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Duluth, MN – Superior, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
Arriving Duluth late Wednesday night was Hon. James L. Oberstar, loaded with limestone and dolomite from Stoneport and Meldrum Bay. She sailed down the harbor for CN-Hallett Dock 5 to unload after arriving beneath the Aerial Lift Bridge at 23:13. Great Republic was also inbound with stone the following morning at 08:23, though her cargo was loaded at Calcite and would be unloaded at C. Reiss far down the St. Louis River. Ash Grove Cement would see traffic midday in Federal Churchill – one of what figures to only be a handful of vessels to visit the terminal this season – when the saltie arrived Duluth with cement powder at 10:42. She had loaded the cargo in Akçansa, Turkey over three weeks prior. Burns Harbor arrived Superior at 11:00 sharp to take on ore, as usual, while Hon. James L. Oberstar was outbound Duluth 15 minutes later empty for Marquette. In the midst of a busy morning in the harbor, footer American Spirit seemed to be struck with a bout of lazyitis (perhaps still waking up from her extended long winter’s nap?) upon departing CN Dock 6 with ore at around 10:50. It took the 1,004-foot vessel exactly two hours, about twice as long as usual, to reach the Duluth Ship Canal and clear for a downbound journey. Her AIS destination has not yet been set as of Thursday night. In the evening, Great Republic shifted from C. Reiss up the river to CN Dock 6, presumably to load ore at the shiploader. This comes as a bit of a surprise, as she had originally been scheduled to load at CN Two Harbors.
Two Harbors, MN – Silver Bay, MN – Gary Putney
CSL Assiniboine departed Two Harbors on 7/28 at 15:46 for Quebec City. Due in Two Harbors is the Great Republic. She unloaded stone at C. Reiss in West Duluth. Due in Two Harbors on 7/29 are the James R. Barker and the Edgar B. Speer.
Port Inland, MI – Joshua Hebeisen
Her holds filled with cargo for the first time, Mark W. Barker departed at 11:24 for Muskegon. She is due to arrive the morning of the 29th.
Southern Lake Michigan Ports – Joshua Hebeisen
Calumet Harbor, IL: G.L. Ostrander/Integrity departed at 11:18 from Holcim, likely with slag, en route to Muskegon across the lake. Steamer Arthur M. Anderson was also outbound at 15:27 with coal for the Twin Ports.
Indiana Harbor, IN: Mesabi Miner departed at 02:54 for the upbound trip back to Duluth, while Joseph L. Block remains loading at Indiana Harbor West.
Buffington, IN: Arriving from Calcite with stone was Lee A. Tregurtha; she headed inbound shortly after 19:20 and tied up at the Carmeuse dock.
Burns Harbor, IN: The port saw no additional vessel traffic on Thursday, though Federal Beaufort remains at FMT Burns Harbor.
Northern Lake Huron Ports – Joshua Hebeisen
Port Dolomite, MI: Mighty Wilfred Sykes arrived at 13:20 to load.
Drummond Island, MI: Veteran tug Olive L. Moore pushed her barge Menominee inbound at 11:57.
Meldrum Bay, ON: Cuyahoga arrived at 19:00 to load at 79 years young.
Calcite, MI: As Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader departed shortly after 07:40 for Portage, Saginaw weighed anchor from just outside the harbor and proceeded inbound to load. She was back on the lake and headed for a downbound port at 19:09.
Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
ATB Tug Dorothy Ann, Barge Pathfinder arrived 17.49 Wednesday loading at Compass Minerals, cleared 15.50 downbound for Detroit with salt. Algoma Intrepid arrived 21.25 Wednesday loading at Compass Minerals, cleared 12.48 Thursday upbound for Ferrysburg with salt. Algoma Compass arrived 15.00 Thursday loading at Compass Minerals.
Detroit, MI – Windsor, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
Heading upbound from Toledo, Sam Laud entered the Detroit River three minutes after midnight and tied up at Mistersky to fuel for the journey up the St. Clair River and Lake Huron. She was back on her way to the Soo just after 02:30. Heading towards Toledo, on the other hand, were ATB mates Samuel de Champlain/Innovation after casting off from Holcim at around 04:00 Thursday morning. Kaye E. Barker was inbound from Sandusky with coal for EES Coke at 11:42, and Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder were downbound arrivals for Motor City Materials at 15:30. The fleetmates would depart at 19:55 and 22:07 for Marquette and Marblehead, respectively. With a load of salt from Windsor, Baie Comeau headed north around 22:30 for South Chicago. Beatrix remains at ADM just up the river.
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Toledo, OH: Federal Kushiro departed late Wednesday night for Duluth. The cement carrying tug/barge Samuel deChamplain/Innovation arrived at 08:08, unloaded a partial load of cement and departed for Cleveland at 17:23. CSL Niagara arrived at 13:43 and anchored in Lake Erie. Evans Spirit John D. Leitch Sarah Andrie
Marblehead, OH: Defiance/Ashtabula arrived at 07:04 to load stone at the Holcim dock.
Sandusky, OH: Kaye E. Barker left at 05:06 and headed to Zug Island with a cargo of black diamonds. The coal dock continues to be busy as Michipicoten arrived at 16:55. She will load for Algoma Steel at the Soo.
Cleveland, OH: Cruise ship Ocean Navigator arrived at 08:02 at dock 28W. After passengers toured the sights of Cleveland, the ship departed for Port Colborne at 17:58. USCG Neah Bay departed for Algonac at 09:13. Petite Forte/St. Marys Cement left at 10:31. Algoma Buffalo departed at 17:05 with salt for Thorold. American Courage is on the shuttles. Heerengracht is at the Port.
Fairport Harbor, OH: The tug and barge Defiance/Ashtabula departed for Marblehead at 00:09.
Nanticoke, ON: Algoma Hansa left for Tracy late Wednesday night. Algonorth arrived at Imperial Oil at 10:24, followed closely by CSL Tadoussac arriving 4 minutes later to unload ore at Stelco. Harvest Spirit is loading at Stelco and Algonova remains at anchor.