way down to CN Dock 6. Walter J. McCarthy Jr., the shiploader’s previous occupant, was also moving through the harbor and cleared at 17:21 for Cleveland. 18:00 saw John G. Munson send down the anchor off the piers while waiting to load ore at Two Harbors. American Mariner arrived Duluth at 21:14 and proceeded immediately to dry dock at Fraser Shipyards. It is unclear if she is undergoing repairs or will be staying in port for a five-year survey. The day wrapped up with Indiana Harbor arriving Superior at 22:52 and heading to Enbridge to take a delay. She is due next at BNSF.
A pair of Great Lakes Fleet favorites swapped out in the anchorage early on the 10th. John G. Munson fired up the engines and got underway to load at Two Harbors, while Arthur M. Anderson came to a halt a few hours later waiting for a berth at CN. There she joined Victory/Maumee, who had been waiting off the piers to load for several days. Father and son Barker would once again cross paths around 15:30 as Mark headed out for the lake and Cleveland while James cast off to take her place at the shiploader. The pair exchanged salutes as they passed, which seemed to say: “Mark, I am your father!” “No… That’s not true… That’s impossible!” Arthur M. Anderson arrived from anchor at 16:37 to wait nose-to-nose with the JRB at CN.
St. Marys River – Know Your Ships
Traffic is slowing down at the Soo in anticipation of Sunday’s lock closure. Downbound traffic Tuesday included Erie Trader/Clyde S. VanEnkevort, Edgar B. Speer and Hon. James L. Oberstar. Harvest Spirit was upbound for Thunder Bay in the evening, with American Integrity inbound at DeTour. Since the weather has been unseasonably warm, there are no issues with ice.
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Toledo, OH: Departures were Joseph L. Block for Marquette, Samuel deChamplain/Innovation for Alpena, Algoma Intrepid for Goderich and Mesabi Miner for lay up in Sturgeon Bay, WI.
Marblehead, OH: Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder loaded stone and departed for Cleveland.
Cleveland, OH: Mid morning saw Manitowoc leave for Marquette, MI and Laura L. VanEnkevort/Joseph H.Thompson arrive from Toledo and proceed to the Port for fuel. Sam Laud is back on the shuttles. Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder departed for Goderich, ON in the late afternoon after unloading at RiverDock.
Buffalo, NY: Departing was Calumet for Detroit and John J. Boland was the lone arrival.
Nanticoke, OH: Presque Isle departed for Two Harbors, MN while Tankers Algoterra and Algosea arrived to load at ImperialOil. CSL’s Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin arrived early evening to unload ore at Stelco.
Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski
Continuing the surprisingly busy late season vessel traffic, the CALUMET arrived with more sand from Brevort on the 10th around 12:01AM. They went straight up to CSI without tugs. She was all done unloading by early afternoon and backed out for the lake, again, unassisted at 1:30PM. Later that evening the JOHN J. BOLAND arrived with even more sand at 6:30PM. She came in the South Entrance, winded, and backed up the Lackawanna Slip to drop a partial cargo on the North end of the Main Dock before shifting up to CSI in Buffalo.
While we do not currently have daily write-ups for the following ports, their respective port authority websites post schedules of vessel traffic that are embedded below. Each schedule takes the form of a miniature webpage within a box. Scroll with your cursor within 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.
I am experiencing technical difficulties with adding pictures and captions today. More pictures will be included in tomorrow’s post.