Philip R. Clarke arriving Duluth

October 14, 2008

Three thousand footers will load about 192,000 tons of western coal for lower lakes electrical power stations today. The Philip R. Clarke, seen above arriving in Duluth last November, will arrive today with a cargo of eastern coal loaded at Ashtabula. It will discharge the coal at the CLM Corporation in Superior. They operate seven [...]

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American Century former Columbia Star

October 13, 2008

It has been over two years since Oglebay Norton sold six vessels to American Steamship Company in Buffalo. They were the: Oglebay Norton, Columbia Star, Armco, Middletown, Courtney Burton and Fred R. White Jr. They still make regular visits. In the same order, the American Integrity was here last Wednesday, the American Century is expected [...]

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Mesabi Miner arrives for coal

October 12, 2008

The Mesabi Miner came into port on Saturday morning at 10:07 (above) to load coal for Minnesota Power at Taconite Harbor. It likely left last night but will return late today or on Monday to load iron ore pellets. As mentioned yesterday, today is still mostly a day for loading coal but two boats slipped [...]

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Algowood enters Duluth in icy water

October 11, 2008

Four boats are expected to arrive in Duluth today. All four will load coal. Two of them are expected to depart later today. One of them, the Algowood, may be at anchor waiting to come in to load coal. On Sunday, 3 more boats will be coming under the Lift Bridge, all of them also [...]

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Duluth gull greets Canadian Navigator

October 10, 2008

Buoy #45004 in Eastern Lake Superior was showing winds of 31 mph with gusts to 38 mph on Thursday evening. Wave height was 11.5 feet. The buoy is located near the shipping lanes in Eastern Lake Superior. That weather will have an effect on today’s traffic in the Twin Ports, since many boats were laying [...]

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Callaway brings limestone

October 9, 2008

The Cason J. Callaway loaded limestone in Calcite, Michigan and arrived here on Wednesday (above) to discharge it at the Hallett Dock in West Duluth. It is loading iron ore pellets today and is expected to depart later in the day for Gary. Four other boats will be here today, all of them, like the [...]

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J. W. Shelley, former Algocen, is here

October 8, 2008

The J. W. Shelley came into port late Thursday afternoon on October 2nd, 2008. She is the former Algocen and was built in 1968

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Adam E. Cornelius enters Duluth ship canal

October 8, 2008

For many years, the Kinsman Independent came to the Twin Ports to load wheat at General Mills for the Frontier grain elevator in Buffalo. Then as now, it tends to be a spring and fall trip when wheat is more available. In the summer, the Kinsman just took a rest, but the Adam E. Cornelius [...]

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Federal Saguenay gets new paint

October 7, 2008

Four thousand-footers will arrive in the Twin Ports today. Three will load coal and one iron ore pellets. The Federal Saguenay, flying the flag of the British West Indies, arrived in port on Monday morning to load grain. The picture above shows 2 deck hands doing a little painting while the ship was here in [...]

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James R. Barker greeted by lighthouse and visitors

October 6, 2008

The James R. Barker will be here this afternoon to load coal for the We Energies power plant at Presque Isle, Michigan. This is the 30th trip the Barker has made to the Twin Ports this season. It loads iron ore pellets about half the time and coal the other half. About half of the [...]

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A different kind of ship comes to Duluth

October 5, 2008

The Kent Trader arrived Duluth on October 5, 2008 with her cargo holds filled with 29 Gamesa nacelles loaded in Spain. For many years, salt water ships visiting Duluth have had their superstructure (pilot house and crew quarters, office and galley) at the stern of the ship. You will note in the picture above that [...]

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Kent Trader has unusual design

October 5, 2008

The Kent Trader came under the Lift Bridge on Friday night with its cargo holds filled with 29 nacelles loaded in Spain. All salt water ships that bring wind turbine parts here have until now had all cargo holds in front of a stern mounted superstructure where the pilot house, crew quarters, office and galley [...]

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Orsula at anchor

October 4, 2008

The Orsula should be at anchor off the Duluth piers as the sun comes up. It is waiting for the Quebecois to finish loading grain at the CHS terminal in Superior. In the picture above, the Croatian flagged ship is at anchor in September, 2006. This is the 15th trip the ship has made to [...]

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More wind turbine equipment for Duluth

October 3, 2008

The Kent Trader arrived Duluth on Friday night, October 3rd. On Saturday morning, Lake Superior Warehousing began to discharge the cargo of 29 Gamesa nacelles loaded in Spain. The morning started out with a heavy fog but it soon cleared. The nacelle above has just been pulled from the cargo hold of the ship and [...]

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J.W. Shelley here for second time

October 3, 2008

In December, 2004, I wrote that the Algocen was making its last trip to Duluth. After leaving here on December 18th, it arrived in Montreal and was sold to a company called Recycling Technologies, not a good sign. It was then towed to New Jersey to be used as a spoils storage barge, also not [...]

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Callaway departs with iron ore pellets

October 2, 2008

The Cason J. Callaway loaded limestone in Calcite, Michigan and arrived here on Tuesday to discharge it at the Hallett Dock in West Duluth. It then loaded iron ore pellets and departed the port yesterday afternoon (above) for Gary. The Joseph L. Block also came in with limestone on Tuesday and will depart today with [...]

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Asiaborg discharges nacelles and hubs

October 1, 2008

On Monday and Tuesday, longshoremen at the Port Terminal discharged 37 wind turbine nacelles from the Asiaborg, each with a hub attached. Together, they will sit at the top of the finished wind turbine. The nacelle, with the company name, Acciona on it, holds the machinery for the wind turbine; the hub will hold the [...]

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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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Asiaborg brings more wind turbine parts

September 29, 2008

Two boats are working the Duluth North Shore shuttle. The American Courage arrived here on Sunday afternoon with limestone and was expected to depart the port earlier this morning to go to Silver Bay to load taconite. The James R. Barker left here with coal for Taconite Harbor on Saturday and is expected back today [...]

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Lee A. Tregurtha welcomed by crowd

September 28, 2008

The Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center will be 35 years old tomorrow. A birthday party yesterday was planned for outside but was moved inside because of the problematic weather. Outside might not have been good for birthday parties but it was great for boat watching at least around 6 last night. The Walter J. McCarthy, [...]

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Lee A. Tregurtha turns up the Duluth harbor

September 27, 2008

Late September still brings boat watchers to the Duluth ship canal. Many were there to watch the Lee A. Tregurtha come in around 6 pm on Saturday, September 27th, 2008.

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Hans Lehmann at Port Terminal

September 26, 2008

We have not had many salt water ships this season, but three of them, each launched last year, keep coming back. The Hans Lehmann will be back today for the second time this season. On the first trip in July (above), it brought wind turbine parts. It will load grain on this trip, coming after [...]

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Federal Ems arriving port of Duluth

September 25, 2008

Earlier this week, the Federal Ems arrived off the Duluth piers and dropped anchor to wait for the Herbert C. Jackson to complete loading grain at the CHS terminal in Superior. The Jackson departed at 1:15 Wednesday afternoon. The Federal Ems was already in port, coming in about an hour earlier (above). Named after the [...]

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Three boats in the Duluth harbor

September 24, 2008

After a wait at anchor off the Duluth piers, the Federal Ems came into port today (Wednesday, September 24th, 2008) to load grain. The Vista King was right behind her giving tourists a close up view of the action. The tug North Dakota is at right, moving in to help the Federal Ems make her [...]

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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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Paul R. takes on fuel, wind turbine parts wait for trucks

September 23, 2008

No ships are in town discharging wind turbine parts but there are a lot of trucks leaving the port with pieces that have been brought here by ship. They are taking them to several wind farms in the Midwest, one piece for one truck at a time. Above, while the Paul R. Tregurtha was in [...]

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Gott making the turn in Duluth harbor

September 22, 2008

No coal will be loaded into boats in the Twin Ports today nor any grain. No wind turbines will be discharged either. No Canadian boats will be in either Duluth, Superior, Two Harbors or Silver Bay. That leaves US flagged boats loading iron ore pellets. And they will be doing that in each of those [...]

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Algolake departing Twin Ports harbor

September 21, 2008

The Algolake was here 18 times in 2005, the same number of visits in 2006 and 18 trips again in 2007. It should have arrived by now, for the 12th trip this year, putting it about on course for another 18 trip year. On all trips, the Algolake loads coal for Ontario Power Generation in [...]

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Buffalo enters Duluth under Lift Bridge

September 20, 2008

The Buffalo should be arriving in the Twin Ports around first light this morning. It will be only the 8th visit here since 1996 but the third visit here since August 1 last month. When it comes up to Lake Superior, it almost always loads iron ore pellets at Silver Bay that it takes to [...]

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BBC Maine

September 19, 2008

The BBC Maine completed the discharge of wind turbine parts at the Port Terminal last night. They have either left for Thunder Bay to load grain or will shortly do so. Above, some of the last pieces were lifted from the lower deck of the ship yesterday. This a hub that was just pulled out [...]

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BBC Maine brings wind turbine parts

September 17, 2008

Wind turbine parts have been coming into the port since the Moezelborg arrived on July 26, 2004. Many of those parts, including the blades, were built by Siemens in Denmark. The BBC Maine is here today with more wind turbine parts from Siemens but no blades. The blades for this project will be manufactured at [...]

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Algoma Spirit here for wheat

September 16, 2008

Last winter the Sandviken was sold by Viken Shipping in Bergen, Norway to Algoma Central Railway, a Canadian shipping company that sends many boats such as the Algolake and the Algonorth to the Twin Ports. The ship arrived in the Twin Ports yesterday as the Algoma Spirit. Because of a previous contract, the ship still [...]

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Canadian Enterprise departs with coal

September 15, 2008

The Canadian Enterprise and the Canadian Transport were both built in 1979 to move low sulfur, western coal from the Twin Ports to Ontario power plants in Nanticoke. Both nearly identical boats are loading coal here today. The Enterprise was expected last night and should have departed by now, leaving the dock at Midwest Energy [...]

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Drummond Islander II

September 14, 2008

The Drummond Islander III took over the car ferry duties of the Drummond Islander II in Lake Huron. MCM Marine, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan bought the ferry and uses it as a tug on dredge projects. It arrived in the Twin Ports on August 28th, bringing a barge and a work tug and a [...]

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Carola has always been Carola

September 13, 2008

The Carola has been at anchor off the Duluth piers. Although built in 2000, it has only been here once before, arriving last July (above). It is expected to come in later today to load grain at the CHS elevator. The J. W. Shelley arrived yesterday and is now loading grain at the Gavilon Elevator [...]

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Kaministiqua arriving Twin Ports

September 12, 2008

The Kaministiqua came into port on Thursday morning, its first visit with that name. It started life as the Saskatchewan Pioneer in 1982 in Glasgow. The first ocean trip (after the initial trip from Scotland) left Duluth on November 14, 1983 for France. She visited Duluth many times after that as the Lady Hamilton. From [...]

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Boland arrives under Aerial Lift Bridge

September 11, 2008

The John J. Boland came under the Lift Bridge on Wednesday afternoon (above) to load iron ore pellets for steel mills in Gary. This is only the 7th trip here for the boat. It makes a lot of stops in a lot of ports between here and Cleveland carrying a variety of cargos. It sometimes [...]

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H. Lee White arriving Duluth ship canal

September 10, 2008

The H. Lee White, seen above approaching the Duluth piers in May, will be here today for the 7th time this season. In about half the visits, it brought limestone to discharge before loading either iron ore pellets or coal. It has loaded taconite at the CN Dock here and in Two Harbors, and also [...]

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Edward H. newest tug for Heritage Marine

September 9, 2008

The Edward H. came under the Lift Bridge on Monday afternoon (above) ready to get to work as a new tug for hire in the Twin Ports. The former US Corp of Engineers tug Forney was purchased by Mike Ojard and his sons, Pat and Vince last year and renamed in honor of Mike’s father. [...]

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Quebecois arrives Duluth with cement

September 8, 2008

The Quebecois came into port on Sunday afternoon (above) with a cargo of cement to discharge at the St. Lawrence Cement plant in Duluth. This is its 59th trip here since 1996, the 11th trip this season. The cement is loaded in Mississauga, Ontario, just outside Toronto. It is quarried and processed there, and shipped [...]

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Indiana Harbor arrives for coal

September 7, 2008

The Indiana Harbor, seen above entering the Duluth harbor in June, should be here shortly after the sun rises and it is expected to depart shortly before the sun goes down. In between, it will load coal for Consumers Energy’s Cobb power plant at Muskegon, Michigan. This is the 26th trip the boat has made [...]

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American Republic arrives Twin Ports

September 6, 2008

The American Republic (seen above entering the Duluth harbor in July) loaded coal in Toledo and is expected here today to discharge that cargo at the Reiss Dock before moving over to Midwest Energy to load coal for Silver Bay. From there it will take iron ore pellets to Cleveland, some of which will be [...]

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Keizersborg discharging in Duluth

September 5, 2008

Built in 1996, the Keizersborg is one of the oldest Wagenborg ships to come to Duluth, but it is here today for only the 2nd time. The Dutch flagged ship is 428 feet long and brought the last cargo of wind turbine parts for a while (above). When it completed that discharge, it went over [...]

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Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin taking coal today

September 4, 2008

A couple days ago, the CSL Laurentien loaded coal here for Belledune, New Brunswick, a port on the Atlantic Ocean just north of Maine. The Rt. Hon. Paul J Martin will be here today to load more coal for Belledune. Above, it is departing Duluth with iron ore pellets in April, 2006. This boat was [...]

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Canadian Ranger seldom visits here.

September 3, 2008

The Canadian Ranger, seen above in May, 2005, came into port on Tuesday morning at 5:14 to load grain. This is only the 6th trip here for the boat since 2000. It was built in 1943 in Portland, Oregon as the Grande Ronde and has had a long life on both the ocean and the [...]

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Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. makes the turn.

September 2, 2008

On Monday, the Canadian flagged CSL Laurentien and the Antiqua flagged Beluga Formation left Duluth before first light. After that and before dark, it was all thousand footers loading coal, 2 coming in and one departing. The Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. came in around 1:00 (above). Today, we have limestone and more wind turbine parts [...]

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Pineglen to load grain

September 1, 2008

  A lot of people spent a lot of time at the ship canal on Sunday waiting and watching but it wasn’t until 6 pm that a big boat came under the Lift Bridge in the light of day. The Charles M. Beeghly departed at 4:45 am. It was the Canadian flagged Pineglen (above), a [...]

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Beeghly arrives to friendly crowd

August 31, 2008

The Charles M. Beeghly arrived last night to load iron ore pellets at the CN dock in West Duluth. The boat gave a double salute to acknowledge the large crowd that gathered to welcome it to Duluth (above). It was built in 1959 in Toledo and is 806 feet long, and is nearly identical to [...]

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Flinterland on her way

August 29, 2008

The Flinterland departed Duluth on Thursday afternoon with a ship full of blades. Most every available space in its two cargo holds and up on deck, see above, was filled with wind turbine blades going to Brazil. I am assured that the boat is very seaworthy but it doesn’t look like it when you consider [...]

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Flinterland gets assist from cranes 1 & 2

August 28, 2008

A lot of boats arrived in Duluth yesterday and that means a lot of boats will be departing Duluth today. The Dutch flagged Flinterland is one of those boats. It arrived at sunrise on Wednesday and began to load wind turbine blades for Brazil at 8 am. Above, you see the Port Terminal’s two gantry [...]

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Alpena arrives Duluth with usual cargo

August 27, 2008

Within this year of the wind turbine in the Twin Ports, today is the ‘day of the wind turbine.’ We expect one ship, the BBC Plata, to depart the port after discharging wind turbine parts, one, the Flinterland, will arrive to load wind turbine parts, and another one, the SCL Bern, will be here to [...]

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Vancouverborg not going to Vancouver

August 26, 2008

Wikipedia says that the Garganey is a dabbling duck. The Garganey that will arrive late tonight is a Hong Kong flagged and Chinese owned ship that was built last year and is now operating under a charter to Canadian Forest Navigation, sometimes known as Canfornav. They operate a lot of ships that they name after [...]

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Miner leaves visitors wanting more ships

August 25, 2008

Where is there a nicer boardwalk? In Duluth, you can go for a walk with a lighthouse on one side and a Great Lakes freighter on the other. Such was the case on Sunday as the Mesabi Miner departed the port with coal for Detroit Edison as many late summer visitors enjoyed a beautiful day [...]

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Edgar B. Speer in Duluth harbor

August 24, 2008

The Edgar B. Speer, seen above moving down the Duluth harbor in October, 2004, was only here once last season but is expected today for the 7th time this year. Still it has spent most of the season loading iron ore pellets in Two Harbors. Gary will be the destination for today’s pellets, as it [...]

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Robert S. Pierson enters under the Aerial Lift Bridge

August 23, 2008

The Canadian flagged Robert S. Pierson came under the Lift Bridge on Friday afternoon to load iron ore pellets at the CN dock in West Duluth (above). It is the 7th visit the boat has made to the Twin Ports this season, but the first time it has entered by way of the Duluth entry. [...]

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Federal Seto departing Duluth

August 22, 2008

After a stop to discharge cargo in Hamilton, the Federal Seto arrived in Duluth on Thursday morning to load grain for Spain. Above, it is seen departing Duluth after its first trip here in 2004, the year it was built. It was back once in 2005 and once in 2006. Skipping 2007, it is now [...]

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Dredging continues

August 21, 2008

The Marine Tech crane barge Dean R. Smith has been dredging in and near the shipping lanes in the harbor since the spring. Lately, it has been stationed close by the Lift Bridge. On Monday afternoon, it was working hard dropping the clam shell down to the bottom (about 29 feet below) and lifting material [...]

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Alder getting closer to departing dry dock

August 20, 2008

Yesterday, we had a picture of the Coast Guard cutter Alder taken from the stern as it sat on blocks on the bottom of the dry dock at Fraser Shipyards. On Tuesday morning, they started to fill the dry dock with water, a process that would take 4 or 5 hours. At a certain height, [...]

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Alder to depart dry dock

August 19, 2008

Our Coast Guard cutter Alder spent most of the summer in the dry dock at Fraser Shipyards in Superior (above) for a 4-year inspection. While in dry dock, the vessel is supported on blocks. This morning workers at the shipyard will fill the dry dock with water. That will slowly refloat the Alder to the [...]

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The Heron waits for the Callaway

August 18, 2008

Monday afternoon, August 18th, 2008; the Cason J. Callaway had just departed Duluth while the research vessel Blue Heron was circling around to come in on the next lift of the Duluth Aerial Bridge.

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Joseph H. Thompson has much history

August 18, 2008

The tug-barge Joseph H. Thompson (seen above arriving in August, 2002) is due today with a load of limestone. This is the 12th trip here this season. It was one of the first boats of the season when it arrived on March 29th. The barge part is still most of the hull of a boat [...]

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CSL Tadoussac late-day Duluth departure

August 17, 2008

Sunrise would be (or was) a good time to watch some boat activity under the bridge. Two arrivals and a departure were expected. One early arrival, the CSL Tadoussac, seen above departing Duluth in July, 2002, should finish loading iron ore pellets and depart in the afternoon. It was here many times as the Tadoussac [...]

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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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Dredging the harbor is a no-win battle

August 15, 2008

We haven’t had a lot of ship traffic coming under the bridge for a few days. No salties have been here for over a week, and a long line of boats over the weekend means they are now out dropping off their cargo before coming back here for more. Yesterday, we had two boats arrive [...]

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Quebecois departing Duluth harbor

August 14, 2008

The Quebecois came into port on Monday night with a cargo of cement for St. Lawrence Cement in Duluth. This is the boat’s 5th trip to the Twin Ports this season. On each, it has discharged cement. On the previous trips, it went to the BNSF Dock to load iron ore pellets after discharging cement. [...]

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Canadian Navigator arrives Twin Ports

August 13, 2008

The Canadian Navigator was here 10 times in 1996 and waited until 2000 to come back again. It was not in the Twin Ports last year, but did come 3 times in each of the 2 years before that. It will be here today to load coal for Ontario Power Generation in Nanticoke. Built in [...]

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Ryerson unusually arriving Duluth

August 12, 2008

The Edward L. Ryerson will be coming into port by way of the Superior entry to pick up a load of iron ore pellets at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) dock, just inside the entry. This will be the Ryerson’s 16th trip to the Twin Ports this season. Ten times it came in Superior [...]

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Edwin H. Gott got the blues

August 11, 2008

The Edwin H. Gott arrived under the Lift Bridge as Mike Zito was on stage leaning into his guitar at the Bayfront Blues Festival on Sunday afternoon. The Gott came in for some blues and some gas before loading up on iron ore pellets at the BNSF dock in Superior. Those will go to steel [...]

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Callaway leaving Bluesfest behind

August 10, 2008

Behind the trees, the cymbals and the Hoopsnakes, the Cason J. Callaway departed under the Lift Bridge on Saturday afternoon. The Blues Festival continues today but we are getting to the end of the long line of boats waiting to load coal at Midwest Energy Resources. The Algolake is probably gone by now and the [...]

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Block departs with the blues

August 9, 2008

The Joseph L. Block went under the Lift Bridge on Friday afternoon, on its way to Two Harbors to load iron ore pellets. At the same time, Shannon Curfman was in the middle of her set at the Bayfront Blues Festival (above). Both the Blues and the boats continue today, most of the boats will [...]

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Joseph L. Block passes the McCarthy

August 8, 2008

The Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. came under the Lift Bridge on Friday evening around 5 pm and went to the Murphy Fuel Dock to fill up before going over to Midwest Energy Resources to load coal. One half hour later, the Joseph L. Block came under the bridge to discharge limestone at the CN Dock [...]

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2008 Bayfront Blues Festival August 7-10, 2008

August 8, 2008

Friday, August 8, 2008 Centerville All Stars   Shannon Curfman Ruthie Foster Anthony Gomes & the New Soul Cowboys Shemekia Copeland Saturday, August 9, 2008 Big Walter Smith and the Groove Merchants The Rusty Wright Band The Hoopsnakes Sunday, August 10, 2008 Davina and the Vagabonds Mike Zito

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Daniella cargo now on trucks and train

August 7, 2008

The Daniella departed Duluth on Monday after discharging 93 pieces of cargo destined for oil sands projects in Alberta and a refinery in Billings. All the Alberta cargo will go there by truck. The largest piece, a 405 ton reactor vessel, departed Duluth on Wednesday afternoon by train for Billings (above). Photo taken on August [...]

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BBC Maine brought parts from Denmark

August 6, 2008

On Monday evening, the gantry crane at the Port Terminal was being used to pull one of 11 wind turbine base units from the hold of the BBC Maine (above). They are slowly lowering the piece onto a truck where it will be taken to another part of the Port Terminal. It is the base [...]

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Tall Ship Niagara still popular

August 5, 2008

The tall ship Niagara is the only one left but it will be moving around a lot before leaving later this afternoon. It is expected to leave port, presumably under the Lift Bridge, around 9 am this morning for a day sail and return early this afternoon. It is then expected to depart for a [...]

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Daniella brought very heavy stuff

August 4, 2008

The Jumbo Company’s Daniella, a heavy-lift vessel, was in town this past weekend although the tall ships got more attention. The Daniella was discharging very large pieces of equipment for several construction projects. The above piece, a 405 ton containment vessel loaded in Kobe, Japan, was taken off the ship on Sunday. It it being [...]

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Paul R. departing, with a nod to downtown

August 3, 2008

On Saturday, all the attention was on the 3 tall ships. The Paul R. Tregurtha snuck out early in the morning (above) and then we waited until the afternoon for another thousand footer, the Indiana Harbor, to arrive. Today, the Indiana Harbor probably snuck out already, but the American Century has likely come in to [...]

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Buffalo arrives on a beautiful Duluth day

August 2, 2008

People in buggies and bikes were down at the ship canal on Friday to watch the boats come under the bridge. Commercial shipping had the bridge back while the 3 tall ships were at the DECC. The Buffalo came in late in the afternoon (above) to pick up a load of coal for Silver Bay. [...]

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Tall Ships greeted by huge crowd

August 1, 2008

The big news on Thursday was the arrival of the three tall ships, the Pride of Baltimore II, the Niagara and the Madeline. Next in line in the big news department were the thousands of people who lined every inch of the ship canal and especially the prime location on the porch of the Marine [...]

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Oglebay Norton at Midwest Energy

July 31, 2008

As you can see by the schedule on this page, we are going to have a big day for ship watching. Of course, we have known for a long time that 3 tall ships will be coming under the Lift Bridge today, but they are only a third, even if they are the prettiest third, [...]

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The Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. usually loads 64,000 tons of coal while in Duluth

July 30, 2008

The Walter J. McCarthy, Jr., seen above turning into the Duluth harbor in May, is expected to arrive in port early this afternoon to load 64,000 tons of coal to take to Ontario Power Generation in Nanticoke. It was launched as the Belle River in 1977. Belle River is the name of the Detroit Edison [...]

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St. Clair often here with coal

July 29, 2008

The 3 tall ships will arrive on Thursday and it appears that a lot of the commerical traffic is waiting for the ships also. The Mesabi Miner came into port last night and should be leaving sometime today with iron ore pellets. The American Mariner will be here with limestone. After that, it might load [...]

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Algosoo loads coal

July 28, 2008

Today is a lot like yesterday which was a lot like the day before. Four boats will be going under the Lift Bridge with coal, and one with iron ore pellets. The Paul R. Tregurtha sat at anchor off the Duluth piers on Sunday, waiting for the Canadian flagged Algorail to finish loading coal. The [...]

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Frontenac leaves with iron ore pellets

July 27, 2008

The Frontenac departed Duluth on Saturday evening with a cargo of iron ore pellets (above). The John B. Aird was expected to arrive late Saturday night to load coal. After it departs Duluth early in the morning, the people at Midwest Energy will have a couple hours rest before 3 boats arrive. As always, the [...]

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Nanticoke here to pick up coal for Nova Scotia

July 26, 2008

The Nanticoke arrived late Friday afternoon (above). It followed the American Integrity loading coal at Midwest Energy. Later today, the Nanticoke will depart the Twin Ports for Sydney, Nova Scotia, a port on the Atlantic Ocean. Today, we expect 3 boats to go under the Lift Bridge, all Canadian flagged. The Nanticoke will depart and [...]

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Arthur M. Anderson approaching Duluth ship canal

July 25, 2008

Above, the Arthur M. Anderson arrived in Duluth on Thursday morning to discharge limestone before loading iron ore pellets for Conneaut. It should be departing this morning. This afternoon, the Canadian flagged Nanticoke will be here to load coal for Sydney, Nova Scotia, a port on the Atlantic Ocean. The Nanticoke was strengthened for ocean [...]

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Arthur M. Anderson with limestone from Calcite, Michigan

July 24, 2008

The Arthur M. Anderson is due in port this morning with a cargo of limestone loaded in Calcite, Michigan. Much of the limestone that is brought up from lower lakes ports is used on the Iron Range in the production of taconite pellets. The finished pellets, with the limestone inside, come down by rail to [...]

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Philip R. Clarke to bring limestone

July 23, 2008

We are nearing the end of the line of boats arriving to load coal at Midwest Energy Resources. The James R. Barker was expected in last night. It will follow the Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. which was expected to depart late last night. The American Integrity was expected in early this morning and it will [...]

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Paul R. Tregurtha waits to load coal

July 22, 2008

The Paul R. Tregurtha may be the largest boat on the Great Lakes but it had to wait its turn loading coal at Midwest Energy Resources yesterday. It arrived off the Duluth piers on Monday morning and dropped anchor until around 6 pm when it made a turn from the anchorage (above) and came into [...]

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Chief takes ship in for repairs on a Greek island

July 21, 2008

Spruceglen Chief Engineer Christian Pelletier was sharing some pictures on his computer screen Sunday morning that he has taken during the ship’s travels around the world. They were at the Hallett Dock in West Duluth loading taconite and were expected to depart late last night. That’s the chief at his computer on the ship. We [...]

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Spruceglen loading taconite at Hallett

July 20, 2008

The Canadian flagged Spruceglen is in port loading taconite fines at the Hallett Dock in West Duluth. Above, it is seen on August 29th last year departing the port with grain. It was built in 1983, in Scotland, as the Selkirk Settler to work double duty; the Great Lakes during the open season of April [...]

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Canadian Transport for coal

July 19, 2008

Coal is still a big cargo for the port, almost all of it loaded from Midwest Energy Resources in Superior. Above, the Canadian Transport came in Friday morning for coal. It probably left Friday night and was replaced by the Algosoo. The Mesabi Miner may have anchored off the Duluth piers last night before coming [...]

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Hans Lehmann starts and finishes in Spain

July 18, 2008

Spain is not usually the first country that comes to mind when we think of salt water traffic and the economy in Duluth but it might be moving up the list. The Hans Lehmann should be departing tonight with spring wheat for Spain. It loaded wind turbine parts in Spain that it brought here last [...]

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The Tregurthas visit Duluth

July 17, 2008

The Lee A. Tregurtha is due in port about 7 am this morning to load iron ore pellets. The Paul R. Tregurtha was here yesterday loading coal. It is named after the Vice-Chairman of the Board of the Interlake Steamship Company, the owner of the boat. His wife Lee gave her name to the Tregurtha [...]

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Canadian Olympic meets the dredge

July 16, 2008

Before moving next door to Midwest Energy Resources in Superior to load coal yesterday, the Canadian Olympic discharged limestone at the Hallet #8 Dock (above). You can see the Olympic’s self-unloader hanging just above the pile of limestone as its conveyor system moved the limestone from the boat’s cargo holds up and onto the pile. [...]

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Hans Lehmann here for first time

July 15, 2008

The German owned and Gibraltar flagged Hans Lehmann arrived in the Twin Ports on Sunday evening at 7:40. Built in 2007, it is the ship’s first trip here. Inside the ship’s holds were 22 wind turbine nacelles loaded in Spain and destined for Iowa. Stevedores at Lake Superior Warehousing Company started Monday morning and should [...]

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The Halifax here to load iron ore pellets

July 14, 2008

The Halifax, seen above entering the Duluth ship canal in May, 2002, will be here today to load iron ore pellets. It was built in 1963 in Lauzon, Quebec as the Frankcliffe Hall and was 730 feet and two inches long. The extra two inches made it, until 1965, the longest boat on the Great [...]

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Roger Blough departs for Gary

July 13, 2008

After a short wait at anchor off the Duluth piers, the Roger Blough came in late Friday night to load iron ore pellets to take to Gary. Above, it is approaching the Lift Bridge as it departed for Gary on Saturday afternoon. We have seen a lot less salt water ships this season, but we [...]

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Mesabi Miner here for iron ore pellets, not coal!

July 12, 2008

The Mesabi Miner is due here today for the 21st time this season. Many of its early visits this year were to Midwest Energy Resources in Superior to load coal, but lately as today, it has loaded iron ore pellets at the CN dock across the St. Louis River in West Duluth. When it is [...]

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River boat comes to Duluth

July 11, 2008

The Sam Laud was expected last night with limestone. It will next go to Silver Bay to load taconite for the Cleveland Bulk Terminal at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River and then Mittal Steel which is upriver. The Laud is a river boat. At 635 feet long, it is able to negotiate the turns [...]

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L. L. Smith Jr. cruises

July 10, 2008

After visiting Bayfield, Washburn, Ashland, Grand Marais and Silver Bay starting on June 16th, the research vessel L.L. Smith, Jr. will depart Duluth today around noon and go to Two Harbors to host four 3-hour environmental cruises on July 10th, 11th and 12th. The boat is owned by the University of Wisconsin Superior. They, along [...]

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Algorail here on 4th trip this season

July 9, 2008

The Algorail will be here today for the 4th time this season. Before this year, the Canadian flagged laker had been here only 10 times since 1996. It will be loading coal at Midwest Energy Resources as it has on the 3 other trips this year. It will take the cargo to Ontario Power Generation [...]

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American Republic here to repair stern thruster

July 8, 2008

The American Republic was on its way to Silver Bay to load taconite when they had trouble with their stern thruster, an engine that gives the boat side to side maneuverability, especially helpful when navigating in tight harbor conditions and narrow rivers. The American Republic is a river boat and is often taking taconite pellets [...]

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Algolake departs with coal, again

July 7, 2008

This may be a good morning to be down at the Duluth piers. It would appear (but is probably not so) that the Twin Ports shipping business took the holiday weekend off. Now that the crowds have departed, the ships are coming back. The Mesabi Miner was expected in last night to load coal at [...]

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Canadian Transport departs with crowd watching

July 6, 2008

To the end of June, we have had 402 ship arrivals in the Twin Ports this season. That is 7 less than last year. Through June, we had only 24 salt water ships here. That is 9 less than last year. Canadian trips in June are down by 6 and the US flagged vessel count [...]

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Watching a scull

July 5, 2008

On Friday, the Joe Block departed Duluth early in the morning and the Paul R. Tregurtha came in a little later in the morning. Today we will repeat the cycle, but rotate boats. The Paul R. Tregurtha is expected to depart very early Saturday morning and the Canadian Transport should be arriving about the same [...]

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Marlene Green with wind turbine base units

July 4, 2008

There is not a lot of ship traffic for the Twin Ports today and even less than usual for the Duluth entry since the Lift Bridge will be closed for the Fireworks from 9 pm tonight to 1 am Saturday. The Paul R. Tregurtha should be coming under the bridge this morning but may have [...]

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BBC Rosario with wind turbine pieces

July 2, 2008

The BBC Rosario was expected to complete discharging its cargo of wind turbine pieces last night. It has likely departed the port and the Marlene Green should be beginning to discharge its cargo of wind turbine base units this morning. Above, the port gantry crane has just lowered a wind turbine base unit from the [...]

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Cason J. Callaway with limestone from Calcite, Michigan

July 1, 2008

Two salt water ships are discharging wind turbine parts at the Port Terminal today. The Cason J. Callaway will be bringing in limestone loaded in Calcite, Michigan. After discharging that cargo, it will move to Two Harbors to load iron ore pellets for Gary. This is the Callaway’s 5th visit to the Twin Ports this [...]

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Marlene Green here with tower sections

June 30, 2008

Three salt water ships came into port on Sunday, two of them brought wind turbine parts. The BBC Rosario, making its first visit to the Twin Ports, brought pieces built by Siemens in Denmark. The Marlene Green arrived in the morning (above) with 42 tower sections built by General Electric and headed eventually for wind [...]

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Munson here

June 29, 2008

The John G. Munson departed Duluth on Saturday afternoon (above). It was perhaps the first warm, dry, summer Saturday with a lot of ship traffic and there were lots of people watching. Ten boats came under the Lift Bridge on Saturday, 7 going out and 3 coming in. Just before the Munson departed at 3:20, [...]

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Alpena here on 5th visit of year

June 28, 2008

The Alpena is here for the 5th time this season, bringing cement on each occasion, as it was doing above in September, 2002. It was originally the Leon Fraser when it was built in 1942 for the Pittsburgh Steamship Company. It was modified for salt water duty for a time, sat idle during the 80′s [...]

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The barge Lockwood 1000 is discharged with the help of a truck

June 27, 2008

The truck in the picture above was brought up from Newport News, Virginia on another truck. It was used yesterday to back up a ramp to the barge Lockwood 1000 at the Port Terminal. It is on the ramp and its trailer is being moved under the white piece (a steam turbine built in Germany [...]

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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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Canadian Enterprise draws a crowd

June 24, 2008

The Canadian Enterprise came into port late Monday afternoon (above). It was to many the first day of summer. It was warm, Grandmas was over and the Vista boats were running a full summer schedule. As above, there were a lot of people looking at the boats and the bridge. Not so many will see [...]

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Mesabi Miner here many times so far

June 23, 2008

The Mesabi Miner came into port last night for the 20th time this season, the most trips by any vessel this year. There is a good reason for that. On top of making a visit every 4 to 6 days, it made 3 trips to ports within Lake Superior before the Soo Locks opened on [...]

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Runners watch the Barker go by

June 22, 2008

Maybe a brief shower cooled off the runners but more runners than usual sitting, laying and suffering on the Maritime Museum back yard turned around and some even stood up to see the James R. Barker pass by (above). The Barker itself was a little excited, providing everybody with a double dose of whistle. It [...]

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Two salt water ships at the Port Terminal

June 21, 2008

That’s the Asiaborg on the left, tied up at berth 2 at the Port Terminal. It has been waiting for the BBC Elbe (right) to complete discharging wind turbine pieces at berth 1. That happened late Friday afternoon when the BBC Elbe moved out of the slip on its way to get fuel at the [...]

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Paul R. Tregurtha in line to load

June 20, 2008

The Paul R. Tregurtha may be the biggest boat on the Great Lakes but it had to wait at the end of a long line yesterday. The Canadian Olympic came in to load coal on Thursday morning at 6:08. An hour and a half later, the American Century came in to wait until the Olympic [...]

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Asiaborg here 2nd time this season

June 19, 2008

We have only had 18 foreign flagged vessels visit the Twin Ports this season. The Asiaborg is trying to help. It will be here early this afternoon for the second time. It will bring wind turbine parts from Europe as it did on its first trip here in early May. It will have to wait [...]

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Canadian Transfer to bring salt

June 18, 2008

The Canadian Transfer was expected in port early this morning to discharge a cargo of salt at the Hallett #8 dock in Superior. The Transfer was here 15 times in 2000, twice in 2001 and once last year. It has a very unusual history. It was created, or assembled, in 1998 by using the bow [...]

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Joseph L. Block seen discharging limestone at Hallett #8

June 17, 2008

The Joseph L. Block was due this morning with a cargo of limestone that will be discharged at the CN Dock in West Duluth. Above, the boat is seen discharging limestone in November of 2006 at the Hallett Dock just across the St. Louis River from CN. The 250-foot self unloader that we see sitting [...]

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BBC Ontario

June 16, 2008

The BBC Ontario came into port on June 13th to discharge 11 component sets (minus blades) of Siemens wind turbines loaded in Denmark. Each wind turbine has a cone shaped piece, called a spinner. It sits just in front of the hub, the piece that holds the three blades. The BBC Ontario had 11 spinners [...]

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Canadian Enterprise in Duluth for coal

June 15, 2008

The Canadian Enterprise, pictured above coming into port in June, 2006, was expected in port late last night. As it usually does, it will load coal at the Midwest Energy Resources coal dock in Superior and then take that cargo to Ontario Power Generation in Nanticoke. On this trip the boat is bringing a cargo [...]

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American Valor here with limestone, then to Silver Bay for iron ore pellets

June 14, 2008

The American Valor came into port on Friday evening around 6:00 (above). It brought limestone loaded at Calcite, Michigan into port. When the boat is discharged sometime this morning, it will go up to Silver Bay to load iron ore pellets for Ashtabula. The Valor is the former Armco, a boat that was here many [...]

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Indiana Harbor loads coal for Silver Bay

June 13, 2008

The Indiana Harbor came into port around 11 pm on Wednesday night and left the port with a load of coal for Silver Bay at 9:15 on Thursday morning (above). It is due back today, this time loading coal for Detroit Edison power plants at St. Clair, Michigan. Another thousand footer, the American Century will [...]

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Arthur M. Anderson comes in on the wind

June 12, 2008

The wind slowed a number of boats yesterday. After the Spar Jade departed Duluth at 6:42 in the morning, there was no traffic under the Lift Bridge until the Arthur M. Anderson came in around 5:15 in the afternoon (above). After stopping for fuel at the Murphy Fuel Dock in Duluth, it was expected to [...]

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American Fortitude brings limestone from Calcite

June 11, 2008

The American Fortitude, seen above departing Duluth in August, 2006, should have arrived in port with limestone loaded at Calcite, Michigan. After discharging that cargo, it will go to Silver Bay to load iron ore pellets to take to the Cleveland Bulk Terminal at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River. This is only the 3rd [...]

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Spar Jade here for bentonite

June 10, 2008

The Spar Jade came into port on Monday afternoon to load bentonite at the Hallett Dock in West Duluth. The ship is owned by a Norwegian company and flies the flag of Norway. It’s home port is Bergen. Despite a rich maritime history, we don’t see many Norwegian flagged ships here. Of 682 foreign flagged [...]

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Munteborg

June 9, 2008

The Dutch flagged Munteborg came under the Lift Bridge on Sunday evening at 6:15. The 441 foot vessel was built in 1998 and made its first trip to the Twin Ports in December of that year. It returned twice the next year and has not been back until yesterday. It was crossing Lake Superior with [...]

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St. Clair in for repairs, then loading coal

June 8, 2008

The St. Clair came into port on Saturday afternoon (above). It was scheduled to load coal at Midwest Energy Resources but had to go to Fraser Shipyards for repairs. One less boat will not make much difference at the coal dock today. The American Century preceded the St. Clair under the Lift Bridge and went [...]

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American Republic here with limestone

June 6, 2008

The American Republic, seen above entering the Duluth ship canal last January, loaded limestone in Calcite, Michigan and is expected here today to discharge that cargo before going up to Silver Bay to load iron ore pellets. It will then go to Cleveland to discharge part of the cargo at the Cleveland Bulk Terminal at [...]

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W. N. Twolan brings baled wood pulp

June 5, 2008

Stevedores at Lake Superior Warehousing Company began to discharge baled wood pulp from the barge McAllister 132 (above) on Wednesday morning. The barge was brought down from Thunder Bay by the tug W. N. Twolan. One lift truck is on the barge, taking one stack at a time and moving it to the opening at [...]

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W. N. Twolan arrives with the wind

June 4, 2008

An east wind with gusts up to 33 mph blew behind the tug W. N. Twolan as it entered the Duluth harbor at 6:30 last night (above). The tug was pushing a barge filled with a cargo of baled wood pulp that will be discharged at the Port Terminal today. The captain was navigating from [...]

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W. N. Twolan, a tug barge from Thunder Bay here with wood pulp

June 3, 2008

The W. N. Twolan is the tug part of a tug-barge combination that is due here from Thunder Bay today with wood pulp bales. The Twolan often uses a barge that has its own elevated pilothouse that allows the captain to have an unobstructed view when the cargo on the barge is very high or [...]

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Liamare here with wind turbine parts

June 2, 2008

For several years, the tug W. N. Twolan was a somewhat regular visitor to the Twin Ports, bringing a variety of wood products down from Thunder Bay and on rare occasions, taking another wood product back to Thunder Bay. The Twolan was not here at all last year, but is expected in port today with [...]

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BBC Plata here for grain

June 1, 2008

The BBC Plata departed Duluth on Saturday afternoon (above). She spent about 36 hours in port loading grain at the CHS terminal in Superior. It was the ship’s second trip to the Twin Ports. It also loaded grain here last July. The Cason J. Callaway probably has arrived in port with a cargo of limestone. [...]

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Beluga Enterprise here with wind turbine parts from Spain

May 31, 2008

Duluth is selling iron ore pellets and coal today. We are buying wind turbine parts. It’s not our iron ore or coal; we are just holding it for taconite mines on the iron range and coal mines in Wyoming and Montana. In return for the coal that Montana is sending us to pass on to [...]

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Atlantic Huron here then Nova Scotia

May 30, 2008

The Atlantic Huron came into port on Friday morning (above) to load coal for Nova Scotia. No US flagged vessels that we see here on any regular basis get out to the Atlantic Ocean and obviously, all the salt water ships we see here do. Some Canadian vessels load cargo here on an irregular basis [...]

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American Integrity helped by tugs

May 29, 2008

That’s the American Integrity moving behind the Great Lakes tug North Carolina on Wednesday afternoon. The Integrity was on its way to load coal at Midwest Energy. On most boats, when major projects are not going on, painting the boat is the next best thing. With a dearth of salt water traffic this year, many [...]

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Coal from Duluth to Nova Scotia

May 29, 2008

The Atlantic Huron arrived this morning around 9:30 to load coal for Nova Scotia, a trip that will take her into the Atlantic. She started life in 1984 as the Prairie Harvest and became the Atlantic Huron in 1989. She lost that name to become the Melvin H. Baker in 1994. In 1998, she again [...]

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H. Lee White here, then Silver Bay

May 28, 2008

The H. Lee White came into port last night (above) with a cargo of coal. It should complete that discharge today and then leave for Silver Bay to pick up a load of iron ore pellets. Built in 1973, it is only 704 feet long. The smaller size allows it to go into ports where [...]

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American Spirit here for fuel first

May 27, 2008

The American Spirit came in last night to load iron ore pellets at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) terminal in Superior, but arrived by way of the Duluth entry (above) to take on fuel at Murphy Oil first. This is the 6th visit to the Twin Ports for the 1,004-foot boat this season. It [...]

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Barker goes to Fitgers

May 26, 2008

Many tourists and visitors saw nothing out of the ordinary in the picture above. Duluthians were wondering why the James R. Barker was headed over to Fitgers on Sunday morning. Happily, it didn’t make it. The 1,000-footer made a turn, circled back and shortly came into port to load coal. Earlier, as it approached the [...]

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Paul R. Tregurtha greeted by visitors

May 25, 2008

Three thousand-footers will be coming to the Twin Ports today and even though we see a lot of them, 3 in one day is a lot of boat. Or more to the point, a lot of coal and iron ore pellets leaving the Twin Ports. The Mesabi Miner has probably already arrived and would be [...]

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McCarthy passes under Aerial Lift Bridge

May 24, 2008

The Indiana Harbor is due in port this morning around 6 am. It will be loading coal at Midwest Energy Resources and should be departing under the Lift Bridge in mid afternoon. The Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. preceded it at Midwest. It arrived last night around 6 pm (above). This is the 8th trip to [...]

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Beluga Federation here for grain

May 23, 2008

The Beluga Federation came into port at 2:30 on Thursday afternoon (above). It was built in 2006 and is loading grain. Midwest Energy Resources is still handling a lot of the action today. The Mesabi Miner finally got in and has likely departed earlier this morning. Two Canadian boats are due after the Mesabi Miner [...]

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Roger Blough here 4th time this season

May 22, 2008

The Roger Blough came into port on Wednesday afternoon (above) to load iron ore pellets at the CN Dock in West Duluth. It is the 4th trip to the Twin Ports for the 858 foot laker. It likely departed the port earlier this morning, heading down to deliver the cargo for use in steel mills [...]

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John B. Aird leaves with coal

May 21, 2008

Before departing on Monday evening, the Great Lakes Maritime Academy training ship, the State of Michigan, took a group of Twin Ports maritime officials and a group of local educators for a short cruise in the harbor. While the ship was returning to the dock, the Canadian flagged John B. Aird was coming under the [...]

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Philip R. Clarke goes to Two Harbors

May 20, 2008

The Philip R. Clarke loaded limestone in Cedarville, Michigan and should be here later today to discharge that cargo before going to Two Harbors to load iron ore pellets. Above, it is seen departing Duluth last week on May 14th also going to Two Harbors to load iron ore pellets. Last week’s pellets were discharged [...]

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State of Michigan training ship visits

May 19, 2008

The State of Michigan arrived in the Twin Ports late Sunday afternoon (above). In this case, the State of Michigan is the training ship used by the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City, Michigan. It is docked behind the DECC and is expected to be open for public tours this afternoon. Before becoming in [...]

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American Integrity leaves with coal

May 18, 2008

The American Integrity came into port on Saturday afternoon around 2:30 (above). It loaded 62,000 tons of coal at Midwest Energy Resources and has likely departed for the Detroit Edison power plant at St. Clair, Michigan. The place to go to join the Merchant Marine is the Great Lakes Maritime Academy at Traverse City, Michigan. [...]

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Mesabi Miner here for more coal

May 17, 2008

The Mesabi Miner came into port on Friday morning to load coal for Detroit Edison at St. Clair, Michigan. In the picture above, it is just passing the Marine Tech dredge operation in the harbor. You see their crane barge pulling mostly sand off the bottom of the harbor, and dumping it into a barge. [...]

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Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. back after 1st trip

May 16, 2008

The Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. returned to the Twin Ports on Thursday afternoon (above) after completing its first round trip of the new season after sustaining significant damage to the hull and engine room in January. It is loading about 62,000 tons of coal at Midwest Energy Resources in Superior and should be departing sometime [...]

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Roger Blough here for iron ore pellets

May 15, 2008

The Roger Blough is due here around noon to load iron ore pellets at the CN Dock in Duluth after getting fuel at the Murphy Fuel Dock. It will take that cargo to steel mills in Gary. Before this trip, the Blough loaded iron ore pellets in Two Harbors, also for Gary. Above, the Blough [...]

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John D. Leitch here from Thunder Bay

May 14, 2008

The Canadian flagged John D. Leitch is expected here today, coming down from Thunder Bay. It will load coal for Ontario Power Generation in Nanticoke. Before 2001, it was known as the Canadian Century. In that year, it received a new midsection, giving it a larger cargo hold and soon thereafter the new name. It [...]

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American Integrity goes to Muskegon

May 13, 2008

The American Integrity left Duluth on Monday afternoon (above) to take the first of two cargos of coal to Consumers Energy’s Cobb power plant at Muskegon, Michigan, a port half way to Chicago on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. It will be back on the 17th for the second load. Today, the Canadian flagged [...]

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Federal Danube discharges steel coils

May 12, 2008

The Federal Danube came into port at 6:13 on Sunday morning and went straight to the Port Terminal to discharge steel coils (above). Just to the left of the ship, you may be able to make out the field of white tubes across the slip from the ship. They are the wind turbine parts that [...]

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Special visitors to the port

May 11, 2008

Big cargos like wind turbines usually bring special visitors to the port. The ship comes with its crew, but with expensive cargo, the manufacturer often likes to have their people onsite to make sure everything is ok. It is good business but it also allows each party to monitor any problems like bumps, bruises and [...]

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Federal Danube with steel coils

May 10, 2008

The Federal Danube is due here this evening with a cargo of steel coils to discharge at the Port Terminal before going to the Hallett Dock to load bentonite for Gdansk, Poland. The ship arrived in Montreal on April 28th, going into the Seaway to discharge coils at Burns Harbor before coming to Duluth to [...]

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Asiaborg brings wind turbine to Duluth

May 9, 2008

The Asiaborg came under the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge on May 7th, 2008 and encountered a traffic jam as she turned up the Duluth harbor. The CSL Assiniboine (in the rear at right) came into port at 4:25 pm, the Asiaborg (at left) arrived at 4:37 and the John J. Boland came between them before [...]

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H. Lee White brings limestone

May 9, 2008

The H. Lee White, seen above entering the Duluth Ship Canal on July 21st, 2005, is expected in port today with a cargo of limestone loaded in Calcite, Michigan. After that, the White will depart for Silver Bay to pick up a cargo of iron ore pellets to take to the Cleveland Bulk Terminal at [...]

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Asiaborg here with wind turbine blades

May 8, 2008

The Asiaborg came into port Wednesday afternoon (above) with another cargo of wind turbine parts built by Siemens in Denmark and destined to go by truck to a wind farm in Iowa. Many previous wind turbine shipments arrived in Duluth with wind turbine blades on the deck. They were quite a sight. This ship has [...]

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Blue Heron home from school

May 7, 2008

The Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. came under the Lift Bridge on Tuesday afternoon around 5 pm, back from sea trials watched over by the Coast Guard. Right behind the 1,000-footer was the 119-foot Blue Heron, above, coming in after a successful day at school on the Lake. Owned and operated by the University of Minnesota [...]

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Canadian Transport leaves with coal

May 6, 2008

The big news today is the rebirth of the Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. After almost 4 months of repairs, it will be going out in the lake this morning for sea trials and is expected back early this evening to load coal at Midwest Energy Resources in Superior. It will follow the Canadian Transport seen [...]

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Looking for the next vessel

May 5, 2008

  Greta Zelenak (above) is looking for the next boat on the horizon as the Cason J. Callaway passed her by going under the Lift Bridge on Sunday afternoon. Her mother Susan (below) brought Greta in from their home in Grand Rapids. There was a lot more activity at the ship canal last night after [...]

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Federal Mattawa loading grain at AGP

May 4, 2008

The Federal Mattawa came into port on Saturday morning at 7:22. It went to AGP in Duluth to load grain (above). Meanwhile, one slip over, the BBC Zarate was finishing a discharge of wind turbine parts from Denmark. It will wait for the Federal Mattawa to complete, probably later today and will then move over [...]

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BBC Zarate arrives with wind turbine parts

May 3, 2008

The BBC Zarate arrived Thursday morning (above) to discharge wind turbine parts loaded in Denmark. Longshoremen at Lake Superior Warehousing Company should complete that job this afternoon. The ship will then be cleaned and readied to load grain at AGP. It will follow the Federal Mattawa there. Progress with both ships may be limited by [...]

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Too windy for wind turbines?

May 2, 2008

Despite a very windy day, work proceeded as planned at Lake Superior Warehousing Company at the Port Terminal yesterday. Longshoremen discharged wind turbine parts from the BBC Zarate onto trucks that then carried each piece to another part of the Port Terminal where a crane picked them off (above) until they would be reloaded onto [...]

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Joseph L. Block here with limestone

May 1, 2008

Today, the Twin Ports will send a lot of coal to electrical power plants in the lower lakes and we will discharge the first of many ships bringing wind turbine parts to be taken by truck from here to wind farms in the mid west. The Twin Ports does not take a side when it [...]

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Adam E. Cornelius leads Tregurtha into Duluth ship canal

April 30, 2008

On April 19th, the Paul R. Tregurtha departed Duluth with a cargo of coal for Detroit Edison in St. Clair, Michigan. Two days later, the Adam E. Cornelius departed Duluth, heading for Buffalo with a cargo of wheat. In the picture above, taken yesterday, the Cornelius just beat the Tregurtha to the Duluth ship canal [...]

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Rebecca here for grain

April 29, 2008

Five boats will be arriving in Duluth today. Three of them are expected to depart today also. The Rebecca is expected here to load grain and will be here several days. Last year, it was the first salt water ship of the season, coming into port on April 10th (above) with the help of the [...]

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James R. Barker again for coal

April 28, 2008

The James R. Barker came into port on Sunday evening (above) to load coal for a Detroit Edison power plant in St. Clair, Michigan. The boat called the St. Clair was named after the city since it was intended to deliver coal to that power plant. It still does but it goes to many other [...]

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Vista Star, always a sign of spring

April 27, 2008

The return of the Vista boats to their dock at the DECC is usually a sure sign of spring. The Vista Queen and Vista Star arrived there on Friday, signaling instead a last blast of winter. A new employee training session was planned in the harbor for Saturday but cold weather prevented the Minnesota Slip [...]

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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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Roger Blough comes out of the fog

April 25, 2008

The Roger Blough came in through the fog last night at 6:30 (above) to load iron ore pellets for Conneaut. The Cason J. Callaway is expected this evening. It made 18 trips to the Twin Ports last season, often bringing limestone here and then loading iron ore pellets, usually at Two Harbors. This will be [...]

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Getting your TWIC card

April 24, 2008

The Twin Ports are spread over two cities in two states. The people who operate the port work in a wide variety of occupations from stevedores and tug operators to guards and accountants. There are only two people who know everyone in the port. That would be Meredith Karasti (left) and Brenda Hennessey (right). They [...]

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Lee A. Tregurtha here for coal

April 23, 2008

The Lee A. Tregurtha came into port Tuesday afternoon to load coal at Midwest Energy Resources for Taconite Harbor. It likely departed for there very early this morning and is expected to leave there later today to load iron ore pellets at Two Harbors. It was followed at the coal dock by the Paul R. [...]

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American Century due here to load pellets

April 22, 2008

The American Century is due here this evening to load iron ore pellets at the CN Dock in West Duluth. The Century usually loads coal at Midwest Energy Resources, across the St. Louis River from the CN dock. It will take the cargo of pellets to Conneaut. On the previous trip to the Twin Ports, [...]

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Adam E. Cornelius here for wheat

April 21, 2008

The Adam E. Cornelius came into port on Sunday afternoon (above) to load wheat at the General Mills dock in Superior. This is the first trip here for the Cornelius this season. It was here 21 times last year. As on most of the trips it makes here, it is loading wheat at General Mills [...]

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Algoway back for 2nd trip

April 20, 2008

Most boats that come to the Twin Ports start loading or unloading cargo within minutes of their arrival. They depart minutes after that work is complete. Sailors on those boats usually work 4 hours on and 4 hours off, three shifts a day. They will still stand those shifts whether in port or out in [...]

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A barge named James L. Kuber

April 19, 2008

  I suppose if you only have one boat coming in for the day, it might as well be the biggest boat on the Great Lakes, and that is what we have today. The Paul R. Tregurtha will be here to load coal for the Detroit Edison power plant in St. Clair, Michigan. That happens [...]

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Arthur M. Anderson in with limestone

April 18, 2008

  The Arthur M. Anderson spent the winter layup at Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay and made its first trip to Duluth yesterday, coming in with a cargo of limestone around 9 in the morning. It departed Duluth for Two Harbors late Thursday afternoon (above). It will load iron ore pellets there for Gary, Indiana. [...]

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Steamer Reserve now barge James L. Kuber

April 17, 2008

The tug Victory was set to arrive earlier this morning, pushing the barge James L. Kuber in front of it. The barge was last here on July 13th, 2007 when it was the steamer Reserve. It left on the 14th and is now coming back as the barge James L. Kuber. Above it is seen [...]

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Canadian Progress comes in from anchor

April 16, 2008

The Canadian Progress arrived yesterday but dropped anchor off the Superior piers to wait for the berth at Midwest Energy Resources in Superior to clear. That happened when the American Mariner departed Tuesday evening. The Canadian Progress probably came in later last night and likely departed earlier this morning. The American Mariner took its coal [...]

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American Spirit departs with pellets

April 15, 2008

The American Spirit departed Duluth last night at 6:45 (above) with a load of iron ore pellets for Zug Island, Michigan. It will be back in port in about 5 days to load iron ore pellets again, this time for Gary, Indiana. Not long after it departed last night, it should have passed the American [...]

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Paul R. Tregurtha comes in

April 14, 2008

The Duluth piers never cease to amaze. For a couple days last week, people were down there trying to stay vertical while a blizzard with high winds from the north east attacked the shore line. In Duluth, people do two things when this happens. They stay home or they go down to the ship canal [...]

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Mesabi Miner comes in from the cold

April 13, 2008

The Mesabi Miner, after waiting for the weather to improve, came in to port on Saturday afternoon at 4 o’clock (above). Today, the Twin Ports is refueling 2 Lake Superior ports with 3 boats. The Mesabi Miner will take coal to the Minnesota Power plant at Taconite Harbor. The Kaye E. Barker and the James [...]

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Storm halts vessel traffic

April 12, 2008

About 2 pm on Thursday, the Gadwall arrived in Duluth, the first salt water ship of the season. It was also the last boat to move in the harbor for one day and counting. Soon we will start up again with boats in a variety of positions, either in the harbor or out in the [...]

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Gadwall is first ocean going ship

April 11, 2008

On Thursday afternoon, just hours before an expected blizzard, the Hong Kong flagged and Chinese crewed Gadwall came into port. Last year, the ship was here at the end of its maiden voyage; this year it is the first salt water ship of the season. This year’s celebration planned for the ship was postponed until [...]

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American Century & American Integrity

April 10, 2008

The American Integrity came into port on Wednesday morning to load 62,000 tons of coal at Midwest Energy Resources in Superior. The thousand footer was expected to depart very early this morning. Later today, her fleet mate, the American Century, equally as long, is due in port to load an equal amount of coal. Both [...]

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Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. has a problem

April 9, 2008

On January 14th, the Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. arrived in port for winter layup but hit a submerged object while backing into the dock at Hallett 8 in Superior. It stayed there until Tuesday morning when three tugs moved it to the Enbridge Dock in Superior for continued repairs (above). The tug North Carolina is [...]

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Quebecois here with more cement

April 8, 2008

The Quebecois came into port last night (above) with a cargo of cement for St. Lawrence Cement in Duluth. This is the first cargo St. Lawrence will discharge this year, and it is the first visit here this season for the boat. Last year, the Canadian flagged steamer brought a cargo of cement here about [...]

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John J. Boland here instead of Silver Bay

April 7, 2008

Unless the Edward L. Ryerson departed on Sunday night, there was no traffic going in or out of the port yesterday. Today, the John J. Boland, seen above departing Duluth last July 4th, is making its first trip to the Twin Ports this season. It was originally set to load iron ore pellets at Silver [...]

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Edward L. Ryerson comes in Duluth entry!

April 6, 2008

Bad news for the owners of the Edward L. Ryerson can sometimes be good news for boat watchers at the Duluth Ship Canal. The Ryerson made an unexpected stop in the Twin Ports on Saturday afternoon to get some minor repairs at Fraser Shipyards in Superior. It came under the Lift Bridge with one of [...]

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American Integrity

April 5, 2008

In June, 2006, the Oglebay Norton and 5 fleet mates from the Oglebay Norton Company in Cleveland were sold to American Steamship in Buffalo. American Steamship boats are painted black and white with red on the stack. Oglebay Norton boats were iron ore red and a cream color. Just after the sale, new names were [...]

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Edgar B. Speer fights ice to get here

April 4, 2008

Two 1,000-footers are expected in port today to load coal for Detroit Edison power plants in St. Clair, Michigan. The American Integrity was expected early this morning and should be loading coal at Midwest Energy Resources in Superior. It will likely depart this afternoon, leaving the dock open for the arrival of the American Century [...]

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Capt. Henry Jackman here for coal

April 3, 2008

The Capt. Henry Jackman came into port Wednesday morning at 7:00 to load coal at Midwest Energy Resources. It took the place of the departing Paul R. Tregurtha, finally returning to service after a week of repairs here caused by ice damage. The Tregurtha departed at 7:40 Wednesday morning. The Jackman departed at 2:25 in [...]

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Visiting in the world of Homeland Security

April 2, 2008

The border between Canada and the United States is getting more restricted every day. Canadian boats such as the Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin still come into port, as it did this morning, with the same regularity and US boats still call at Canadian ports. The local customs officials board Canadian boats when they arrive. [...]

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Indiana Harbor back for more coal

April 1, 2008

The Indiana Harbor arrived in port yesterday at 6 pm, just a little later than the snow did (above). On March 22nd, it left the port after a winter layup at the Hallett 5 dock, taking coal to Silver Bay. There it loaded iron ore pellets for Ashtabula. It is back from that trip to [...]

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James R. Barker gets back to work

March 31, 2008

Ice is not nice this season, although the James R. Barker was able to get back to work yesterday, leaving Duluth on Sunday afternoon (above) with coal for Detroit Edison. It came into port last week with ice damage. The Paul R. Tregurtha remains at the Port Terminal getting repairs to ice damage to the [...]

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Peter R. Cresswell takes coal to Nanticoke

March 30, 2008

The Peter R. Cresswell arrived in the Twin Ports Saturday morning at 10 am to load 25,000 tons of coal. Above, it departed Duluth at 6:30 Saturday evening to take the cargo to Ontario Power Generation in Nanticoke. This is only its second trip to the Twin Ports since it was here 3 times in [...]

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Paul R. Tregurtha gets repairs

March 29, 2008

Two thousand-foot long boats will be in the port today loading cargo. The American Integrity was expected last night, loading coal for Detroit Edison. It should depart this morning to be replaced by the American Century doing the same thing. Unfortunately, we already have 3 thousand footers in port in various stages of repair. The [...]

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Paul R. crew hosts TV film crew

March 28, 2008

The Paul R. Tregurtha was the first 1,000 footer to arrive in the Twin Ports this season, coming in late Wednesday evening. It also brought a video crew from the Discovery Channel, Canada along. They were working on a program for the Discovery Channel about the world’s biggest boats. The Tregurtha has that title on [...]

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James R. Barker arrives Twin Ports

March 27, 2008

The first thousand footers from beyond the Soo Locks will be in port today. The Paul R. Tregurtha, at 1,013 feet the longest of the 13 working the Great Lakes, was expected last night. After a stop for fuel and then some repairs, it was expected to be loading coal at Midwest Energy Resources in [...]

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Ryerson even prettier now with new paint

March 26, 2008

After wintering at Fraser Shipyards (above), the Edward L. Ryerson was expected to depart the shipyard around 4 am this morning to go down the Superior channel to Burlington Northern to load iron ore pellets. After spending the winter layup in the dry dock at Fraser Shipyards, the Canadian flagged Frontenac is also expected to [...]

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Roger Blough departing for Conneaut

March 25, 2008

After 3 trips taking coal to Lake Superior ports, the Mesabi Miner was due here last night to load coal for Detroit Edison power plants at St. Clair, Michigan, beyond the Soo Locks. They will open today. Yesterday, both the John G. Munson and the Roger Blough started their season, the Munson going to Two [...]

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Algowood arrives Duluth from winter layup

March 24, 2008

The Soo Locks do not open until March 25th so Twin Ports boat movement is still pointed at ports within Lake Superior. The Edwin H. Gott left the port on Sunday morning to load taconite at Two Harbors. The Lee A. Tregurtha departed Duluth on Sunday afternoon to load taconite for Indiana Harbor at Silver [...]

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Alder is a hard worker

March 23, 2008

The Coast Guard cutter Alder was out Friday making sure shipping channels were open for the boat traffic expected this weekend. Shipping channels are not the only areas in the harbor where the ice must be broken up. Boats that come to port usually have to make a turn somewhere since they will be going [...]

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Indiana Harbor ready to start her new season

March 22, 2008

In yesterday’s Duluth Shipping News, there was a picture of the Aerial Bridge in the up position for the first time in two months but it was only practice; no vessels came through. Last night, the Mesabi Miner filled up the void when it came in at 7:00, the first boat traffic of the season [...]

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Aerial Lift Bridge showing off new paint job

March 21, 2008

Yesterday was the first day of Spring. The Aerial Lift Bridge celebrated by making a lift at noon (above), shortly after two-direction-at-the-same-time auto traffic was opened. With the paint job completed for this year, the bridge crew still has to do some maintenance on the bridge but it should be open to ship traffic by [...]

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Midwest to Mesabi Miner to Marquette

March 20, 2008

The Mesabi Miner show continues. Above, it was loading coal at Midwest Energy Resources in Superior on Saturday before leaving the next day for Marquette. Note the ship loader in the bottom of the picture, extended over the boat’s cargo hold. The boat returned yesterday from that trip and spent the day at Midwest loading [...]

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Mesabi Miner at Superior entry

March 19, 2008

With help from the cutter Alder and tug North Carolina, the Mesabi Miner cleared the lighthouse at the Superior entry on Sunday (above). It is expected back here today to load coal for Taconite Harbor. Last January, it was the last boat to arrive in port for winter layup, coming under the Bridge on January [...]

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Biscayne Bay crewmembers get a break

March 18, 2008

Shortly after the Alder and the tug North Carolina got the Mesabi Miner out of the harbor on Sunday and on the way to Marquette to deliver coal, the Coast Guard cutter Biscayne Bay arrived after clearing out the ice at Marquette and spending Saturday night in the ice off the Apostle Islands. Yesterday, they [...]

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Tug North Carolina icebreaking

March 17, 2008

Captain George LaTour had the Great Lakes tug North Carolina out on Sunday morning (above) to help the Mesabi Miner get away from its berth at Midwest Energy Resources and down the Superior channel to the open water just beyond the Superior entry. The Miner is taking coal to Marquette and then returning to Superior [...]

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Alder and Mesabi Miner conference

March 16, 2008

Alder Commander Kevin Wirth (left) invited Mesabi Miner captain Scott Briggs (right) and his first mate, and relief captain, Tom McMullen (middle), to join him aboard the Alder yesterday (above) while they broke ice in the harbor. Briggs was scheduled to take his 1,000-footer off the dock at Midwest Energy today at 8 am to [...]

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Mesabi Miner trying to depart

March 15, 2008

It’s the time of year when our Coast Guard cutter Alder has no privacy. It has left a track wherever it went while breaking ice this past week. Until today, it was the only vessel in port that was moving. Eleven boats are positioned close to those tracks, getting ready to move out. Later today, [...]

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Miner here (with help) for winter layup

January 22, 2008

The Mesabi Miner came under the Lift Bridge on Monday morning at 6:15. Just after clearing the Bridge, the 1,000-footer ground to a halt in the ice behind the DECC. The tug Kentucky had trouble breaking away from the ice at the tug berth but was soon on the scene opening a crack in the [...]

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Kentucky provides tug assist

January 21, 2008

In the summer, the Great Lakes tugs can often be seen helping vessels make their way around the harbor and up to a berth. Above, the tug Kentucky is pulling the Canadian flagged Algoisle from a berth at CHS in Superior in November, 2004 so it can move down the Duluth harbor and out the [...]

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Mesabi Miner out of the ice

January 20, 2008

To January 1st, we had 1,186 visits by commercial boats this season, an increase of 38 boats over last year’s 1,148 visits. Up to this morning, 56 boats arrived in January. The Mesabi Miner left port on Friday morning with 58,000 tons of coal to take to Marquette, Michigan. It is expected back here late [...]

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Fraser Shipyards, winter layup 1964-65

January 19, 2008

When the Mesabi Miner comes through the Superior entry late Sunday or early Monday morning, it will be the last of 12 boats that will spend the winter lay up here. It, like 4 of the other boats, is over 1,000 feet long. Back in the winter of 1964-65, boats were a lot smaller and [...]

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Mesabi Miner will end season soon

January 18, 2008

With the arrival of the John G. Munson and Edwin H. Gott early Thursday morning, we now have 11 of the 12 boats in port that will spend the winter here. The last boat to arrive for winter is the Mesabi Miner. It came under the Lift Bridge on Thursday around noon (above) but was [...]

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Edwin H. Gott making turn in harbor

January 17, 2008

Duluth sent and will receive the last two boats to go through the Soo Locks in each direction this year before they closed for the winter. The Michipicoten departed here with taconite at 1:40 Monday afternoon. It arrived at the Soo Locks and went through at 11:10 Tuesday night. In the other direction, the Edwin [...]

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St. Clair arrives with ice

January 16, 2008

Two of the last 3 boats expected here for winter lay up should be here early Thursday morning. That would be the John G. Munson and the Edwin H. Gott. The Mesabi Miner is also expected on Thursday to get one more load of coal. It will take it to Marquette. When it returns here [...]

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McCarthy in the icy river

January 15, 2008

The Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. came into port Monday morning for winter lay up. It is seen above at 9:30, slowly moving through the ice on the St. Louis River on the way to its winter berth at the Hallett 8 dock in Superior. It experienced some problems when backing into the dock. The John [...]

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Lone Paul R. Tregurtha watcher

January 14, 2008

The Paul R. Tregurtha came into port on Sunday morning with only a small number of people greeting the boat (above). It is the 58th and last trip here for the season. It loaded about 62,000 tons of coal at Midwest Energy Resources in Superior on Sunday for Detroit Edison, its usual destination. It was [...]

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CSL Niagara departs Duluth as season-end nears

January 13, 2008

By the end of the day, the last Canadian flagged vessel of the year, the Michipicoten, is expected to depart the port. That of course does not count the Frontenac. It is spending the winter at Fraser Shipyards in Superior. The Canadian flagged CSL Niagara departed the port with taconite on Saturday morning (above). The [...]

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Lee A. Tregurtha to load coal for Taconite Harbor

January 12, 2008

The shipping season is slowly closing down. There were 3 boats that arrived on Friday for winter layup; the American Spirit, Indiana Harbor and the Canadian flagged Frontenac. A question often asked at the ship canal is: what’s in that boat? Today the answer for the three above was; a lot of tired sailors going [...]

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St. Clair greeted by North Pier Light

January 11, 2008

After taking a load of taconite down to Zug Harbor, near Detroit, the St. Clair arrived back in Duluth on Thursday afternoon (above) to take on its last load of the season, coal from Midwest Energy Resources in Superior. It will take that cargo to its namesake city, St. Clair, Michigan. The coal will be [...]

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Anna Marie moving some ice

January 10, 2008

Bad weather at the other end of Lake Superior pushed Wednesday’s full schedule to today. Warm weather here has stalled the ice buildup in the harbor, but this late in the season, most boats still need help. Above, the Philip R. Clarke is moving slowly through the harbor on its way to the CN Dock [...]

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CSL Assiniboine enters cold ship canal

January 9, 2008

The CSL Assiniboine likes Duluth in cold weather. It will be here today for only the 11th time this season, but the second time this month. Of 6 trips here last year, two were in January and of the 7 times it was here in 2005, two were in January. Above, it is seen knocking [...]

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Ryerson here for winter layup

January 8, 2008

The Edward L. Ryerson came under the Lift Bridge late Monday afternoon (above) for winter layup. It is the first of an anticipated 12 boats that will spend the winter in the Twin Ports. It almost became the first boat in December, but at the last moment, more work was found for the boat. It [...]

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Ryerson at Superior entry

January 7, 2008

Many think the Edward L. Ryerson, seen above after entering the port via the Superior entry in August, 2006, is the prettiest boat on the Great Lakes and this year the Twin Ports are honored to provide it a winter home. The arrival of this boat for winter layup has been predicted before and the [...]

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CSL Laurentien in icy Duluth harbor

January 6, 2008

The CSL Laurentien was at anchor off the Duluth piers on Saturday, waiting for the CSL Tadoussac to complete loading taconite at the CN dock in West Duluth. That should have happened sometime Saturday evening. The CSL Laurentien is most of the former Louis R. Desmarais, built in 1977. During the 2000-2001 winter, the forward [...]

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CSL Tadoussac departing Twin Ports

January 5, 2008

A boat called the Tadoussac made many trips to the Twin Ports since it was built in 1969. During the winter of 2000/2001, it was widened from 75 feet to 78 feet, its cargo self-unloading system was upgraded and it was re launched as the CSL Tadoussac. CSL stands for Canada Steamship Lines, the boat’s [...]

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James R. Barker here for taconite

January 4, 2008

The James R. Barker came in on Wednesday morning for taconite (above) and likely didn’t leave until very early this morning, assuming the winds have died down. High winds from the west slowed the activity in the port yesterday, and those problems are likely still working themselves out with boats at anchor waiting to come [...]

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CSL Niagara leaves downtown behind

January 3, 2008

With downtown Duluth behind it, the CSL Niagara came into port on Wednesday morning (above) to load taconite. The Canadian flagged vessel departed early Wednesday evening with Christmas lights still on. Five boats are expected in port today to load coal. They won’t all get to the dock today so some of them will have [...]

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Canadian Olympic enters Duluth canal

January 2, 2008

Shipping in the port of Duluth Superior did not stop to celebrate the New Year. A procession of boats came across Lake Superior on the way to the Twin Ports. Through the day, the Edwin H. Gott was at anchor off the Duluth piers waiting for Two Harbors as the procession to Duluth continued. Above, [...]

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Philip R. Clarke arrives in cold

January 1, 2008

The Philip R. Clarke arrived in Duluth just before noon on Monday (above) and was greeted by a small but hearty group of souls who almost looked like they were standing in formation. It came in light (no cargo) to load taconite for Conneaut, Ohio and probably departed the port late Monday night. We expect [...]

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CSL Niagara passes South Pier Light

December 31, 2007

The Canadian flagged CSL Niagara, seen above entering the Duluth ship canal on January 9th, 2005, is expected to arrive late this evening, perhaps just before midnight. Last year, when the boat was here in late December, it was elaborately decorated for Christmas. It may light up the harbor just in time for the New [...]

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St. Clair heading to Murphy

December 30, 2007

At 11:30 on Saturday morning, the St. Clair came into port using the Duluth entry to get fuel before loading taconite at the Burlington Northern dock in Superior. To avoid the ice filled Superior channel, it went back out to the lake using the Duluth entry after fueling at the Murphy Fuel dock and followed [...]

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American Century ice is nice

December 29, 2007

It almost looks like the port of Duluth Superior is holding a year end sale on coal and taconite. The sale goes all the way up to Two Harbors, at least for the taconite. Buyers of those two products know they will not be able to get more from here between the middle of January [...]

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Algosteel arriving Duluth ship canal

December 28, 2007

The Algosteel is expected today for the 4th visit the boat has made to the Twin Ports this season, more than it has made at least since 1996. Above, it is arriving in Duluth in March, 2006, the only trip it made to the Twin Ports last season. It usually loads coal when it is [...]

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Waves no match for Paul R. Tregurtha

December 27, 2007

The Paul R. Tregurtha came into port a little after 3 pm on Wednesday. There was no ice in the ship channel but a 11 mph wind with gusts up to 19 mph created some surf and blowing snow as the boat when under the Lift Bridge (above). The Tregurtha was in a line to [...]

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Canadian Enterprise Christmas

December 26, 2007

Christmas Day was a time of waiting for shipping traffic in the Twin Ports. But that is not all bad. In fact, it is pretty good since Christmas Day on a laker means a very nice dinner. That is the Canadian Enterprise above, just to the right of the North Pier light, barely visible in [...]

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Kaye E. Barker and bothersome ice

December 25, 2007

It has been a slow couple days for shipping activity in the Twin Ports. Most everything stopped when high winds and ice created less than ideal conditions in the harbor. Often the hardest part of the job coming in to load cargo in conditions like that is getting close enough to the dock. As a [...]

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Atlantic Huron arrives Duluth harbor

December 24, 2007

There was not much movement in the harbor yesterday. The Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. approached the Duluth piers and decided to drop anchor in the outer anchorage and wait for the storm, particularly the wind from the North, to pass. At 8:10 Sunday morning, the Mesabi Miner went out in the Lake after loading coal [...]

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Algowood makes her way through harbor

December 23, 2007

While people in cars in the Twin Ports were slipping and sliding in the ice-drizzle-snow on Saturday morning, the Algowood slipped under the Lift Bridge and is seen above moving easily down the Duluth harbor to take a position behind the American Integrity at Midwest Energy Resources in Superior. The boat was more challenged by [...]

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New meaning to “go fly a kite”

December 22, 2007

Ships from Beluga Shipping in Hamburg, Germany made 11 trips to the Twin Ports in 2007. During most of those trips they carried wind turbine components so that people in Spain, and North Dakota, among other places, might have cleaner and perhaps cheaper electricity. They depended upon good old fashioned diesel power to move around [...]

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Kaye E. gets visit from Captain’s family

December 21, 2007

Captain Greg Sipper brought the Kaye E. Barker under the Lift Bridge on Thursday afternoon at 3:30. One hour later, his wife Emily and son Joel joined him in the pilot house on the boat (above) while the boat was refueled at the Murphy Oil Fuel Dock. Along with daughter Katie who joined them later, [...]

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Kaye E. Barker likes Duluth winters

December 20, 2007

The Kaye E. Barker doesn’t get here very much although it spent the winter here last year. For some reason, as you can notice from the picture above, taken on January 23rd, 2004, this boat seems to favor Duluth in the winter months. Of 6 trips here in 2006, 4 of them were in November [...]

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Paul R. Tregurtha brings in some ice

December 19, 2007

Two thousand footers will go under the Lift Bridge today. The Paul R. Tregurtha will depart this morning and the American Century should arrive this afternoon. This will be the 53rd trip here for the Tregurtha this season. That is a high total, mostly because the boat made many shorter trips to Taconite Harbor and [...]

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Sam Laud one of the “river boats”

December 18, 2007

Three boats that can often be found on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland are up on Lake Superior this week. They are smaller boats, 634 feet long, that move a lot of taconite up the river to Mittal Steel that some of the larger boats bring down to the mouth of the river at Cleveland. [...]

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Alder back home

December 17, 2007

The last salt water ship left the port on Friday. On Sunday, the locally based Alder arrived back in Duluth (above) after doing buoy work on Lake Michigan, a duty they share with several other Coast Guard boats. They are home for the winter. After a couple days rest, the Alder will go out in [...]

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Isadora strategy session

December 16, 2007

The Isadora went under the Lift Bridge on Friday night at 8:39. An hour earlier, there was a meeting in Isadora captain Zdzislaw Iwanowski’s office on the ship (above) to complete all the paper work involved with loading the ship’s cargo holds with wheat and sending it off to, in this case, Barcelona. From the [...]

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Icy harbor

December 15, 2007

The Isadora was loading wheat for Barcelona on Friday morning when the Philip R. Clarke was coming up the harbor with a load of limestone for the Hallett Dock in West Duluth. It was slow going through the ice and the tug Anna Marie Altman was standing by to provide assistance if needed. The picture [...]

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Isadora departing Twin Ports

December 14, 2007

The Isadora came into port on Thursday evening to load grain at AGP in Duluth. It is the 158th salt water vessel to come to the Twin Ports this shipping season. This is the ship’s 12th trip to the Twin Ports since it was built in 1999. It first came here in November 2000. It [...]

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Biscayne Bay cuts a path

December 13, 2007

The Biscayne Bay‘s extended stay in Duluth was cut short when they were asked to go to Thunder Bay to break up their ice. The 140 foot Coast Guard cutter departed the port on Wednesday afternoon. Before departing, it refreshed the tracks made through the ice in the main shipping channels in the port. The [...]

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H. Lee White rides into the sunset

December 12, 2007

The H. Lee White came into port late Monday afternoon (above) with a cargo of limestone loaded at Calcite, Michigan. After discharging the stone, it will go to Silver Bay to load taconite for Mittal Steel in Indiana Harbor. When it arrived on March 26th this year, it was the first boat in the new [...]

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McCarthy taking ice and coal out

December 11, 2007

Ice is becoming an important factor in the port. Seasoned observers point out that in the last several days, impressive amounts of ice have formed even overnight. Yesterday, the Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. was unable to pull away from the dock at Midwest Energy Resources after loading 62,000 tons of coal. A call to the [...]

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Biscayne Bay crew does the icebreaking

December 9, 2007

LT Cary Godwin brought his Coast Guard ice breaker Biscayne Bay into port on Friday evening. About 10 tons of ice, encrusted on just about every exterior surface of the ship, came along for the ride. Most of the ice accumulated on the trip here from Isle Royale where they ran into 8 to 10 [...]

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Federal Kushiro and sea smoke

December 8, 2007

The Federal Kushiro came into port on Friday morning, just before sunrise (above) and is now loading wheat for Northern Europe at the CHS terminal in Superior. The brand new Rosaire A. Desgagnes was expected just before sunrise this morning. The Coast Guard ice breaker Biscayne Bay did arrive in Duluth last night after several [...]

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Paul R. makes turn to Aerial Lift Bridge

December 7, 2007

Three salt water vessels are expected in port during the first part of the day. Each will start loading grain when they arrive since they are going to 3 different grain terminals. Later in the afternoon, two thousand-footers will be arriving to load coal, although since they are both loading coal at Midwest Energy Resources, [...]

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Biscayne Bay is Coast Guard ice breaker

December 6, 2007

The US Coast Guard ice breaker Biscayne Bay is on the way to the Twin Ports. After making a stop at Marquette, it dropped anchor off the Keweenaw last night, hoping to depart this morning for Duluth, depending upon the weather. Above, it is seen arriving in Duluth March 14th of this year. Nothing is [...]

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St. Clair arriving Twin Ports harbor

December 5, 2007

On Sunday, only 3 boats went under the Lift Bridge, Monday saw another 3 and Tuesday only 1. It is too early to say that the season is winding down but it is definitely slowed up by a combination of high winds, cold temperatures and ice. The Coast Guard announced the beginning of Operation Taconite [...]

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BBC Ontario loading wind turbine blades

December 4, 2007

Above, the 4th of 10 wind turbine blades is lowered onto a lower deck of the BBC Ontario Monday morning at the Port Terminal. Over the weekend, beet pulp pellets were loaded into the cargo holds below this deck at General Mills. After ten blades were placed here, hatch covers were lowered over it to [...]

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Ryerson enters Duluth ship canal

December 3, 2007

Ships coming to the Twin Ports have been loading beet pulp pellets for Spain for many years. Arriving here by train from North Dakota, the pellets are used in Europe for animal feed, This year, several ships have loaded wind turbine blades in Duluth and taken them to Spain. Until today, no ship has loaded [...]

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Canadian Transport enters the harbor

December 2, 2007

After spending a day or more waiting out the wind at Thunder Bay, the Canadian Transport decided to come over to Duluth in time for the snow storm. It arrived here on Saturday afternoon (above), coming under the Lift Bridge just as the Mesabi Miner was getting ready to depart the coal dock at Midwest [...]

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American Spirit making the harbor turn

December 1, 2007

The thousand foot long American Spirit was expected to arrive very early this morning to load iron ore pellets at the CN dock in West Duluth. Above, it is moving slowly through the Duluth harbor last October. The Paul R. Tregurtha came into port last night to load 62,000 tons of coal at Midwest Energy [...]

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Federal Asahi

November 30, 2007

Seven boats should be arriving in the port today. Three of them will likely finish their work here and depart later in the day. The Hong Kong flagged Federal Asahi will be here today to load grain. It was here in April, 2000 at the end of its maiden voyage, sailing here from Japan where [...]

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Canadian Transport arriving Duluth canal

November 29, 2007

The Ypermachos finally departed the Twin Ports with grain last night. The Beluga Energy was due in Tuesday night but high winds on Lake Superior forced the ship to take cover near the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan, on the south shore of Lake Superior. It was expected in last night and should be discharging wind [...]

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Cort makes rare Duluth entrance

November 28, 2007

The Stewart J. Cort, the first thousand footer on the Great Lakes, came in the Duluth entry on Tuesday. The boat has made 527 visits to the Twin Ports and only 16 of the visits found it coming in the Duluth entry. The crew seemed happy to be here; they gave several whistles including one [...]

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Federal Oshima looks nice with South Pier Light

November 27, 2007

The Federal Oshima came into port last Friday (above) and is expected to depart today taking wheat to Naples. The Ziemia Cieszynska may also depart, taking soy beans to Northern Europe. The Ypermachos is expected to finally come into port this morning from the outside anchorage, probably around 8 am. This is the former Socrates [...]

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Mesabi Miner arriving Twin Ports for coal

November 26, 2007

The Mesabi Miner arrived in Duluth early Sunday afternoon (above). It came to load about 62,000 tons of coal for a Detroit Edison power plant in St. Clair, Michigan. We expect three boats today to load grain. One of them, the Ypermachos, has been at anchor off the Duluth piers for several days. This is [...]

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BBC Ems getting lots of fuel

November 25, 2007

Above, the BBC Ems loaded 800 tons of heavy fuel oil at the Murphy Oil Fuel Dock at the Port Terminal on Saturday. That was the largest order Murphy Oil has ever filled at their Duluth dock. With 22 wind turbine blades on their top deck, the heavy fuel oil will give the ship better [...]

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BBC Ems loads wind turbine blades

November 24, 2007

Ballast tanks, filled with water, provide stability to a ship. Fuel is a liquid that also provides stability. When the BBC Ems completes loading wind turbine blades later today, it will move over to the Murphy Oil Fuel Dock to take on about 800 tons of heavy oil fuel. That will take the Fuel Dock [...]

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Algonorth departing Twin Ports

November 23, 2007

The Algonorth will be here for the first time since it arrived here on December 18th, 2005. It has been here 18 times since 1996. In the picture above, it is leaving Duluth in June, 2004. It will be loading grain while here. Two ships owned by Wagenborg Shipping in the Netherlands will be here [...]

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Clarke welcomed by large crowd

November 22, 2007

Above, the Philip R. Clarke is arriving last July for the 6th trip of the season to the Twin Ports. It will be here today for the 12th time, about the number of trips it has made to the Twin Ports in the last several years. They are bringing limestone loaded in Cedarville, Michigan. When [...]

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Vechtborg enters Duluth ship canal

November 21, 2007

The Dutch flagged Vechtborg will be here today for only the 4th time since it was built in 1998. Above, it is coming into port in 2005. It will load beet pulp pellets. Today, we will see one other Dutch flagged ship, 2 Canadian flagged and 3 US flagged boats. They will load taconite, coal [...]

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Xenia in Twin Ports harbor

November 20, 2007

The Xenia came into port on Sunday afternoon (above) after discharging general cargo in Hamilton. This is the 4th trip the Xenia has made to the Twin Ports, the 2nd this season. It was built in 2002 and is 468 feet long, shorter than most of the older salt water ships that come to Duluth, [...]

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Marlene Green is……………green

November 19, 2007

The Marlene Green arrived in port on Sunday morning at 6:22. A few hours later, it was at the Port Terminal discharging the 40 wind turbine base units it brought here from Indonesia. The Alpena has been in port since it arrived with a cargo of cement on November 11. It has spent much of [...]

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Gantry cranes at work

November 18, 2007

The Beluga Formation discharged wind turbine tower base units at the Port Terminal Saturday. Above, both cranes (the #2 is visible) have lifted the unit out of the ship’s hold and are moving it to a waiting truck. They were loaded in Spain and are going to the Tatanka wind farm in North Dakota. The [...]

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Beluga Formation brings towers

November 17, 2007

The Beluga Formation returned to Duluth on Friday afternoon (above), bringing another load of wind turbine parts from Spain. She brought a similar cargo here on October 1st. This load has 124 pieces, some vary large, as the ones on the deck of the ship above indicate. They are base units, or the towers that [...]

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Montrealais entering Twin Ports harbor

November 16, 2007

The Montrealais arrived late Thursday afternoon to load grain. Above, it is seen arriving in Duluth in August, 2004. After a short lull, ship traffic in the Twin Ports is picking up again. So far, this has been a very good year. To the end of October, there were a total of 965 vessel arrivals [...]

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Maritime Trader arriving Twin Ports

November 15, 2007

The American Century should be back from a quick trip to Silver Bay to load coal for Detroit Edison power plants at St. Clair, Michigan. The Paul R. Tregurtha left last night around 6 pm to do the same thing. Both boats will be back next week, obviously in the same order, to load coal [...]

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American Century departing Twin Ports

November 14, 2007

Yesterday was probably not the most productive day the port has had. High winds, repairs to docks and to boats slowed things down a bit. The Alpena was to have departed today but is undergoing repairs and may not depart until Thursday after discharging the usual cargo of cement. Repairs have been made at the [...]

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Hello, Duluth crane #1

November 13, 2007

Next year marks 50 years for the St. Lawrence Seaway, a major event for Duluth, opening it up to larger ships from around the world. Next year is also the 50th birthday of the two cranes that stand at the Port Terminal. They are ready for the party. The Port Authority upgraded both cranes in [...]

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Seneca greeted by Wayzata boys

November 12, 2007

The crew on the salt water ship Seneca might have been a little confused when they found the Bantam A boys hockey team from Wayzata greeting them as they came into the Duluth Ship Canal (above) late Sunday afternoon. The team stepped off the bus for a short walk in Canal Park just as the [...]

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Vlistborg enters Duluth ship canal

November 11, 2007

The Vlistborg arrived in Duluth early Saturday afternoon (above) to load beet pulp pellets. A sister ship, the Virginiaborg, departed Duluth on Friday evening with the same cargo. Today, two ships will be loading grain, one of them, the Adam E. Cornelius, will first discharge a cargo of limestone. The second, the Seneca, will be [...]

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Vlistborg makes another visit to Duluth

November 10, 2007

The Vlistborg has been here about once a year since it was built in 1999. It will be here today for the 10th time. At 434 feet, the Vlistborg is a smaller ship than most that come to the Twin Ports, but it is more flexible and can be configured to carry a wide variety [...]

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Federal Yukon will take wheat to Italy

November 9, 2007

The Federal Yukon arrived in Duluth late Thursday afternoon (above) and went over to the CHS grain terminal in Superior to load durum wheat for the port of Bari, on the east coast of Italy, on the Adriatic Sea. The ship loaded general cargo in Brazil that it unloaded at Hamilton, Ontario before coming to [...]

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Sam Laud arrives Duluth ship canal

November 8, 2007

The Sam Laud loaded limestone in Inland, Michigan and will be here today to discharge it before going to Silver Bay to load taconite pellets for the Cleveland Bulk Terminal. It will likely discharge some of the pellets there before taking the 3 hour trip up the Cuyahoga River to the Mittal Steel mill to [...]

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Federal Matane is big and blue

November 7, 2007

When the Federal Matane, seen above arriving in port earlier this year, departs the port tonight with a cargo of grain, it will leave the port empty of active cargo vessels probably for the first time this year. The American Century should be here now to load coal and will likely be departing before the [...]

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Jumbo Spirit bound for Spain

November 6, 2007

Longshoremen at Lake Superior Warehousing and the crew on the Jumbo Spirit completed loading the ship with wind turbine blades Monday afternoon. They will likely depart the port for Spain later today. The last blades were placed on the weather deck or top deck. Each blade is fitted with two braces, one at each end. [...]

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Jumbo Spirit loads wind turbine blades

November 5, 2007

Last week, here in Duluth, the cargo hold of the Jumbo Spirit contained a reactor vessel and 2 transformers. They discharged the reactor vessel here and then went to Toledo to discharge the transformers. The ship came back to the Twin Ports on Saturday afternoon with empty cargo holds that are now being filled with [...]

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Alpena enters Duluth with cement

November 3, 2007

The Lithuanian flagged Kapitonas Stulpinas was expected to arrive off the Duluth piers late last night, dropping anchor and waiting to come in to load grain. The Alpena came in last night with cement and the Canadian flagged Quebecois should be here this morning with another cargo of cement. The Alpena discharges cement at the [...]

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James R. Barker visits Duluth often

November 2, 2007

The James R. Barker has been delayed by wind on Lake Superior but is expected in port today to load 58,000 tons of coal for the Presque Isle power plant operated by We Energies in Marquette, Michigan. It is one of 5 in their system providing electric power to Wisconsin and Michigan. This is the [...]

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Kapitonas Stulpinas here for load grain

November 1, 2007

The Kapitonas Stulpinas is expected to arrive today to load grain. This will be the Lithuanian flagged ship’s 11th trip to the Twin Ports since 1996. It was built in Ukraine in 1981 as part of the former Soviet Union’s merchant vessel fleet. Like many other ships in that fleet, it is now owned and [...]

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Canadian Prospector

October 31, 2007

The bulk freighter Canadian Prospector came into port on Monday morning to load grain. It has been here 36 times since 1996 but the last visit was in October of 2004. It was built in 1964 as an ocean going freighter named Carlton and was lengthened in 1968 by 80 feet and renamed St. Lawrence [...]

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