Port Reports – September 21, 2022

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Duluth, MN – Superior, WI – Joshua Hebeisen
Returning to the Duluth-Marquette runs that have been her bread and butter in 2022, an empty Hon. James L. Oberstar was outbound Duluth at 00:24 on her way for pellets at the Tilden Mine. Also departing the Twin Ports in the early-morning hours was 1,000-foot Burns Harbor after a length 42-hour stay at BNSF’s Allouez Taconite Facility, reportedly due to loading issues at the dock. Her 03:03 exit was followed by the anchored Algoma Niagara making her way inbound at 03:44. CSL Laurentien went on the hook while the switch was taking place and would be joined late Tuesday evening by CSL Tadoussac, creating quite the backup in Superior. Over in West Duluth, a similar situation was unfolding at the CN ore docks thanks to another extended footer load, this time the James R. Barker. JRB was still loading under the conveyors with John G. Munson just ahead of her beneath the chutes when the latter’s AAA fleetmate Philip R. Clarke made her way under the Aerial Lift Bridge at 04:14. Her cargo of limestone from Stoneport would be discharged at C. Reiss after a long trip downriver before the classic laker would start making her way back up to the main harbor basin around noon, due next at CN for ore. The backup, however, forced her to wait alongside the east end of the dock until the Barker finally finished her load midafternoon. The Munson moved up to the shiploader and the Clarke took her place at the gravity dock as the Barker went to anchor off the Duluth piers, reportedly waiting out weather on the lake. The footer’s next stop will be Cleveland after more than 63 consecutive hours in Duluth. A pair of salties, Federal Frontier and Reestborg, remained in port at Riverland Ag and the port terminal, respectively. 

Marquette, MI – Oggdo Bogdo
After switching up the routine the past few trips up to Lake Superior, the Hon. James L. Oberstar reverted back to the stone unload at Duluth and subsequent ore load at Marquette. She arrived at 19:55 and should depart in the morning on Wednesday. The black and orange on her stack has been a common sight all season per usual, as Interlake sends all their classic lakers up to Marquette, but even more so in the past week or so with a nearly full lineup of the Oberstar, Lee A. Tregurtha, Kaye E. Barker, and newcomer Mark W. Barker.

Port Inland, MI – Andrew Meyer
Joseph L. Block arrived at 0807 and departed at 1531 on Monday. Manitowoc is expected to arrive late Tuesday.

Southern Lake Michigan Ports – Andrew Meyer
Chicago, IL: A late evening arrival by the Fraserborg marked the first saltie in a good 10 day span for the port. G.L. Ostrander departed at 1247 on Tuesday. Undaunted would arrive at 1846 from Burns Harbor.
Indiana Harbor, IN: Sam Laud arrived at 1245 on Monday, the only traffic for the day. Tuesday was full for the port, with Whitefish Bay starting the action off at 0414 with her departure. Sam Laud would make her exit at 1603, and fleetmate Walter J. McCarthy Jr. arrived at 2047.
Gary, IN: Edgar B. Speer made her arrival at 0517 Tuesday morning, with another haul from Two Harbors. 
Burns Harbor, IN: The Indiana Harbor blew town for the north country at 2012 on Monday. After a two day stay in town, the Wilfred Sykes left town on Tuesday afternoon for Cedarville. The Undaunted and Pere Marquette 41 arrived early on Tuesday and departed at 1651. H. Lee White is due next from Calcite sometime on September 21. Anglian Lady and Burns Harbor are due later in the week. 

Drummond Island, MI – Andrew Meyer
Silence in the ranks for Drummond Island.

Calcite, MI – Andrew Meyer
Calcite has been fairly busy since Sunday. Victory and Maumee departed early Monday morning, followed by an arrival by the Great Republic at 0201. The Republic would clear the port at 1514. Following the Republic was the H. Lee White at 1527. Ashtabula and Defiance arrived Monday evening at 2150 and is yet to depart. The White would depart Tuesday late morning.

Goderich, ON – Bill Kloss
Saginaw arrived 08.16 Monday at elevators, her 4th appearance here this season.

Detroit, MI – Windsor, ON – Joshua Hebeisen
Another week of maritime activity in the Motor City began early Monday morning with Kaye E. Barker rumbling down the familiar confines of the River Rouge in a pre-dawn light. Her holds, emptied of their taconite cargo at Dearborn, would soon be filled with coal in Sandusky for eventual transfer back up to Zug. For now, though, the vessel bid farewell at 05:22 and set course for the south shores of Lake Erie. At 09:06, Florence Spirit made her way inbound and moored along the west side of Zug Island to load petroleum coke. Tanker Iver Bright handled liquid petroleum products just across the river upon arriving Shell in the early afternoon. Joyce L. VanEnkevort/Great Lakes Trader was in port to fuel up at Mistersky between 15:13 and 17:55, and Samuel de Champlain/Innovation put the finishing touches on a relatively slow day of traffic at 22:06 with a delivery of cement to Holcim.

Tuesday traffic would also get an early-morning start on the Rouge with a delivery of stone for the Levy dock around 06:00, courtesy of tug/barge Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder. The nearby Florence Spirit departed several hours later and made a quick stop for fuel at Sterling before setting course for Hamilton around noon. Back in black with an 11:00 coal delivery was Kaye E. Barker, who would once again find herself headed back down to Sandusky less than nine hours later. Iver Bright left Shell for Sarnia at 11:22, Samuel de Champlain pushed Innovation out for Toledo at 11:59, and another Barker of the Mark variety made port for Dearborn at 13:31. Fleetmates Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder were exiting the Rouge at the same time on their way for salt at Goderich. Across international lines in Windsor, Cuyahoga stopped to fuel from 15:00 to 18:00 on her way to the Soo; Algoma Buffalo stampeded to LafargeHolcim with Stoneport stone at 22:43.

Lake Erie Ports – Bill Kloss
Toledo, OH: John D. Leitch departed with ore for Hamilton, ON at 03:17. Arrivals were American Spirit at 11:51 for CSX, cement carriers Prentiss Brown/St. Marys Challenger at 12:42 and Samuel deChamplain/Innovation at 16:07,  and Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader for Ironville at 16:30. Federal Fraser is still at Kuhlman’s.
Marblehead, OH: Calumet arrived at 11:00 to load at Holcim.
Sandusky, OH: Departures were Kaye E. Barker for Zug Island at 01:03 and Cuyahoga for Windsor at 07:47.
Cleveland, OH: Calumet departed for Marblehead at 07:38. Arrivals were NACC Capri for Holcim Cement at 09:27, American Courage at 10:50 to load a shuttle at the Bulk Terminal and Petite Forte/St. Marys Cement at 18:08 for the St. Marys Jefferson St. terminal.
Ashtabula, OH: American Courage unloaded stone and left for Cleveland at 06:39.
Nanticoke, ON: Algonova is at Imperial Oil and Algoma Hansa is anchored off of Port Dover.

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