Unless where otherwise noted, port and vessel activity from January 21, 2023. Please send future port reports to news@boatnerd.net.
Duluth, MN – Superior, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
As of 16:21 on Saturday, January 21, the Twin Ports are officially finished with engines for the 2022–23 shipping season. Lower Lakes Towing’s veteran Saginaw arrived Superior at 06:31 on the last of several late-season shuttle runs to Sault Ste. Marie, ON, an uncommon (but nevertheless appreciated) trend for her to end the year. Tying up at BNSF to take on one last load of taconite pellets, the A-framed favorite would later depart midafternoon with a pair of salutes for the boatnerd faithful. This is potentially the latest traffic Duluth-Superior has seen since the 1970s. Vessels should start moving again in late March near the reopening of the Soo Locks.
A smaller-than-usual lay-up fleet in the Twin Ports includes American Mariner, Edward L. Ryerson, and Lee A. Tregurtha resting at Fraser, with American Spirit hanging out nearby at Elevator M.
Sturgeon Bay, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
Two more vessels have joined the winter fleet at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, with one more to go. The first, Joseph L. Block, arrived at 10:04 on Friday, January 20, to tie up next to fleetmate Wilfred Sykes. Mark W. Barker was inbound at 07:57 the following morning to spend the winter at her birthplace, thus wrapping up her first season of action on the Great Lakes. As of Saturday night, Indiana Harbor is waiting at anchor off Sherwood Point in preparation for an arrival on Sunday. She is likely awaiting daylight hours to make her entrance… Indy certainly has a flair for the dramatic.
Detroit, MI – Windsor, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
Loaded with ore from Toledo, OH, Herbert C. Jackson arrived at 11:19 to unload at the Cleveland-Cliffs Dearborn Works. Algoma Innovator would join her on the Rouge midevening with salt from Goderich, ON. Herbie departed at 21:31 and headed back down for the Glass City; it is unclear whether she will take on another load or call it quits for the season.
Another Interlake classic and frequent face Hon. James L. Oberstar watched fleetmate Jackson pass by from her lay-up berth at Nicholson Ecorse. New York/Double Skin 509A are farther up the Detroit River at Nicholson Detroit, possibly for lay-up as well. Samuel de Champlain/Innovation are wintering at Holcim. In Windsor, the winter fleet includes Leo A. McArthur/John J. Carrick at Sterling, Harvest Spirit and Florence Spirit at Moterm, and Manitoulin at ADM.
Lake Erie Ports (January 21) – Bill Kloss
Monroe, MI: Karen Andrie/Endeavor arrived to unload at Michigan Paving & Materials.
Toledo, OH: Calumet arrived for layup and Herbert C. Jackson departed with ore for Detroit.
Cleveland, OH: Victory/Maumee moved to the Bulk Terminal to unload her 22,000 tons of UTAC pellets. She departed for Ashtabula when empty. American Courage is shuttling to Cliffs.
Ashtabula, OH: ATBs Defiance/Ashtabula and Victory/Maumee arrived for layup, joining Cuyahoga and Sam Laud there.
Lake Erie Ports (January 20) – Bill Kloss
Toledo, OH: Herbert C. Jackson is loading ore at Torco.
Conneaut, OH: Indiana Harbor left for Sturgeon Bay, WI where she will layup.
Buffalo, NY: Calumet departed for Toledo.
Nanticoke, ON: Algoterra departed with petroleum products.
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.
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- Saginaw dazzles at Superior, WI, as the last Twin Ports arrival of the 2022-23 shipping season. David Schauer image, January 21
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- Outbound hours later with one last load of ore. David Schauer image, January 21
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- Season complete! David Schauer image, January 21
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- Retired tug Edna G. is still in the holiday spirit at her berth in Two Harbors, MN. Rich Pedersen image, January 21
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- Deck crew of the Joseph L. Block poses in Sturgeon Bay, WI, after a season of hard work. Bob Haworth image, January 21
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- The Block will spend the winter tucked away next to fleetmate Wilfred Sykes. Jarrett Dodge image, January 21
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- Mark W. Barker heads inbound Sturgeon Bay, WI, for winter lay-up. Luke Collins image, January 21
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- Broken ice poses no problem in the harbor. Luke Collins image, January 21
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- The bridge closes on the vessel’s inaugural year of service. Luke Collins image, January 21
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- John J. Boland arrives Grand Haven, MI, to unload cargo from Indiana Harbor, IN. Jason Bhaskaran image, January 21
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- Karen Andrie/Endeavor arrive Monroe, MI, to unload. Sam Hankinson image, January 21
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- An aerial view of this year’s winter lay-up fleet in Toledo, OH. Andrew Russell image, January 21
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- John D. Leitch receives a much-deserved tune-up at Port Colborne, ON. Bobby Dzz image, January 21
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- Note the steelwork being conducted on the Leitch’s starboard side. Bobby Dzz image, January 21
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- Shiny new propeller! Bobby Dzz image, January 21