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Duluth, MN – Superior, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
00:25 marked the Twin Ports’ first traffic of the weekend as Mesabi Miner made her way inbound Duluth to load taconite at the CN 6 shiploader. Near Rice’s Point she passed the outbound Edgar B. Speer, who had just finished loading Minntac pellets at the shiploader. The Speer would depart under the Aerial Lift Bridge at 01:07 bound for Conneaut. Also departing for Conneaut was American Integrity; she cleared the Superior piers about an hour after the Speer left Duluth. With the Integrity vacating BNSF 5, CSL Tadoussac was clear to weigh anchor and proceed inbound to load at 02:38. Back in Duluth, American Century arrived at 10:57 to take on 68,000 tons of coal at the Superior Midwest Energy Terminal, all of which was destined for St. Clair. Federal Ruhr departed empty at 14:38 for Thunder Bay after discharging cement at Ash Grove, and Arthur M. Anderson also left in ballast at 15:07 headed for ore at Two Harbors. CSL Tadoussac pulled out from BNSF at the same time and departed for Nanticoke with 29,000 tons of Keetac pellets; Spartan/Spartan II arrived Duluth within 15 minutes carrying calcium chloride for EnviroTech-Hallett 8. On her usual run, Burns Harbor was inbound Superior at 19:16 to load at BNSF. Nunalik left Duluth at 21:58 after unloading wind turbine components and taking on 200 containers of kidney beans at the Port Terminal. The beans, destined for Europe, are the first example of what the Duluth Seaway Port Authority hopes will be a growing presence of shipping via container at the Twin Ports. Federal Seto is at anchor off Duluth waiting to load wheat at CHS 1, and Federal Weser joined her on Saturday morning in anticipation of the American Century’s departure. The Weser will be loading petroleum coke at Midwest Energy. Lee A. Tregurtha is prepping at Fraser Shipyards for a June 1 departure.
Two Harbors, MN – Silver Bay, MN – Gary Putney
Michipicoten departed Two Harbors on Friday, May 27 at 21:08 for Algoma Soo. Arriving Two Harbors on May 28 at 16:50 was Algoma Equinox. Also arriving on the 28th was Arthur M. Anderson at 17:25 for north of #2 to await the shiploader. Due Two Harbors on May 29 are Presque Isle and Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin.
Marquette, MI – Joshua Hebeisen
Hon. James L. Oberstar left port at 06:15 bound for Cliffs Dearborn on Detroit’s River Rouge. Part of her load was taken on at the north side of the gravity dock, while some was offloaded into her holds on Friday, May 27 from the overloaded Victory/Maumee.
Sturgeon Bay, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
With more vessels at the wall than usual this spring, it was great for boatnerds to see American Spirit depart layup at Bay Shipbuilding early Saturday afternoon and head upbound for an uncommon footer load at Marquette.
Southern Lake Michigan Ports – Joshua Hebeisen
Calumet Harbor, IL: Caroline McKee/Commander and G.L. Ostrander/Integrity were outbound at 01:32 and 10:48 Saturday morning for Charlevoix and Muskegon, respectively. Both tug/barge combos discharged cement on the Calumet River.
Indiana Harbor, IN: Walter J. McCarthy Jr. departed for Duluth at 18:38, while Joseph L. Block remains at Indiana Harbor West loading more pellets for the shuttle runs.
Goderich, ON – Bruce McCreath
The Port of Goderich has been very busy over the past few weeks. Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder, Algoma Conveyor, Algoma Innovator, Algoma Sault, John D. Leitch, Algoma Intrepid, and Algoma Buffalo have all been in port for salt; Evans Spirit was at the elevators; and Saginaw arrived with trap rock for the lay-by harbor.
Detroit, MI – Windsor, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
Ocean Voyager got underway just after midnight on Saturday morning and departed Detroit for Port Colborne on the next leg of her passengers’ journey. Sam Laud departed from Mistersky for Algoma Steel at the Soo just before 02:00, and CSL Niagara arrived to take her place at 07:08. Everlast/Norman McLeod were inbound the Detroit River at 08:16 and tied up at what appeared to be Shell near Zug Island. Just after 11:00, asphalt/bitumen tanker Iver Bright passed the tug/barge combo on her way up the River Rouge to Marathon Petroleum Corporation. In a trifecta of CSL action, CSL Niagara departed for Superior at 11:02, Whitefish Bay arrived across the river for Windsor Salt at 13:30, and Baie Comeau made port at 16:26 bound for Sterling Fuels. Harvest Spirit arrived before 18:00 to wait at anchor for Federal Bering to finish at ADM. American Courage was inbound for Mistersky and fuel at 18:46, and a refueled Baie Comeau was outbound for Sept-Iles at 20:17. Correcting an error from the May 28 reports, Defiance/Ashtabula were not in port on Friday, May 27. Another tug with the AIS name Defiance was mistaken for the articulated-barge combo, who were busy making runs in Lake Erie.
Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Monroe, MI: Paul R. Tregurtha arrived late Saturday night to unload coal at DTE.
Toledo, OH: Arrivals were H. Lee White at 08:32 and Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader at Ironville at 10:09. H. Lee White departed for Buffington at 15:44.
Marblehead, OH: Defiance/Ashtabula arrived late Friday night to load stone at Holcim. The tug/barge departed at 17:40 for a return trip to Fairport Harbor.
Sandusky, OH: Saginaw departed for the Soo at 02:40.
Cleveland, OH: Petite Forte/St. Marys Cement left for Bowmanville at 03:44. Wilfred Sykes weighed anchor and went up the Cuyahoga River to unload at the Cliffs stone dock. She was assisted by G-tug Pennsylvania.
Ashtabula, OH: American Courage departed for Port Inland at 08:10.
Erie, PA: The sandsucker J.S. St. John departed at 17:54 to begin another season on Lake Erie.
Nanticoke, ON: Algocanada arrived at Imperial Oil at 04:50. Edwin H. Gott arrived at Stelco at 13:51 to unload ore.
Hamilton, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
Vectis Pride departed in the dark for Sorel at 01:37 after unloading steel at Federal Marine Terminals. Florence Spirit was next outbound at 06:47 from ArcelorMittal Dofasco after delivering petroleum coke, allowing the anchored Algoma Strongfield to proceed to the dock with ore at 07:30. Later in the day, Federal Yoshino was outbound with grain for an overseas port loaded at G3 Canada, and Maria G followed her out with the same cargo from Richardson. The two salties cleared the piers at 19:01 and 21:04, respectively. Algoma Harvester rounded out the day when she departed ArcelorMittal empty for Thunder Bay just before midnight. Edenborg is loading grain at P&H, whie Harbour Progress and Federal Hunter sit in the inner harbor waiting on dock space.