Port and vessel activity from September 29–30, 2023, unless stated otherwise. Please send future port reports to news@boatnerd.net.
Caribbean Sea – Joshua Hebeisen
McKeil Marine’s “new” Northern Venture, a former cement-carrying saltie retooled for Great Lakes service, is inching her way ever closer to her new home. As of her last received AIS signal on September 27, the vessel was in tropical waters (don’t get used to it…) just south of Jamaica on the Caribbean Sea. Janey Anderson of the “Ship Junkies” Facebook group reports that the Venture is tentatively due in Montreal, QC, on October 7. From there, she should be headed to Picton, ON, to discharge blast furnace slag loaded in Japan. Get your cameras ready, boatnerds! We’ve never seen anything quite like her before.
Click here to view a sneak peek of the vessel courtesy of McKeil Marine — volume up!
Two Harbors, MN – Gary Putney
September 29
Edgar B. Speer is near Grand Marais, MI, heading for Two Harbors to load. Presque Isle is near Copper Harbor, MI, heading for Two Harbors. Indiana Harbor arrived Two Harbors at 00:03, where at 20:00 she was still loading.
September 30
The Indiana Harbor departed Two Harbors at 00:30 for Indiana Harbor. Presque Isle arrived Two Harbors at 07:44. At 16:00, she was still at the dock. Edgar B. Speer is currently off Two Harbors at 16:00.
Silver Bay, MN – Gary Putney
September 29
Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader is near the Keweenaw heading for Toledo, OH, after loading in Silver Bay.
September 30
At 16:00, the Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader is roughly 4 hours from Silver Bay.
Marquette, MI – Arthur Pickering
The Herbert C. Jackson arrived at the ore dock early in the morning on Friday, September 29. The Hon. James L. Oberstar was scheduled to arrive late Friday afternoon. On Saturday, September 30, the Lee A. Tregurtha and the Joseph L. Block were scheduled to arrive at the ore dock.
Detroit River – Joshua Hebeisen
Sandwiched between Grosse Ile and the industrial shores of Trenton, MI, a seldom-used shortcut of the Detroit River saw some unusual action to end the week. Sam Laud, assisted at bow and stern by G-tugs Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, respectively, cast off from DTE’s Trenton Channel Power Plant on Thursday evening, passing through the open span of the Grosse Ile Parkway Bridge before setting course just north for Detroit, MI. The Laud had spent the day unloading stone at the site of the to-be-demolished power plant, which ceased operations in 2022. Though not official, some have suggested that the stone may be used to cover sections of the property before demolition.
Monroe, MI – Bill Kloss
September 29
Paul R. Tregurtha unloaded at DTE then left for Superior. American Century weighed anchor and moved to the dock once Big Paul cleared.
September 30
American Century departed for the Twin Ports once empty at DTE.
Toledo, OH – Bill Kloss
September 29
Arrivals were the tug Laura L. VanEnkevort going into lay-up and John D. Leitch to CSX. Federal Yoshino is still at Midwest Terminals. Defiance/Ashtabula loaded coal at CSX then left for Sault Ste. Marie.
September 30
John D. Leitch left for Hamilton after loading coal at CSX. American Spirit is at Torco, and Federal Yoshino is still at Midwest Terminals. Also in port are Manitoulin and Wilf Seymour/Alouette Spirit.
Cleveland, OH – Bill Kloss
September 29
Arrivals were McKeil Spirit to Lehigh Cement, Calumet to Ontario Stone, and New York/Double Skin 509A with liquid asphalt for Marathon. Departures were American Courage to Calcite and, once empty, Calumet to Detroit.
September 30
McKeil Spirit departed for Detroit, and New York/DS509A continues unloading at Marathon.
Nanticoke, ON – Bill Kloss
September 29
Algoberta was loading at Imperial Oil.
September 30
CSL Niagara delivered coal to Stelco then left for Buffalo while Algoberta departed with petroleum products for Halifax, NS.
We do not currently have daily summaries for the following ports, but 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.