Port Reports – March 24, 2023

Port and vessel activity from March 23, 2023, unless stated otherwise. Please send future port reports to news@boatnerd.net.

Duluth, MN – Superior, WI – Scott Bjorklund
Our 2023 season began with Great Lakes Towing tugs Missouri and Kentucky departing their dock on Rice’s Point around 17:00 Wednesday evening to break a path to Lee A. Tregurtha and American Mariner wintering at Fraser Shipyards. The tug crews quickly discovered that the ice and snow pack was 20 inches or more thick in Howard’s Pocket; after 4 hours of ramming, they finally made it to American Mariner floating in drydock. The pair spent the rest of the night assisting the Mariner to the shiploader at CN #6. After that was done, the two tugs returned to Lee A. Tregurtha for their departure from Fraser Thursday morning. Lee A. Tregurtha departed under Duluth’s aerial bridge at 09:19 empty for Marquette. Just before the Tregurtha departed, US Coast Guard cutter Spar launched from Park Point for icebreaking duties; they departed through the Superior Entry at 12:35 and re-entered Duluth at 14:04.

As of Thursday night, American Mariner was still loading iron ore at CN while American Spirit wintered at Elevator M. American Mariner is expected to depart late Thursday or early Friday with iron ore pellets bound for the Cleveland Bulk Terminal. Upcoming traffic for either the Duluth or Superior entries isn’t expected until early Sunday morning.

Thunder Bay, ON – Michael Hull
CCGS Samuel Risley arrived in the Port of Thunder Bay late in the afternoon on March 23, 2023, to begin clearing ice from the harbour.

Marquette, MI – Arthur Pickering
Well, are you ready for another shipping season? If not, get ready because the Lee Tregurtha is en route to Marquette and should be here early Friday morning. But, that’s not the only one. The John Boland is also en route to Marquette and should arrive late Saturday. And if that is not enough for you, the Joseph Thompson is currently enroute to Marquette and should arrive late Sunday for early Monday. So a great opening season for Marquette. Enjoy this shipping season!

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Know Your Ships
Edwin H. Gott arrived at the locks just after noon on Thursday. She tied up awaiting the official opening at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. Thursday evening CCGS Griffon was upbound in the lower river and American Integrity was inbound at DeTour at 9 p.m. Stewart J. Cort and John J. Boland were expected sometime Friday.

Sturgeon Bay, WI – Guest_SB
The Mesabi Miner was moved with two Sarter tugs Thursday, allowing the Joseph L Block and Wilfred Sykes to depart Bay Ship via Green Bay.

Milwaukee, WI – MKE Marine Reports
Karen Andrie/Endeavour arrived from Indiana Harbor at 22:53 Wednesday with liquid asphalt for Construction Resources Management. After delivering its cargo, the pair headed back to Indiana Harbor late Thursday afternoon. Stewart J. Cort left her winter berth at the city’s Heavy Lift Dock Thursday evening and headed for Duluth-Superior. CSL’s Whitefish Bay is expected late Friday. Still laid up in the inner harbor are Albert/Margaret and Michigan/Great Lakes (long term).

Alpena, MI – Jason Luther
It’s been a busy start to the 2023 shipping season at Holcim (formerly LaFarge) in Alpena. March 22-23rd saw the arrival of the Holcim Twins Samuel De Champlain/ Innovation at 13:18, and G.L. Ostrander/ Integrity at 1:26. Sammy D departed for Detroit at 18:09, while GLO departed for Essexville at 10:28 the following morning.

The octogenarian steamer Alpena has her AIS on after wintering over in Cleveland, so we should expect the oldest (and classiest, sorry Sykes) freighter on the lakes to be making a run to her namesake port any day now.

Goderich, ON – Bruce Douglas
Algoma Conveyor’s destination changed from Cote Ste Catherines to Johnstown ON (AIS).

Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Monroe, MI: New York/Double Skin 509A is still unloading. Berthed at DTE is James R. Barker.
Toledo, OH: At anchor are CSL Assiniboine, Kaye E. Barker, Sam Laud and Burns Harbor. Algoma Transport weighed anchor and moved in to load at CSX. Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader loaded coal and left for Detroit while Herbert C. Jackson departed for Burns Harbor, IN. Great Republic departed layup and is headed  to Two Harbors, MN.
Cleveland, OH: Laura L. VanEnkevort/Joseph H. Thompson departed layup at the Port of Cleveland dock and headed to Marquette, MI. The classic Alpena departed for Alpena, MI. Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder continues on the shuttles.
Ashtabula, OH: Sam Laud departed layup for Toledo.
Nanticoke, ON: Algonova departed with gasoline for Green Bay, WI. Algosea is loading at Imperial Oil. Over at Stelco, Leonard M/Huron Spirit loaded steel coils and departed with no destination on AIS.

Buffalo, NY – Brian Wroblewski
The CSL NIAGARA arrived in Lackawanna to load coal at 3 AM on the 23rd of March. She winded off the CRH cement terminal and backed in for the bulk loading apron of the Main Dock.

While we do not currently have daily summaries for the following ports, their respective port authority websites post schedules of vessel traffic that are featured below. Each schedule is a miniature webpage within a box. Scroll with your cursor in 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.