Barges and tug-barge combinations

Still water in Duluth harbor

March 2, 2012 · 3 comments

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Three views of the Duluth harbor this morning, Friday, March 2, 2012. Top, a crane barge, owned by Duluth Timber, sank in her Railroad Street slip yesterday. The Coast Guard is investigating any potential spills or other hazards that might be involved. Just off the slip, the Coast Guard cutter Alder was sitting still in the still water (note: I said water, not ice). Below, the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge was also pretty still (more water).

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The tug barge combo Presque Isle arrives Duluth with limestone

November 9, 2009 · 0 comments

The Presque Isle opened up the week on Monday morning, November 9, 2009, arriving Duluth with limestone loaded at Calcite.

Mauthe returns as the Pathfinder

October 22, 2009 · 2 comments

The J. L. Mauthe was built at River Rouge, Michigan in 1953. After a long and steady career, she entered layup at Fraser Shipyards in Superior in 1993. On the last day of 1996, she was towed from Fraser to the Bay Shipbuilding Company to be converted into a barge called the Pathfinder. At about the same time, Interlake Steamship also built the tug Dorothy Ann. They entered Great Lakes Service in 1999 as the barge/tug combination Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder. They arrived in Duluth to load coal last night (October 21, 2009), their first trip here as a tug barge combination. Below, Captain Gary Schmidt (left) and First Mate Jeremy Mock (right) made sure the Pathfinder and Dorothy Ann had a safe passage through the wind, the rain, the snow and the ice last night.

The tug Undaunted pushed the barge Pere Marquette 41 through the Duluth ship canal and out into Lake Superior today (September 14, 2009).

September 14, 2009 · 7 comments

Cargo? Scrap metal from Azcon Corporation. This was the 5th trip to the Twin Ports for the tug Undaunted and barge Pere Marquette this year. On the first trip, she loaded taconite rock at the Hallet Dock. The next 3 trips, she loaded scrap at the Hallet Dock and this trip as above. It is hard to believe that the barge started life in 1941 as a ferry, considered by many to be the most luxurious ferry ever built. She had other names in between then and now.

Ostrander and Integrity arrive Duluth

June 28, 2009

The tug G. L. Ostrander pushed the barge Integrity through a rainy, even cold, Duluth ship canal on Saturday morning (pictured). One family and a photographer were the only people in sight. More should be there this afternoon when the same combination departs. It has replaced the Alpena as the Lafarge vessel to deliver cement [...]

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Presque Isle arrives Twin Ports

June 26, 2009

The tug/barge combination Presque Isle came into port on Thursday morning around 8:00 (pictured), first stopping for fuel and then going to the CN Dock in West Duluth to load iron ore pellets. Except for some repairs, the Presque Isle has been moving iron ore pellets loaded in Duluth, Superior and Two Harbors and taking [...]

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Party for Pere Marquette 41-Undaunted

May 30, 2009

The barge Pere Marquette 41 arrived at the Hallett Dock on Thursday afternoon (above) ready to load a cargo of taconite rock, also called Mesabi hard rock by project sponsor Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) at UMD. A large group of reporters, port officials, and project members were at the dock to greet the vessel [...]

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Big day at the Hallett Dock #5

May 29, 2009

The tug Undaunted pulled her barge, the Pere Marquette 41, into the Hallett Dock #5 in West Duluth on Thursday afternoon, May 28th. Both were making their first trip on Lake Superior and they are here to pick up the first cargo of taconite rock to be taken from Duluth. Reporters, cameras and project members [...]

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Pere Marquette and Undaunted arrive Duluth

May 28, 2009

The Pere Marquette 41 and tug Undaunted arrived in Duluth late this afternoon (above). They are here to load taconite rock that will be taken to Chicago to be used as a surface treatment on roads. It may also be used in the manufacture of cement. This is an entirely new use for taconite taken [...]

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G.L. Ostrander exits Duluth with Integrity

May 26, 2009

On Sunday morning, the tug G.L. Ostrander arrived in Duluth pushing the barge Integrity that was loaded with a cargo of cement. On Monday afternoon, the pair departed the Twin Ports by way of a very windy Duluth ship canal (above). There was a line for the coal dock on Monday that will probably last [...]

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Undaunted brings the Pere Marquette to Duluth

May 26, 2009

I don’t know which is more interesting; the history of the barge Pere Marquette and tug Undaunted, or the trip they are making to Duluth on Thursday, May 28th. I refer you to the article by Brian Ferguson on the Boatnerd for the long and illustrious story. You will learn in the article that [...]

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G.L.Ostrander enters Duluth with Integrity

May 25, 2009

For many years, the Alpena has been used by Lafarge North America to bring cement to the Twin Ports, averaging about 15 trips a year. It has not been back since its first trip here this season at the end of March. Shortly after that, it was placed in temporary layup. On Sunday, the tug [...]

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Sea Robin/barge Hugh in Duluth harbor

May 6, 2009

The tug Sea Robin arrived in Duluth on Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 (above). It was pushing the barge Hugh with a cargo of calcium chloride for the Hallett #8 dock in Superior. Calcium chloride is a high grade liquid (42% salt content) that needs to be diluted a bit here before it is sent to [...]

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Tug barge makes first Twin Ports appearance

May 5, 2009

The tug barge combination Sea Robin and barge Hugh came under the Lift Bridge on Tuesday afternoon at 2:30. Cargo: liquid calcium chloride loaded near Ludington, Michigan.

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Joseph H. Thompson kicks up some ice fog

December 8, 2008

The tug barge Joseph H. Thompson departed Duluth on Sunday morning sending some birds from the thin ice into the air. With a cargo of iron ore pellets in the barge, it was completing its 23rd trip here this season. It was only here 15 times last year and 5 the year before that. When [...]

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Joseph H. Thompson has lively history

November 3, 2008

The tug-barge Joseph H. Thompson (seen above entering the Duluth harbor in 2005) is due today with a load of salt. This is the 19th trip here this season but only the 5th one with salt. It usually brings in limestone. As today, it has almost always departed with a cargo of iron ore pellets, [...]

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Great Lakes Trader departs with Joyce

October 15, 2008

Since 2003, there have never been more than 10 arrivals at the Duluth entry in one day. Since then we have had that many arrivals in one day 7 times. We have had 9 ships arrive in one day 9 times since 2003. Today should push that number to 10. During that time, the average [...]

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Tug W.N.Twolan and barge McAllister 132

September 30, 2008

The tug W. N. Twolan came into port on Monday morning pushing the barge McAllister 132 (above). The barge was loaded with wood pulp bales. The tower you see in the middle of the picture is an elevated pilothouse that sits on the barge and not on the tug. The tug itself has the main [...]

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Tug Billmaier bringing in the tow

September 24, 2008

A Corp of Engineers tow came back to its home port (above) after a summer of working breakwaters in the Great Lakes. They left in June for Two Harbors and then went down to Burns Harbor. On the way back, they did more breakwater work at Marquette before returning to Two Harbors and then home [...]

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Presque Isle 1000 foot tug/barge combo

August 16, 2008

Three thousand footers are due in port today to load coal. In an unusual event, they are spread out almost proportionately throughout the day. The Paul R. Tregurtha was expected just after midnight. It has been averaging about 10 hours in port on its 25 trips this season, meaning about 8 hours at the dock [...]

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Tug Margot & barge Lockwood 1000 here from Newport News, Virginia

June 26, 2008

It’s enough that the tug Margot brought the barge Lockwood 1000 here from Newport News, Virginia by way of the Atlantic Ocean, the Hudson River, the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes. The cargo, 2 very large steam turbines and a smaller generator, is so difficult to handle that the same people who loaded it [...]

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Tug Margot pushed the barge Lockwood 1000

June 25, 2008

On Monday morning, the tug Margot pushed the barge Lockwood 1000 under the Lift Bridge to complete a trip that started in Newport News, Virginia and went up the Atlantic Ocean and entered the Hudson River at New York and then up the Hudson River and into the Erie Canal. From there the tug pushed [...]

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Presque Isle is one of many vessels coming into the port

April 26, 2008

On this day last year, the 5th salt water ship of the season arrived in the Twin Ports. This year, the 2nd saltie is not expected until next week when three should be arriving. One of them, the BBC Zarate, will be bringing the first of many shipments of wind turbine parts this year, this [...]

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Busch Buffalo bound

June 2, 2007

The tug Gregory J. Busch came into port a couple days ago to load wind turbine base units built by DMI Industries in West Fargo, North Dakota. They were brought down here by truck. For two days, longshoremen at Lake Superior Warehousing have been loading those units onto the barge the Busch brought with it. [...]

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Presque Isle in Twin Ports harbor

May 31, 2007

Earlier this week, I mentioned some paper work problems regarding the Ypermachos, the ship that has been at anchor for several days. About the time those problems were resolved, early Wednesday morning, the fog came in strong. As of last evening, the ship was still at anchor. If the fog lifted, it may be at [...]

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Joseph H. Thompson has long history

May 27, 2007

The tug-barge Joseph H. Thompson is due today with a load of limestone. After discharging that cargo, it will load taconite at the Burlington Northern before departing the Superior entry. The barge part is still most of the hull of a boat built in 1944 as the Marine Robin. It crossed the Atlantic several times [...]

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Great Lakes Trader arrives Duluth

May 10, 2007

The self-unloading barge Great Lakes Trader arrived yesterday afternoon (above) with a load of limestone. The barge is pushed by the tug Joyce L. Van Enkevort. The barge was built in 2000 in Mississippi and the tug was built in 1998 in Sturgeon Bay. They have been together since 2000. You can see the tug’s [...]

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Presque Isle, a tug and a barge

April 29, 2007

After discharging taconite in Conneaut, Ohio, the Presque Isle will be here today to load more taconite. Above, it is departing Duluth on August 2, 2002. This is the 3rd trip here for the Presque Isle this month. It is a unique tug-barge combination that together measures 1,000 feet long. When here, it usually loads [...]

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The tug Mark Hannah brings salt water

April 27, 2007

The tug Mark Hannah arrived in port on Thursday morning with a barge filled with calcium chloride, otherwise known as saltwater. The cargo was pumped from salt mines near Ludington, Michigan. The source of the calcium chloride is essentially a well near or in a salt mine. It is a high grade liquid (42% salt [...]

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Great Lakes Trader-Joyce L. Van Enkevort

December 26, 2006

Christmas Day was a light day for shipping in the Twin Ports. The John G. Munson departed Duluth around 8 am and the tug barge Great Lakes Trader arrived early afternoon (above). It came in under the Lift Bridge to get fuel before moving over to the Burlington Northern dock in Superior to load taconite. [...]

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Presque Isle

October 21, 2006

The Presque Isle loaded limestone in Calcite, Michigan and brought it to the Twin Ports, arriving late Friday morning. It is now loading taconite for Nanticoke and should be departing sometime this morning. Above, it is turning into the Duluth harbor in April, 2004. This is the 12th trip here for the Presque Isle this [...]

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Primary 1 / Gregory J. Busch

September 25, 2006

The barge Primary 1 was loaded on Saturday with 12 wind turbine base units brought here from North Dakota (above). The tug Gregory J. Busch should be pushing the barge out into the lake today on its way to Buffalo where the base units will be taken to a wind farm being built in Upper [...]

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Gregory J. Busch / Primary 1

September 24, 2006

After completing the discharge from the BBC India of 22 wind turbines on Thursday evening, longshoremen at Lake Superior Warehousing Company turned to loading wind turbine base units onto the barge Primary 1. It arrived in port, pushed by the tug Gregory J. Busch, on Friday morning. All the pieces were loaded on Saturday. After [...]

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Kroonborg under the Aerial Lift Bridge

September 19, 2006

The Dutch flagged Kroonborg was expected here very early this morning. It will be loading beet pulp pellets and may complete and depart the port by this evening. The Kroonborg is 428 feet long and was built in 1995. This is only the 4th trip here for the ship, the first since 2001. Yesterday, the [...]

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Presque Isle oft forgotten

August 25, 2006

After arriving under the Lift Bridge late Thursday morning, and waiting at the Port Terminal, the Presque Isle should have moved over to the CN Dock in West Duluth late last night to load taconite for Nanticoke. Assuming yesterday’s high winds have died down, and it made it over to the dock, it should be [...]

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Great Lakes Trader/Joyce L. Van Enkevort

August 19, 2006

The self-unloading barge Great Lakes Trader will be here today to load its usual cargo, taconite. It is the vessel’s 3rd trip here this season. It was here 5 times last year. The tug Joyce L. Van Enkevort, with an elevated pilot house, connects to the barge and provides the power to the vessel. The [...]

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Presque Isle takes taconite to Nanticoke

July 15, 2006

The tug-barge combination Presque Isle is one of the most unique boats on the Great Lakes. The tug part of the Presque Isle fits into a notch in the barge section. Together, it is 1,000 feet long and is considered one of the 13 thousand foot freighters working the Great Lakes today. It should be [...]

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Mark Hanna tug/barge combo

July 11, 2006

The tug Mark Hannah was expected last night with a barge filled with calcium chloride. The tug delivers calcium chloride to a variety of ports on the Great Lakes including its home port at Lemont, Illinois, 24 miles up the Chicago River from Lake Michigan. The tug can’t fit under the river’s bridges, so when [...]

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Tug Twolan pushes wood

June 25, 2006

The tug W. N. Twolan has been pushing and pulling a barge filled with logs between the Twin Ports and Thunder Bay this season. In the picture above, equipment on the barge is lifting pine logs piled on the dock and loading them onto the barge. When they get back to Thunder Bay, the logs [...]

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James R. Barker and Maxine Thompson

January 13, 2006

The James R. Barker departed Duluth yesterday afternoon. That means the tug Maxine Thompson (foreground) had pulled the crane barge around the corner from the ship canal to allow the ship traffic to move through. Shortly after the Barker departed, the tug had the crane barge back in position to continue the repair [routine maintenance] [...]

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Great Lakes Trader with Joyce

December 27, 2005

The self-unloading barge Great Lakes Trader will be here today to load taconite. The tug Joyce L. Van Enkevort, with an elevated pilot house, connects to the barge and provides the power to the vessel. It was here 8 times last year; this is its 4th trip here this season. As usual, it will be [...]

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Presque Isle bringing limestone

November 4, 2005

The tug-barge combination Presque Isle loaded limestone at Port Dolomite, Michigan and should be here today to discharge that cargo. It will then move over to Two Harbors to load taconite for Gary, Indiana. The tug part of the Presque Isle fits into a notch in the barge section. Together, it is 1,000 feet long [...]

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Sarah Spencer with Jane Ann IV

October 17, 2005

The Sarah Spencer will be at Burlington Northern today loading taconite. The Sarah Spencer barge (formerly the hull of the laker Adam Cornelius) has a notch at one end into which the tug Jane Ann IV fits. The combination is officially designated as an articulated tug barge or ATB, for short. Above, the tug is [...]

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Joseph H. Thompson arrives

July 15, 2005

The Joseph H. Thompson arrived on Thursday afternoon (above) with a load of limestone. It will complete that and then load taconite before departing sometime today. It started life in 1944, crossing the ocean several times in the war effort. Today the vessel is a tug barge combination. The barge part is still most of [...]

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Mark Hanna transports saltwater

July 9, 2005

The tug Mark Hanna delivers calcium chloride to a variety of ports on the Great Lakes, including Duluth today and its home port at Lemont, Illinois, 24 miles up the Chicago River from Lake Michigan. The tug can’t fit under the river’s bridges, so when the cargo goes to Lemont, the tug and barge are [...]

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Sarah Spencer Jane Ann

June 26, 2005

The owner of the tug barge combination called the Sarah Spencer (above), has a daughter named Sarah and a son named Spencer. The name of the tug is the Jane Ann, which also happens to be the name of his wife. Photo taken April 16, 2002. *submitted to the Duluth News Tribune for publication on [...]

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Tug Mark Hanna brings saltwater

June 13, 2005

The tug Mark Hanna is bringing in a barge filled with liquid calcium chloride today. Hannah Marine, located in a suburb of Chicago, has the largest U.S.-flag liquid bulk fleet on the Great Lakes. This is her second trip to the Twin Ports this year. Photo taken July 10, 2002. *submitted to the Duluth News [...]

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Presque Isle here for taconite

June 11, 2005

The tug-barge combination Presque Isle should be here today to load taconite. Together, the vessel is 1,000 feet long and is considered one of the 13 thousand foot freighters working the Great Lakes today. *submitted to the Duluth News Tribune for publication on 06-11-2005

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W.N. Twolan tug

June 10, 2005

The tug W. N. Twolan pushing the barge McAllister 132 should be arriving Duluth for the 3rd time this season. They bring pulp wood logs from Thunder Bay. Note the elevated pilot house (center rear) is located on the barge and not the tug. Photo taken May 15, 2005. *submitted to the Duluth News Tribune [...]

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Presque Isle is 1000 footer

May 17, 2005

The tug-barge combination Presque Isle will be here today to load taconite for Gary, Indiana. The tug-barge together is 1,000 feet long and is considered one of the 13 thousand foot freighters working the Great Lakes today. *submitted to the Duluth News Tribune for publication on 05-17-2005

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Spartan, Spartan II, Mark Hanna

May 6, 2005

The tug Mark Hanna is bringing in a barge filled with the liquid calcium chloride today. More commonly known as salt water, it is often used to keep dust down on country roads in Minnesota. *submitted to the Duluth News Tribune for publication on 05-06-2005

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Presque Isle in her winter glory

January 16, 2005

Most boats spend the winter without cargo in their holds. The Presque Isle is a tug-barge combination that needs some cargo in the barge to maintain the connection between both parts as the ice freezes around the boat. The boat is in Two Harbors getting that cargo and should be here today to take its [...]

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Reserve will lay-up in Duluth/Superior

January 10, 2005

The Reserve came into port on December 15th with a load of limestone. After discharging that cargo, it loaded taconite and departed the next afternoon (above) for Indiana Harbor, Indiana. Today it is back to stay, at least for a couple months. The Reserve and the American Sprirt are the first of an estimated 11 [...]

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Reserve shuttles cargo all around

October 26, 2004

The Reserve has been moving coal, taconite and limestone between Marquette, Calcite, St Clair, Muskegon, Detroit, Cedarville and Escanaba in Michigan, Silver Bay, Two Harbors and Duluth/Superior in Minnesota (and Wisconsin), and Lorain, Toledo, Cleveland and Ashtabula in Ohio. *submitted to the Duluth News Tribune for publication on 10-26-2004

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Thompson built in 1944

October 13, 2004

The Joseph H. Thompson started life in 1944, crossed the ocean several times in the war effort and was present for the Normandy invasion. Today the vessel is a tug barge combination. The barge part is still most of the hull of the boat built in 1944. In 1990, a major renovation took place. The [...]

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Buckeye

October 10, 2004

Good news: the Buckeye is coming to Duluth with a load of limestone. Good news because it just came out of a long time lay up that included all of 2003. That is a good sign for shipping on the Great Lakes, the economy, and also the owner, Oglebay Norton. They are in bankruptcy and [...]

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Presque Isle in the Duluth harbor

October 7, 2004

The tug-barge combination Presque Isle loaded limestone at Port Dolomite, Michigan and will be here today discharging that cargo. Next the vessel will go to Two Harbors to load iron ore pellets. There is a connection between the two cargos. Limestone is used in the conversion of taconite into iron ore pellets. Sooner of later, [...]

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Sarah Spencer is ATB

September 9, 2004

The Sarah Spencer, here to load taconite, is a unique combination of nautical parts. The Sarah Spencer barge (formerly the hull of the laker Adam Cornelius) has a notch at one end into which the tug Jane Ann IV fits. The combination is officially designated as an articulated tug barge or ATB, for short. *submitted [...]

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Reserve brings limestone 5th time

August 8, 2004

This is the 5th trip the Reserve has made to the Twin Ports this season. In each case, it brought limestone. When the discharge is completed, it will depart for Silver Bay to pick up a cargo of taconite for the lower lakes. Above, arriving Duluth on July 15, 2003. *submitted to the Duluth News [...]

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Thompson has long history

June 8, 2004

The Joseph H. Thompson should be here this morning to load taconite. It is a tug-barge combination. The barge has a long and interesting history. Among other things, the barge part was previously the hull of the Marine Robin, a ship that was at the Normandy invasion in 1944. *submitted to the Duluth News Tribune [...]

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Reserve arrives with limestone

May 27, 2004

The Reserve is here today to discharge limestone that it loaded in Calcite, Michigan. It will leave here to load taconite in Silver Bay for Cleveland. *submitted to the Duluth News Tribune for publication on 05-27-2004

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Greenstone II leaves Fraser

May 25, 2004

The Marine Tech tug Miss Laura will tow the fuel barge Greenstone II out of the Fraser Shipyard in Superior today. The Greenstone II is the first vessel to be launched from the shipyard in nearly 40 years. The tug will take it to Houghton, Michigan where it will be used to carry fuel from [...]

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Presque Isle a 1000 foot tug/barge

May 23, 2004

The tug-barge combination Presque Isle brought limestone into port and should depart today with a load of taconite. Together, the vessel is 1,000 feet long and is considered one of the 13 thousand foot freighters working the Great Lakes today. *submitted to the Duluth News Tribune for publication on 05-23-2004

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Mark Hanna tug/barge carries saltwater

May 14, 2004

The tug Mark Hanna is bringing in a barge of calcium chloride today. More commonly known as salt water, it will be used to keep the dust down on country roads in Minnesota. *submitted to the Duluth News Tribune for publication on 05-14-2004

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Reserve approaching Aerial Lift Bridge

May 6, 2004

The Reserve made 11 trips here last year, often bringing limestone as it is today. It usually loaded taconite here for a downbound cargo, although today, she will depart for Silver Bay to pick up taconite. Picture taken on November 29, 2001. *submitted to the Duluth News Tribune for publication on 05-06-2004

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Great Lakes Trader & Joyce L. Van Enkevort

April 27, 2004

The self-unloading barge Great Lakes Trader is here to load taconite. The tug Joyce L. Van Enkevort, with an elevated pilot house, connects to the barge and provides the power to the vessel. It was here 22 times last year (2003). *submitted to the Duluth News Tribune for publication on 4/27/2004

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