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Coast Guard medically evacuates Ryerson crewmember 8/31 - St. Clair Shores, Mi - The U.S. Coast Guard medically evacuated a 50-year-old female from the Edward L. Ryerson in Lake St. Clair at approximately 6:30 p.m. Friday Coast Guard Station St. Clair Shores launched a response boat, the crewmember was suffering from symptoms of a stroke. She was taken to an awaiting Emergency Medical Services ambulance and transferred to St. John's Hospital in Detroit. There was no updated on her condition at this time. |
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Port Reports - August 31 Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey Toledo - Jim Hoffman |
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Sunday deadline looms in CCI-USW talks 8/31 - Ishpeming - Union representatives and Cleveland Cliffs Inc. officials are waiting for the phone to ring with news regarding contract negotiations as a deadline looms. The negotiations, which are being held in Pittsburgh between the United Steel Workers union and CCI, have been ongoing since Aug. 4. Currently, there is no information regarding any potential sticking points between the two sides. The current contract expires at midnight Sunday. "We've been negotiating with the union since the beginning of August and those negotiations are continuing," said Dale Hemmila, the district manager of public affairs for CCI. "We're hoping to have a contract that is fair and equitable and works for everybody involved by midnight Sunday." Representatives for the USW Local 4950, which represents workers at the Empire Mine, said that they urged workers to just continue doing their jobs to the best of their abilities, to put the thought of the negotiations "on the back burner" and "to stay safe" during a meeting Thursday night. "They are down there talking and we're just waiting for word from the negotiators," said Mike Roy, the financial secretary for USW Local 4950. As for what happens if the contract expires without an agreement, Roy said that it's "up to the negotiators." The negotiations are for all hourly employees at the Tilden and Empire mines - roughly 1,200 workers - as well as workers at CCI mining operations in Minnesota. The contract that expires was a four-year deal negotiated in 2004. From the Marquette Mining Journal |
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Updates - August 31 News Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - August 31 August 31, 1852 - The U. S. Congress passed an act requiring the president to appoint three officers from the Navy, three engineers from the Army and two civilian scientists to constitute the new Lighthouse Board. The Bureau of Lighthouses succeeded the Lighthouse Board in 1910. On August 31, 1977, the BELLE RIVER entered service, departing Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, for Superior, Wisconsin. Renamed b.) WALTER J. McCARTHY, JR in 1977. In mid-August 1987, a peregrine falcon that had disappeared from Regina, Saskatchewan two weeks earlier landed on the deck of a lake freighter on Lake Huron. The bird was captured and taken to a bird sanctuary in Vineland, Ontario. The vessel name is unknown. In mid-August 1985, the Belgium salty FEDERAL THAMES loaded 25,400 tons of low-concentrate chrome ore at Duluth's Hallett Dock and was bound for Sweden. This ore dates back to World War II when it was mined in Montana. Other shipments were to have been made later as well. On 31 August 1906, CAVALIER (3-mast wooden schooner, 134 foot 268 gross tons, built in 1867, at Quebec City as a bark) was carrying cedar lumber when she struck a reef off Chantry Island in Lake Huron and sank. Her crew was rescued by the Chantry Island Lightkeeper. She was bound from Tobermory for Sarnia, Ontario. On 31 August 1869, the schooner W. G. KEITH was launched at the Muir & Stewart yard in Port Huron, Michigan. She was named after her skipper/owner. Her dimensions were 126 foot X 26 foot X 8 foot 6 inches. She was built for the Lake Michigan lumber trade. On 31 August 1900, efforts to free the newly launched steel steamer CAPTAIN THOMAS WILSON from the mud in the Black River at Port Huron, Michigan continued throughout the day. The launch had been watched by thousands the previous day and the vessel's stern stuck in the mud. On this date, the tugs BOYNTON and HAYNES tried to pull her free but were unable to do so. Finally 14 hydraulic jacks were used to lift the vessel and at 6:00 p.m. she was ready to be pulled by tugs. After a 15 inch hawser was broken in the first attempt, the tug PROTECTOR finally pulled the vessel free. In 1982, The sandsucker NIAGARA, made its last trip through the I-75 Bridge with a cargo of sand for the Chevrolet Saginaw Metal Castings plant. Data from: Joe Barr, David Swayze, Al Miller, James Neumiller, Jody Aho, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Port Reports - August 30 Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey The tug Dorothy Ann & barge Pathfinder called on the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City early Friday morning. She was followed by the Maumee who traveled upriver to the GM dock in Saginaw to unload. Both vessels were outbound during the day on Friday. Sarnia - Rod Burdick |
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Updates - August 30 News Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - August 30 On this day in 1964, the retired Bradley Transportation steamer CALCITE was awarded the National Safety Council Award of Merit. The CALCITE accumulated a total of 1,394,613 man-hours of continuous operation over 17 years with out a disabling, lost time injury. The CALCITE was the first Great Lakes vessel to ever receive this honor. On 30 August 1893, CENTURION (steel propeller freighter, 350 foot, 3,401 gross tons) was launched by F. W. Wheeler (Hull#100) at W. Bay City, Michigan. The name was a pun to celebrate the ship as Frank Wheeler's 100th hull. The CHARLES E WILSON was christened August 30, 1973, at Bay Shipbuilding Co., for the American Steamship Co., and completed her sea trials on September 6th. She was renamed b.) JOHN J BOLAND in 2000. On August 30, 1942, the A. H. FERBERT ran aground in the St. Mary's River, just a day old. The vessel returned to the builder's yard in River Rouge, Michigan for repairs. On August 30, 1988, the WILLOWGLEN, a.) MESABI, made its first visit to Duluth-Superior under that name. She loaded grain at Harvest States in Superior, Wisconsin, arriving early in the morning and departing in the ,early evening the same day. Her last visit to Duluth before this was in 1981 under the name c.) JOSEPH X ROBERT. The H G DALTON entered service on August 30, 1903, for Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Transportation Co. Later b.) COURSEULLES in 1916, c.) GLENDOCHART in 1922, d.) CHATSWORTH in 1927, e.) BAYLEAF in 1942 and f.) MANCOX in 1951. On August 30, 1985, the tug CAPTAIN IOANNIS S departed Quebec City with MENIHEK LAKE and LEON FALK, JR. in tow, bound for Spain to be scrapped. On 30 August 1873, CAMBRIDGE (3-mast, wooden schooner, 162 foot, 445 tons, built in 1868, at Detroit, Michigan) was bound from Marquette, Michigan for Cleveland, Ohio with a load of iron ore. In rough seas, she was thrown onto the rocky shore near Marquette where she broke up. No lives were lost. On 30 August 1900, thousands of people gathered at the Jenks Shipbuilding Company near the Grand Trunk Bridge on the Black River in Port Huron, Michigan to watch the launching of the large steel steamer CAPTAIN THOMAS WILSON. Superintendent Andrews gave the word and the blows were struck simultaneously at the bow and stern. Slowly the vessel started quivering slightly from deck to keel and then with a mighty rush, slid sideways into the river. Her stern stuck in the mud. Mrs. Thomas Wilson christened the ship. Data from: Joe Barr, David Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, James Neumiller, Jody L. Aho, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Port Reports - August 29 Alpena and Stoneport - Ben & Chanda McClain Late Wednesday night, the tug Samuel de Champlain/barge Innovation arrived in port to tie up under the silos at Lafarge. The tug G. L. Ostrander/barge Integrity followed its fleetmate on Thursday morning. The Algoway was loading at Stoneport on Wednesday and departed before 8 p.m. Waiting to dock nearby was the Philip R. Clarke, which pulled in and started loading once the lines were secured. The Maumee and tug Victory/barge James L. Kuber are on the schedule for Thursday. Duluth/Superior - Al Miller Green
Bay - Wendell Wilke Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey |
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Brazil-bound vessel highlights Twin Ports’ stake in wind-energy business 8/29 - Duluth - Like a giant puppeteer skillfully lifting and lowering a pair of marionette strings, crane operators and a shipping crew spent all day Wednesday lifting and lowering 40.7-yard windmill blades into the cargo ship, Flinterland, for a voyage to Brazil. If all goes smoothly, the 54 wind turbine blades will leave the Duluth port at noon today, and arrive in Brazil by the middle of September.Last year 307,000 tons of windmill parts passed through the port, but this was the first time a ship with wind blades loading in Duluth was bound for Brazil, according to the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. The 40.7-yard blades manufactured at the LM Glasfiber plant in Grand Forks, N.D., came in pairs on semi-trucks and are bound for a new $90 million IMPSA Wind plant in Suape, Brazil. The Flinterland is just one of three ships in port this week unloading and loading windmill parts. The others are the BBC Plata and the SCL Bern. “It’s a growing business. That’s definitely true,” said Elbert Francke, who flew in from the Netherlands for Flintership to help guide the loading of the long and heavy, yet fragile, wind blades. Steve Jurica, an assistant project manager with Transgroup Worldwide Logistics, which handles all the paperwork involved with getting the blades from North Dakota to Brazil, estimated more than half of his company’s work comes from shipping wind-related products. From the Duluth News Tribune |
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Updates - August 29 News Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - August 29 August 29, 1996 - The NICOLET, which had been sold for scrap, left Toledo under tow of the McKeil tug OTIS WACK, arriving in Port Maitland, Ontario during the early hours of the 30th. Last operated in 1990, the NICOLET was built in 1905 by Great Lakes Engineering Work at Ecorse, Michigan as the a.) WILLIAM G MATHER (25), b) J. H. SHEADLE (55), c) H. L. GOBEILLE. The vessel spent the first 60 years of her life in service for the Cleveland-Cliffs Steamship Company. After 1965, her ownership was transferred to the Gartland Steamship Company and eventually American Steamship Company. On this day in 1974, unsuccessful negotiations on a major shipbuilding contract resulting in Litton Industries terminating operations at its Erie yard. The Litton yard had built the first thousand foot boat on the lakes, the STEWART J. CORT, and the thousand foot tug-barge PRESQUE ISLE. It is not often that a schooner tows a tug, but on 29 August 1882, the tug J. A. CRAWFORD was towing the big schooner JAMES COUCH to Chicago when the wind picked up and the schooner passed the tug. Captain Gorman of the CRAWFORD cut the engine and allowed the COUCH to tow him until the got close to the harbor. Then the schooner shortened sail and the tug finished the job of towing her into port. On August 29, 1942, the A. H. FERBERT entered service for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co.. On her maiden voyage August 29, 1979, the INDIANA HARBOR sailed for Two Harbors, Minnesota to load iron ore pellets for Indiana Harbor, Indiana. In August, 1982, INDIANA HARBOR became the first U.S. flag laker to receive satellite communication. On August 29, 1972 the lightship HURON was placed in an earth embankment at Port Huron's Pine Grove Park along the St. Clair River and was opened to visitors on July 13, 1974. Canada Steamship Lines' ATLANTIC SUPERIOR returned from Europe on August 29, 1985, with a cargo of gypsum for Picton, Ontario. On 29 August 1871, GEORGE M. ABEL (2-mast wooden schooner) broke up on a reef near Port Burwell, Ontario. On 29 August 1858, CANADA (3-mast wooden bark, 199 foot, 758 tons) was carrying a half million board feet of lumber to Chicago in bad weather when she settled just north of downtown Chicago. The next day during a salvage attempt, she blew southward, struck a bar off the old waterworks, broke her back, then broke up. She had been built in Canada in 1846, as a sidewheeler and was seized by the U.S. in 1849, and rebuilt as a bark in 1852. August 29, 1998 - The BADGER was designated a spur route on the Lake Michigan Circle Tour. Data from: Joe Barr, David Swayze, Al Miller, James Neumiller, Jody Aho, Russ Plumb, Lake Huron Lore Society, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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SS John Sherwin to be Converted 8/27 - Richfield, OH - Interlake Steamship is pleased to announce that we will be converting the John Sherwin. Work on the Sherwin will begin immediately at Bay Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, WI, with an anticipated delivery in the spring of 2010. The scope of work will include reactivation of the vessel, diesel re-powering of the engine room (similar to the Charles M Beeghly re-powering), the installation of an unloading system, slopes and a forward boom. We are excited for the Sherwin to sail in the Interlake Fleet once again. Interlake Steamship Co. News Release |
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College may hike Maritime Academy tuition up to 57% 8/28 - Traverse City - Some of next year's maritime students at
Northwestern Michigan College could face tuition rate hikes of 50 percent or
more. |
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Port Reports - August 28 Toledo - Jim Hoffman Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey |
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Vacant South Buffalo Lighthouse is
for sale 105-year-old structure being marketed first to local organizations 8/28 - Buffalo - For Sale: Historic waterfront property. Forty-three
feet tall, circular floor plan, fantastic views of Lake Erie and Buffalo’s
outer harbor. |
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Updates - August 28 News Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - August 28 On this day in 1939, the RICHARD J. REISS collided with the YOSEMITE on the
St. Clair River. There were no casualties but damage to the Reiss amounted to
$26,593.80 and damage to the YOSEMITE amounted to $23,443.09. The REISS was
built in 1901, as the a.) GEORGE W. PEAVEY. Renamed b.) RICHARD J. REISS in
1917, c.) SUPERIOR in 1943. She was scrapped at Hamilton, Ontario in 1947. The
YOSEMITE carried her name throughout her career, built in 1901, and scrapped
at Buffalo, New York, in 1954. |
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Port Report - August 27 Toledo - Jim Hoffman The tug Sea Service with the barge Energy 6506 was at the B-P Dock loading cargo. The revised schedule for coal boats due into the CSX Docks has Canadian Transport due in Wednesday, John J. Boland on Thursday, Algosoo and Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin on Friday followed by the Herbert C. Jackson on Sunday. The revised schedule for ore boats due into the Torco Ore Dock has the Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin due in Thursday, Canadian Navigator on Friday followed by the CSL Assiniboine on Saturday. |
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Updates - August 27 News Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - August 27 The new Poe Lock at the Soo was first flooded on 27 August 1968.On August 27, 1886, The Detroit Evening News reported that a fireman on the tug J. H. HACKLEY of 1874, was sent to watch for a leak in the boiler, which was being filled with cold water at a dock in Chicago. He fell asleep and the boiler overflowed, very nearly sinking the vessel before another tug could pump her dry. The AGAWA CANYON (Hull#195) was launched in 1971, at Collingwood, Ontario, by Collingwood Shipyards Ltd. for Algoma Central Railway Ltd. The C.C.G.S. SAMUEL RISLEY arrived at Toronto, Ontario, on August 27, 1985, on her way to Thunder Bay, Ontario, where she replaced the retired C.C.G.C. ALEXANDER HENRY. JOHN O. McKELLAR (Hull#12) was launched August 27, 1952, at St. Catharines, Ontario, by Port Weller Drydocks Ltd. for the Colonial Steamship Co. Ltd. (Scott Misener, mgr.), Port Colborne, Ontario. Renamed b.) ELMGLEN in 1984. The WILLIAM CLAY FORD, then renamed b.) US266029, departed her lay-up berth at the Rouge slip on August 20, 1986, in tow of Gaelic tugs and was taken to Detroit Marine Terminals on the Rouge River, where her pilothouse was removed to be displayed at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Detroit's Belle Isle. The hull was moved to Nicholson's River Rouge dock on August 27th. The WILLIAM B. DICKSON (Hull#75) was launched August 27, 1910, at Ecorse, Michigan, by Great Lakes Engineering Works for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Cleveland, Ohio. Renamed b.) MERLE M. McCURDY in 1969. She was scrapped at Port Colborne, Ontario, in 1989. The U.S. Coast Guard Buoy Tender MESQUITE (WAGL-305) was commissioned on August 27, 1943, and served on the Pacific Ocean in the 7th Fleet in 1944 and 1945. On August 27, 1940, the WILLIAM A. IRVIN set the Great Lakes record for the fastest unloading of an iron ore cargo using shore side equipment. The IRVIN unloaded 13,856 gross tons of iron ore in 2 hours, 55 minutes (including the time to arrive and depart the dock) in Conneaut, Ohio. This record still stands, and consequently the IRVIN is one of the few Great Lakes vessels to be retired while still holding a Great Lakes cargo record. On August 27, 1929, the MYRON C. TAYLOR entered service. On August 27, 1924, CITY QUEEN (wooden propeller steam tug, 71 foot, 69 gross tons, built in 1900, at Midland, Ontario) burned to a total loss 14 miles east of the Manitou Dock in Georgian Bay. The keel for the tug CRUSADER was laid on August 27, 1873, at the Leighton & Dunford yard in Port Huron, Michigan. The tug's dimensions were 100 foot keel, 132 foot overall, and 23 foot beam. She was built for George E. Brockway. Data from: Joe Barr, David Swayze, Al Miller, Jody Aho, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Workers need ID cards as port security tightens 8/26 - Duluth - In the seven years since the terrorist attacks of
Sept. 11, 2001 the face of the Twin Ports waterfront has changed dramatically.
Fences and gates confront visitors where they once had free and ready access
to local docks. |
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Port Reports - August 26 Twin Ports - Al Miller |
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More small ships to ply Great Lakes next summer 8/26 - Cleveland - Here's some great news for lovers of the Great Lakes: Two small, high-end cruise ships - one new, the other newly refurbished - will make their debut next summer on the fresh-water waves of lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior. "It'll be a great summer," said Chris Conlin, owner of the Great Lakes Cruise Co., an Ann Arbor, Mich.-based travel agency that specializes in Great Lakes cruises. "We have lots of choices that we haven't had before."Among the options: The Clelia II, an all-suite ship with room for 100 passengers, will sail seven-day itineraries between Toronto and Duluth, Minn., starting in late June. Ports of call include Niagara Falls, Ontario (via the Welland Canal); Mackinac Island, Mich.; Houghton, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula; and Thunder Bay, Ontario. All sailings will offer educational themes, with speakers and seminars on topics from the lakes' geology to the War of 1812. A golf theme is scheduled for late August; CBS News journalist Bill Geist is the guest lecturer on the inaugural sailing. The ship, built in 1990 for Renaissance Cruises (which went bankrupt in 2001), was most recently used as a private yacht. Travel Dynamics International, a small, high-end cruise company based in New York, purchased the ship early this year. Seven-day itineraries start at $5,595 and up per person. The Pearl Mist, the still-under-construction inaugural ship from new company Pearl Seas Cruises, features 108 suites, all with private balconies. The ship will sail one 10-night and one 11-night cruise between Toronto and Chicago in June and July. Ports of call include Windsor, Ontario; Mackinac Island, Mich.; and Manitoulin Island, Ontario. Prices start at $5,605 for the 10-night sailing. The ship, which has experienced numerous construction delays and was supposed to begin sailing this year, should be ready by early 2009, according to company spokeswoman Laura Oncea. Pearl Seas will likely add more Great Lakes itineraries in 2010, she said, based on already brisk sales for next year. A third small ship, the 100-passenger Grande Mariner - which was the only ship on the Great Lakes this summer - will continue to offer several six-night summer cruises in Lake Michigan in 2009, starting and ending in Chicago. Prices start at $1,725 per person. The addition of the Clelia II and the Pearl Mist come a year after the Germany company Hapag-Lloyd Cruises pulled its popular Columbus from the Great Lakes, in part because of declining water levels. The 423-passenger ship, larger by far than other recent ships in the region, is now sailing in Europe (though a spokeswoman for the company doesn't rule out an eventual return to the Great Lakes). The water levels, which have rebounded this year thanks to above-average rain and snowfall, shouldn't be a problem for the new ships, according to Conlin, because these boats are smaller and built for tight spaces like the Welland Canal, which connects lakes Ontario and Erie. "You want to be able to go through the locks and not lose lifeboats that are sticking out," joked Conlin. Conlin expects the new cruises to appeal to mature, veteran travelers who are looking for new, safe, easy-to-reach destinations. George Papagapitos, president of Travel Dynamics, called the Great Lakes one of the most overlooked and underestimated cruise destinations. "Half a century ago, the Great Lakes cruises were the prime destination for North Americans' holidays," said Papagapitos. Conlin is particularly pleased that the Clelia II will sail all summer in the Great Lakes, unlike the Columbus and others that came in for just a few weeks in the early fall. Also unlike the Columbus, which attracted a largely European clientele, the new ships likely will be filled with primarily Americans and Canadians, according to Conlin. Oncea, with Pearl Seas, said many prospective passengers are sailors themselves, and already familiar with the Great Lakes. "The history and the culture of the region are unique," she said. "We are confident we will be very successful in this destination." From the Cleveland Plain Dealer |
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Updates - August 26 News Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - August 26 In 1791, John Fitch was granted a United States patent for the steamboat. |
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John Sherwin tow reaches Sturgeon Bay 8/25- Sturgeon Bay - The long-idle steamer John Sherwin arrived at Bay Shipbuilding Co., Sturgeon Bay, Wisc., early Sunday morning in tow of the tug John Selvick, which took the Interlake Steamship Co. vessel from Chicago on Friday. According to Interlake Steamship Co. officials, a decision will be made soon on whether to refurbish the vessel, laid up since 1981, and return her to service. Among options on the table are a conversion to a self-unloader and repowering. The Sherwin was built in 1958 at the American Ship Building Co., Lorain, Ohio. She was lengthened 96 feet, to 810 feet long, in 1973. Photos in the News Photo Gallery. |
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Port Reports - August 25 Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski Port Dalhousie Anchorage - David Bull Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey |
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Cleveland-Cliffs' plan to acquire coal company may fall apart 8/25 - Duluth - Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.’s $10 billion plan to purchase Alpha Natural Resources could be in danger of falling apart, due largely to the activities of a hedge fund led by Chisholm native Phil Falcone.Falcone manages Harbinger Capital Partners, a New York-based hedge fund known for playing an active role in forcing change upon the companies in which it invests. The fund has publicly opposed the Alpha purchase, and Falcone has suggested shareholders might instead be better served by the outright sale of Cleveland-Cliffs to another company. With a 15.6 percent stake in Cleveland-Cliffs, Harbinger is the company’s largest single shareholder. And it’s looking to buy up more stock. Last week, the fund notified Cleveland-Cliffs that it would seek authorization from fellow shareholders to acquire up to one-third of the company’s outstanding stock. Under an Ohio law designed to protect companies from hostile takeovers, Harbinger will need a majority of shareholders to support the move to purchase 20 percent or more of Cliff’s outstanding shares. On Friday, Cleveland-Cliffs argued in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that if shareholders during a meeting Oct. 3 grant Harbinger the freedom to purchase the stock, it could ultimately harm the company. Cleveland-Cliffs has a massive presence in the Northland, operating three Iron Range mines: Northshore Mining Co., United Taconite Co. and Hibbing Taconite Co. “The Cleveland-Cliffs board of directors believes that this level of ownership by Harbinger would provide the firm with disproportional influence and control over corporate policy and Cleveland-Cliffs’ strategic plan,” Cleveland-Cliffs officials wrote. If Harbinger were to obtain a one-third stake in Cleveland-Cliffs, it likely would be in a position to almost single-handedly block the Alpha acquisition, as the deal must garner the support of shareholders controlling at least two-thirds of the company’s equity in order to proceed. A shareholder who doesn’t vote is counted as one opposed to the acquisition. Tony Robson, a steel industry analyst for BMO Capital Markets, said if Harbinger should succeed in its efforts to take a larger equity position in Cleveland-Cliffs, it likely will increase the odds of a third party taking over the company, in accordance with Falcone’s stated wishes. Cleveland-Cliffs officials are strongly urging shareholders not to give the hedge fund permission to buy the additional stock, warning that this move by Harbinger could freeze out the majority of the shareholders from future company decisions as well, beyond the Alpha Natural Resources deal. “Cleveland-Cliffs board of directors considered that shareholders could be prevented from participating in any future strategic transactions involving Cleveland-Cliffs, including a sale of Cleveland-Cliffs or a significant part of its assets or capital stock, as well as acquisitions or mergers requiring shareholder approval, if Harbinger opposes such a transaction,” officials said. Falcone recently told the Wall Street Journal the company likely could fetch $130 per share or more if it would entertain buyout offers. Quite a premium considering the fact that at the close the New York Stock Exchange Friday, Cleveland-Cliffs closed at $99.37 per share. The value of Cleveland-Cliffs has shot up sharply the past five years. In August 2003, the company traded for only $2.79 per share. To put that in perspective, the purchase of 100 shares for $279 then would be worth $9,937 today. Even if Harbinger’s bid to buy more stock fails, Cleveland-Cliff’s management may be hard pressed to pull off its acquisition of Alpha. “In our view, the bid for Alpha will be difficult to get over the line, given Harbinger’s opposition,” analyst Robson said. He said Harbinger likely has lined up some supporters, including investors who prefer to see the company more narrowly focused on iron rather than diversifying into coal as it would through the purchase of Alpha Resources. “I would expect that probably the deal would fail if a vote were held today,” Robson said. Were Cleveland-Cliff’s shareholders to reject the purchase of Alpha, the snubbed partner likely would collect a $100 million termination fee from its former suitor, thanks to a provision in the companies’ merger agreement. Alpha, based in Abingdon, Va., is one of the nation’s largest suppliers of Appalachian coal to the steel industry. From the Duluth News Tribune |
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Grand Marais losing its lifeline Town's harbor fills up with silt, putting its economy, boaters in peril 8/25 - Grand Marais, MI -- When they look into
the blue water of their harbor, residents of this picturesque village along
the rugged shore of Lake Superior see something is going desperately wrong, a
worsening situation that threatens the community's existence. The scenic
harbor is disappearing before their eyes, as the equivalent of 6,000
semitrailer loads of sand and silt pour into it each year. |
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Updates - August 25 News Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - August 25 On 25 August 1892, H D COFFINBERRY (wooden propeller freighter, 191 foot, 649 gross tons, built in 1874, at East Saginaw, Michigan) was carrying iron ore from Escanaba to Ashtabula in a fierce NW gale when she grounded on the rocks near Port Hope on Lake Huron. The crew was rescued by the San Beach Lifesaving crew and the tug ANAPING. The COFFINBERRY was released five days later and put back in service. On Aug. 25, 1923, the Duluth, Missabe & Northern Ore Dock in Duluth loaded 208,212 tons of ore into 23 ships. On August 25, 1984, the hard luck ROGER M KYES grounded off Mc Louth Steel and ended crosswise in the Detroit River's Trenton Channel. It required lightering into the RICHARD REISS a.) ADIRONDACK and the assistance of nine tugs to refloat her. Renamed b.) ADAM E CORNELIUS in 1989. The GEORGE M STEINBRENNER, a.) ARTHUR H HAWGOOD arrived at Port Colborne, Ontario on August 25, 1978, in tow of the tug WILFRED M COHEN for scrapping. On 25 August 1919, CABOTIA (formerly HIAWATHA, wooden propeller freighter, 235 foot, 1,299 gross tons, built 1880, at Gibraltar, Michigan) went ashore on Main Duck Island in Lake Ontario and split her hull, becoming a constructive loss. August 25, 1981 - The first of the famous "Love Boat" cruises was made. The BADGER carried 520 passengers, the largest number of passengers for a carferry up to that time. It was sponsored by the Ludington Area Ambassadors. On 25 August 1873, JOURNEYMAN (wooden schooner, 129 foot, 235 gross tons, built in 1873, at Wenona, Michigan) was put in service. Her first cargo was 225,770 feet of lumber. She was built for Whitehead & Webster of Bay City and lasted until 1896. Data from: Joe Barr, David Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - August 24 At 2:00 a.m. on 24 August 1892, the GEORGE N BRADY (wooden propeller tug, 102 foot, 165 gross tons, built in 1865, at Detroit or Marine City, Michigan) was engaged in pulling a raft of logs across Lake St. Clair along with the tug SUMNER. Fire was discovered around the BRADY's smokestack and he flames quickly spread. The crew was taken off of the stricken vessel by the SUMNER and the BRADY was cut free of the raft. The blazing vessel drifted to the American shore where she sank about three miles north of Grosse Pointe, Michigan. No lives were lost. LEON SIMARD (Hull#413) was launched August 24, 1974, at Sorel, Quebec by Marine Industries Ltd. for Branch Lines Ltd. Renamed b.) L'ORME NO 1 in 1982. Sold off the lakes in 1997, renamed c.) TRADEWIND OCEAN and d.) AMARA in 2001. On August 24, 1910, the THOMAS F COLE ran aground on a shoal in the St. Marys River severely damaging her hull plates. The WARD AMES (Hull#518) was launched on August 24, 1907, at West Superior, Wisconsin by Superior Ship Building Co. for the Acme Steamship Co. (Augustus B. Wolvin, mgr.). Renamed b.) C H McCULLOUGH JR in 1916. She was scrapped at Thunder Bay, Ontario in 1980. On August 24, 1985, PAUL H CARNAHAN arrived for her final lay up at Nicholson's in Ecorse, Michigan. Ironically, only a few hours later, her near sister LEON FALK JR departed the same slip on her final trip bound for Quebec City and overseas scrapping. The steam barge BURLINGTON of 1857, 137 foot, 276 gross tons ex-package freighter, burned to the water's edge in the Straits of Mackinac on August 24, 1895. On 24 August 1885, IOSCO (wooden schooner-barge, 124 foot, 230 gross tons, built at Alabaster, Michigan in 1873) was heavily damaged by fire. She was rebuilt as an unrigged barge and lasted until 1912. On 24 August 1882, The Port Huron Times reported that "the long looked for launch of the Stave Company's new river steamer MARY took place this afternoon between 4 and 5 o'clock and was witnessed by hundreds of spectators. The last support being knocked away, she slid very gracefully as far as the ways reached and then landed anything but gracefully in the mud where she now lies." She remained stuck in the mud until she was pulled free five days later. Data from: Father Dowling Collection, Joe Barr, David Swayze, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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Today in Great Lakes History - August 23 On this day in 1818, the first steamer above Niagara Falls, the WALK-IN-THE-WATER, Captain Job Fish, departed Buffalo on her maiden voyage. The 29 passengers paid a fare of $24 and arrived at Detroit in 44 hours and 10 minutes. On August 23, 1955, as part of the year-long centennial celebration of the opening of the Soo locks in 1855, an open house was held aboard the Pittsburgh steamer JOHN G MUNSON. A total of 10,563 individuals toured the MUNSON while she was tied up at Detroit. On 23 August 1887, GESINE (wooden schooner, 99 gross tons, built in 1853, at Manitowoc, Wisconsin) was carrying lumber in a storm on Lake Michigan. She was shoved up against the breakwater at Michigan City, Indiana and pounded to pieces. The crew and Capt. C. Anderson jumped overboard and clung to the breakwater pilings until rescued. The GEMINI sailed on her maiden voyage August 23, 1978, from the shipyard to load fuel oil at Baytown, Texas, for delivery at Detroit, Michigan. Sold Canadian and renamed b.) ALGOSAR in 2005. The wooden-hulled steamer AURORA was launched on August 23, 1887, at Cleveland, Ohio by Murphy & Miller Shipyard for J. J. Corrigan of Cleveland, Ohio. On August 23, 1979, KINSMAN ENTERPRISE, a.) NORMAN B REAM was towed out of the Frog Pond in Toledo, Ohio, having escaped the scrapper's torch, and sold to the Port Huron Seaway Terminal to be used as a storage barge. On 23 August 1887, CLARA (2-mast, wooden scow-schooner) was carrying a load of hardwood lumber bound from Manistee, Michigan for Chicago, Illinois when she was caught in a storm and capsized. Her hull later washed ashore upside-down near Miller's Station, Indiana. August 23, 1901 - The PERE MARQUETTE 17 arrived Ludington, Michigan on her maiden voyage with Captain Peter Kilty in command. On 23 August 1875, PERSIAN (wooden propeller freighter, 1,630 tons, built in 1874, at Cleveland, Ohio) caught fire off Long Point on Lake Erie. The propeller EMPIRE STATE came alongside and tried to put out the fire with streams of water from her hose, but when this failed, she took PERSIAN in tow in an attempt to get her to shore. This too failed when the tow line burned through. PERSIAN burned to the waterline and sank 10 miles from land in about 30 fathoms of water. No lives were lost. On 23 August 1900, ARGONAUT (wooden propeller freighter, 213 foot, 1,119 gross tons, built in 1873, at Detroit, Michigan) was raised by an expensive salvage operation at the Escanaba ore dock where she had previously sunk. She lasted another six years. Data from: Joe Barr, David Swayze, Russ Plumb, Father Dowling Collection, Max Hanley, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample, the books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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John Sherwin tow update 8/24 - 10:30 p.m. - The tow of the John Sherwin from her lay up dock in Chicago to Bay Shipbuilding, in Sturgeon Bay, continued Saturday as the tow passed through Death's Door, into Green Bay, at 4 p.m. The tug John Selvick towed the Sherwin from Chicago on Friday for the trip up Lake Michigan. The tow is expected to arrive in Sturgeon Bay early Sunday morning. |
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110-year-old freighter is bound for the scrap yard 8/24 - Saginaw - Perhaps no one is closer to the E. M. Ford - believed to be the oldest Great Lakes freighter still afloat - than Tom Daleski. Daleski, after all, lives on the 110-year-old vessel headed for the scrap yard this year or next. His father, James Daleski of Alpena, once served as captain of the boat sitting at the Lafarge North America cement plant in Saginaw County's Carrollton Township. "It's one of a kind," said Tom Daleski, 44, who resides aboard the cement hauler - which has sat for 12 years in the Saginaw River as a storage vessel for powdered cement. "There's not another one like this in the world; there just ain't," Daleski said. "The engine's original, built in 1897." Someday soon, though, officials with Lafarge - the boat's owner - say the boat will make its final voyage on the Great Lakes, on its way to a scrap yard. "There's a very good possibility the boat will go to scrap this year, and if not, it will for sure go to scrap in May of 2009," said Mark Thomas, vessel operations manager at Lafarge North America's office in Bingham Farms in Oakland County. Thomas said Lafarge pays Inland Lakes Management Inc. of Alpena - Tom Daleski's employer - to operate the 428-foot-long vessel's machines and equipment. "Freighters will come into the river and fill the E. M. Ford up with (powdered) cement, and as the Lafarge plant needs cement in its silos, I'll fire up the Ford's big diesel generator and that powers up the boat's unloading equipment," Daleski said. "As the silos get low, I fill them up with the cement." Thomas said Daleski keeps the E.M. Ford clean, operates its machinery and provides security for the freighter. Daleski, who has lived on the boat for about two years, became emotional when told of Lafarge's decision to scrap the historic freighter. "Oh my God, I just feel bad about it," Daleski said. "I was on this boat when I was 5 years old and this was my dad's first captain's job. I used to spend half my summers on this thing with my dad." Freighter lovers, however, may value the boat more for what's inside the vessel, built by the Cleveland Cliffs Steamship Co. "It has a 1,500-hsp quadruple-expansion steam engine - that's what all of the boat nerds are going to remember about it," Thomas said. "For it to be built in 1898 and to have that much horsepower, was impressive. That allowed it to have speeds of 13 mph." Workers in Cleveland built the boat, formerly known as the Presque Isle, as a bulk ore carrier and it later was converted to a self-unloading cement carrier, Thomas said. The ship was rechristened as the E.M. Ford in 1956, he said. Freighter-watcher David J. Story, 49, of Bay City, called the pending loss of the E. M. Ford "a real tragedy." The late Bob Brissette of Bay City served as one of the Ford's last captains, Story said. While the E.M. Ford is small among today's lake boats, "when it was put into service it had to share the shipping lanes with wooden sailing ships hauling cargoes of all types," Story said. "James Davidson built the largest wooden ships on the lakes in that era in West Bay City, and his biggest one was slightly more than 300 feet long. The E. M. Ford wasn't the first steel-hulled freighter, but it was 428 feet long. "This thing was like a monster going by, and it turned heads." Shirley A. Hohnke, 68, still admires the E. M. Ford, sitting in a lawn chair in the front yard of her home at 3461 Kent St., near the river in Carrollton Township. While Tom Daleski lives alone on the vessel, Hohnke said a family lived on the boat a number of years ago. "The kids would leave the boat and walk by with their backpacks, on their way to school," Hohnke said. "The boat is a nice part of our neighborhood." While several museums around the Great Lakes feature retired freighters for public tours, Story said "none of those ships are historically as significant as the E. M. Ford, which has the only quadruple-expansion steam engine left, other than one that might be at the bottom of a lake someplace." Thomas, of Lafarge North America, said Lafarge employees have spent about nine months trying to find a historical group to take the E. M. Ford, but without success. "We've researched with all the major museums, including the Smithsonian Institution, and there is no historical society out there in North America that we could possibly donate the ship to," Thomas said. "It would take a lot of money to make that ship worthy of bringing people on it. It's not a place I would bring children. It's a cement-transporting vessel, not a luxury liner." From the Bay City Times |
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Port Reports - August 24 Marquette - Lee Rowe and Rod Burdick Saginaw River - Todd Shorkey St. Lawrence Seaway - Bruno Boissonneault Marinette/Menominee - Scott Best |
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Burger Boat Gets $2.9m Assistance 8/24 - Manitowoc - Governor Jim Doyle announced a nearly $2.9M project that will support improvements to the Burger Boat Company's facility at the Port of Manitowoc. The award is positioned to spur economic growth in the city of Manitowoc and the surrounding area. The Burger Boat Company is a valued partner in Wisconsin's economy, and a valued part of Wisconsin's history," Governor Dole said. "I am pleased to provide assistance for this project will benefit the Burger Boat Company, and the economy of the region and the entire state." Burger Boat Company will receive $2,304,102 for the project from the state's Harbor Assistance Program and the company will provide the 20 percent match, $576,026. The Burger Boat project involves dock rehabilitation , dredging, and paving of the boatyard to provide safe access to a recently launch well. The improvements will facilitate meeting current production and delivery demands. Created in 1979, Wisconsin's Harbor Assistance Program helps harbor communities maintain and improve waterborne commerce. Projects typically involve dock reconstruction, mooring structure replacement, dredging, and the construction of facilities to hold dredged material. Since the program began, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has administered over $61M in matching funds. Reported by Al Jackman from the Marine News
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Updates - August 24 News Photo Gallery updated |
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Coast Guard near rule on ship “sweepings’ 8/23 - Duluth - Minnesota officials call it a dirty practice that’s fouling Lake Superior, but ships carrying coal and taconite likely will continue “sweeping’’ small amounts of residual cargo into the Great Lakes. The U.S. Coast Guard is about to approve a new regulation giving Great Lakes freighters a permanent pass on sweeping some 2 million pounds of bulk cargo residue overboard each year.The Coast Guard is expected to post its final environmental impact statement on cargo sweepings Friday in the Federal Register, triggering a 30-day comment period on the agency’s environmental review of the regulation. A final regulation, called a record of decision, could come from the Coast Guard by late September. U.S. laws and an international treaty prohibit ships from dumping waste into the Great Lakes or within 12 miles of shore in the ocean. But Congress in 1993 approved a temporary exemption continuing the practice of sweeping excess taconite pellets, coal and limestone into the Great Lakes. In 2004, after a series of temporary exemptions, Congress extended the sweepings exemption through Sept. 30, 2008, and ordered the Coast Guard to study the issue and come up with a permanent plan. The agency is scrambling to get a regulation in place by that deadline. If a permanent rule isn’t in place by Sept. 30, the Coast Guard technically would be required to fine Great Lakes ships for dumping any material into the lake. Lt. Heather St. Pierre of the Coast Guard’s Environmental Standards Division said the agency’s goal is to have a final rule in place by the deadline, but said she couldn’t comment on whether that would happen in time or whether any enforce-ment would actually occur if not. Great Lakes ship crews for at least 70 years have been “sweeping’’ or washing leftover bulk material overboard to keep from contaminating future loads of other materials and to keep their decks and equipment clean. Shipping companies say they can’t operate without sweeping their ships and that regulations to dispose of the materials on land would be too costly. The Coast Guard agrees, saying on-land dumping of sweepings would cost the industry about $35 million annually, or about $15,000 per trip, and not prevent any serious pollution threat. The agency is proposing a regulation that would continue the exception permanently. The proposed regulation would require ships, for the first time, to keep track of how much material they dump overboard. And it expands protected areas where ships are not allowed to dump. The Coast Guard says its review concluded the materials washed overboard are mostly benign, although opponents say they may contain mercury and other heavy metals and simply shouldn’t be allowed to pile up on the lake bottoms. Ship owners claim the amount of cargo washed overboard is harmless and just a small fraction of the 165 million tons of cargo shipped on the lakes each year. “The amount of dry cargo residue being washed down is truly minute,’’ said James H.I. Weakley, president of the Cleve-land-based Lake Carriers Association, in comments to the Coast Guard. The group represents 63 U.S. freighters. State officials in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Minnesota are on record opposing the exemption that allows sweepings. And some have raised the possibility of challenging the new Coast Guard rule, saying it violates state and federal laws. “We believe there are definite inconsistencies in what the Coast Guard is proposing and what the law says,’’ Paul Eger, assistant commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, told the News Tribune. “We’ll have to wait and see what the final proposal is and take it from there.’’ Eger’s official comments to the Coast Guard cast doubts on the agency’s claim that the materials washed off ships sink quickly and do not harm water quality, saying bits of coal have washed up on the sands of Park Point. “This coal did not dissolve or dissipate in the waters of the lake, but instead floated and accumulated along the beach in Duluth,’’ Eger said. In comments to the Coast Guard, Pennsylvania called for mandatory on-land disposal of the waste. And Michigan officials say they didn’t even know of the practice until 2006. The sweepings “appear to be in violation of Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act’’ state officials said. Several environmental groups joined forces to oppose the new regulation, saying the Coast Guard's own studies found the practice violates federal law on dumping. The Coast Guard expects to publish its final environmental impact statement for its proposed regulation on Great Lakes ship “sweepings’’ in today’s Federal Register. That begins a 30-day period to comment on the environmental review. (The public comment period on the actual regulation ended last month. To see the rule, review the environmental impact statement or to submit a comment on the environmental review visit www.regulations.gov click simple search, enter docket number USCG-2004-19621.From the Duluth News Tribune |
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Port Reports - August 23 S aginaw River - Todd ShorkeyThe Algoway was inbound Thursday morning calling on the Buena Vista dock in Saginaw to unload. She was outbound during the evening. The tug Barbara Andrie was inbound Thursday night calling on the Bit-Mat dock in Bay City. She was expected to be outbound Friday morning. Also arriving on the Saginaw River was the sail training ship Pride of Baltimore II who called on the dock in Wenona Park and will be open for tours through the weekend. The Highlander Sea is also expected to arrive on Friday. Menominee - Scott Best and Dick Lund Rochester - Tom Brewer Calumet River - Tom Milton |
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Container shipping terminal remains possibility for Toledo 8/23 - Toledo - The possibility of a new cargo container-shipping facility located in the Port of Toledo came one step closer because of an agreement with Melford International Terminal, the Canadian company planning the Atlantic Gateway Initiative project in Nova Scotia. The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, UT and Midwest Terminals Inc. and Melford entered into the strategic collaboration agreement in support of the development of a marine container trans-shipment terminal in the Port of Toledo.The agreement does not guarantee Toledo will be the site of the container-shipping terminal on the Great Lakes, but the port remains in consideration for the facility as plans continue for Melford's international terminal on the Strait of Canso in Nova Scotia. “Toledo is one of several strategic ports for a container-shipping terminal and intermodal logistics park,” said Melford CEO Bob Stevens. “We don't like to think of it as a competition, but an opportunity for several potential distribution sites on the Great Lakes and Toledo is certainly one of them.” Other Great Lakes ports that could support such a container terminal include Buffalo, N.Y., Erie, Pa., Cleveland and Detroit, according to port authority officials. Toronto and Montreal are potential ports in Canada, according to Melford. Stevens said Toledo is strategic for a number of reasons that include its existing intermodal distribution network of seaport, air, rail and highway transportation, a manufacturing base and exporters looking to ship products overseas. “You should have your own market for such a facility,” Stevens said about Toledo. “The Port of Toledo has the largest land mass and is the only port on the lower Great Lakes that could handle the additional container shipping terminal,” said Paul Toth, interim president of the port authority. The port authority owns 230 acres of waterfront land comprised of the former Chevron and Toledo Coke properties. It's currently taking bids for the road, water and sewer infrastructure needed for development, Toth said. “The port has been involved in intermodal transportation moving goods from one form to another for nearly 100 years,” he said. “Toledo is the crossroads of the Great Lakes, and the port authority has worked hard to make the Port of Toledo a world-class port and to develop this relationship with Melford,” said U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, who made the initial contact with Melford executives in Washington, D.C. Kaptur said the project could bring hundreds of jobs needed to move products from one form of transportation to another through an intermodal terminal in the port. “It could make our port more successful and allow us to have one of the most modern shipping facilities in the country,” she said. “This is an exciting project that is a great opportunity for Toledo,” said Paul Martin, Melford president. “It's time for Toledo to take advantage of its strategic location for the intermodal distribution of goods.” Melford is planning a deep-water container shipping terminal and logistics park on the Strait of Canso that leads into the St. Lawrence Seaway from the Atlantic Ocean. The strait contains a 150-foot-deep shipping channel to accommodate the larger cargo vessels now carrying goods from Asia to North America. The $400 million privately funded investment in the deep-water port is supported by the increasing number of containers being shipped to East Coast ports that are saturated beyond capacity, Martin said. The project will be located on 315 acres of a 14,000-acre industrial reserve owned by the government of Nova Scotia. Melford already owns the 315-acre site and plans to purchase an additional 1,800 acres later this year. Stevens said Melford expects to begin construction in the spring of 2009 and open the terminal in the first or second quarter of 2011. It wants to have Great Lakes ports ready to receive container shipments at that time, he said. From the Toledo Free Press |
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Welland Canal's nerve centre 8/23 - Thorold - When massive lakers like the Robert S. Pierson and CSL Laurentien are cruising through the Welland Canal, it takes more than a mile for them to stop.It's one of the reasons the Allanburg lift bridge over the canal stays up longer than the Glendale bridge. Vessels move faster in that straightaway stretch than they do on other sections of the canal that connects Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. It means the Allanburg bridge has to be up longer, because a ship would need more time to stop if there were a problem, says John Chalmers, operations support co-ordinator for the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. It's just one aspect of the intimate knowledge controllers need to know to keep ship traffic moving quickly and safely through the Welland Canal, he said. A small group of controllers works around the clock, managing the eight locks that overcome the difference in elevation between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. They work at the Seaway's headquarters on Glendale Avenue, a two-story, brown brick office building on the west side of the canal. "We call it the brain of the organization," said Alvina Ghirardi, the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp.'s operations manager. "You have a multitude of functions that are performed in that operations centre. It's a highly technical environment." At any given time, there are five people working in the control room at the seaway's headquarters. They spend 12-hour shifts in a darkened room watching seven computer monitors each. Four big screens across the front of the control room show a map of the Welland Canal from Port Weller in the north to Port Colborne in the south. Every vessel working its way through the canal appears on the screens. Upbound traffic is in blue, downbound traffic is shown in yellow. Red chevrons on the screen indicate where gates on each of the canal's eight locks are closed. Red bars show when the seven lift bridges are down. After a controller lifts a bridge, it turns to white. "We all are showing real-time information as far as ships are concerned," Chalmers said. Not only do controllers manage the movement of ships and lift bridges on the canal, they're responsible for security, using a network of closed-circuit cameras along seaway property. The operations centre is also the canal's emergency response centre in the event of a fire or other emergency aboard a ship. And one controller is responsible for deploying the seaway company's employees where they need to be. It takes a crew of three people to see a vessel through a lock. "It's really the hub in terms of the communication aspect of the seaway," Ghirardi said. In total, there are are 240 people working for the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp., the not-for-profit company contracted by Transport Canada to manage the Welland Canal. The company is responsible for the middle portion of the Great Lakes- St. Lawrence Seaway, including ships between Turkey Point on Lake Erie to the middle of Lake Ontario. The coast guard oversees seaway management from Long Point west to Thunder Bay at the head of Lake Superior. An American company, the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp., manages the lower portion of the seaway from the middle of Lake Ontario to Montreal. "What we're striving for, as a corporation, is to get ships through in 12.5 hours or less 90 per cent of the time," said Chalmers. Ship captains can count on getting through the Welland Canal in that period of time about 84 per cent of the time. On average, it takes 11 hours for a ship to travel through the canal. In 2007, there were 3,671 transits of the Welland Canal. So far in 2008, there have been 1,974 transits. That's down slightly from last year, when there were 1,990 by the end of July. All that traffic occurs in the three-quarters of the year the canal is open. It's usually closed from late December to late March. The tonnage of cargo going through the canal can change from year to year based on economic conditions. The amount of steel being shipped through the canal has dropped because of the slower economic growth in North America this year. But other cargoes have increased. Manufacturers of wind turbines, for example, prefer to send their parts aboard ships, said Bruce Hodgson, the seaway's market development director. From the Welland Tribune |
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Duluth lighthouse for sale, with some strings attached 8/23 - Duluth - For sale: Prime waterfront property, centrally located with spectacular views of Lake Superior, Park Point, Canal Park and the Lift Bridge. The catch? A list of restrictions and requirements — including agreeing to maintain the structure’s historic designation and allowing unrestricted government access. The federal government is putting the light tower next to the Aerial Lift Bridge on Duluth’s south breakwater on the auction block Sept. 16. Registration requires a $5,000 deposit, and bids will increase in $5,000 increments. The federal government’s General Services Administration will set the auction’s end date once bidding slows. “I think we’ll just keep it up there and keep marketing it until someone comes forth,” Arthur Ullenberg of the GSA said. The federal government decided last year that it no longer needs the 107-year-old light, a relic of the time before radio, radar and GPS. The government made the tower available at no cost to any qualifying government agency, nonprofit, school or community development organization willing to use it for educational, recreational or historic preservation purposes. But with no takers, the U.S. General Services Administration decided to put it on the auction block. “This is the next and final step in the process,” Ullenberg said. The structure, properly called the “Duluth Harbor South Breakwater Inner Light Tower,” will come with many strings. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and a new owner must maintain the structure’s historic designation and conduct a photographic survey. The owner must get a lease from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before the property is transferred. The winning bidder must obtain written approval from the government before making any alterations or improvements to the property. And the Coast Guard would reserve an unrestricted right to enter the structure to service, replace or move the still-operating aids to navigation. “Outside of that, it’s yours,” Ullenberg said. In addition, the structure may contain lead-based paint and asbestos. But the views would be spectacular. The tower is 67 feet tall, its white, iron lantern room supported by a black steel framework and a central cylinder housing a cast-iron cylindrical stair. The tower’s light was first lit in 1901. “It is a historic light,” said Dennis Gimmestad of the Minnesota Historical Society. “Hopefully it will find a new owner who has both the interest and ability to take care of it and respect its historic integrity.” Registered bidders in good physical condition who have signed a liability waiver can inspect the lighthouse from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 11. More information on the structure, auction details and sale conditions can be found at www.auctionrp.com From The Duluth News Tribune |
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Updates - August 23 News Photo Gallery updated |
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Port Reports - August 22 Twin Ports - Al Miller Federal Seto arrived at CHS grain terminal Thursday morning with assistance from two tugs from Great Lakes Towing. Coming on the heels of the Herbert C. Jackson’s visit on Wednesday, the saltie was a welcome sight during a summer that has seen a significant drop in grain shipments. Elsewhere, Paul R. Tregurtha arrived early, fueled and then began loading at Midwest Energy Terminal, American Mariner was loading at the CN Duluth ore dock, Burns Harbor was loading at BNSF ore dock, with the Halifax and Edward L. Ryerson to follow, and USCGC Alder departed Fraser Shipyards following its four-year inspection and proceeded onto the lake for several hours of sea trials. Toronto - Dave Robinson The Siemen's exhibition barge, Exiderdome 1, and tug Ivory Coast, were tied up at the old Rochester ferry slip. Olympic Mentor looked to be almost empty at Redpath's, she will likely depart shortly. |
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Green Bay ATON analysis 8/22 - Green Bay - The CGC Mobile Bay is conducting a review of aids to navigation in both Green Bay Harbor entrance and Northern Green Bay/Big Bay De Noc. The Coast Guard is currently developing a list of users of this waterway, and would like to know which lakers frequent Escanaba/Green Bay.Anyone with information on laker traffic in these two ports or anyone wishing to participate in the survey portion of the analysis can email john.e.mundalejr@uscg.mil |
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Detroit River Light Shipping Excursion and Gathering The Diamond Belle will travel down the Detroit River shipping channels all the way to the Detroit River Light in Lake Erie. Cost is only $75.00 per person and includes buffet luncheon on board. Reservations are required. |
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Updates - August 22 News Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - August 22 On August 22 , 1898, the schooner FANNY CAMPBELL (wooden schooner, 404 tons, built in 1868, at St. Catherines, Ontario) ran ashore near Johnston's Harbor in Georgian Bay. She was sailing light on her way for a load of cordwood. The ALGOPORT left Collingwood Ontario, August 22, 1979, on her maiden voyage for Calcite, Michigan, to load limestone bound for Spragge, Ontario. The ROBERT L. IRELAND (Hull #62) was launched August 22, 1903, at Chicago, Illinois, by Chicago Ship Building Co. for the Gilchrist Transportation Co. Renamed b.) SIRIUS in 1913, and c.) ONTADOC in 1926. The ENDERS M VOORHEES was towed out of Duluth, Minnesota, on August 22, 1987, by the tugs AVENGER IV and CHIPPEWA, and was the first of the 'Supers' towed off the Lakes for scrap. The ROGER M. KYES sailed on her maiden voyage on August 22,1973, from Toledo, Ohio, to load iron ore at Escanaba, Michigan. She was built under Title XI of the Merchant Marine Act of 1970. This program allowed U.S. shipping companies to construct new vessels or to modernize their existing fleet by government guaranteed financing and tax deferred benefits. The KYES was the second of ten ships launched for American Steamship but the first to enter service under this arrangement. The total cost of the ten ships was more than $250 million. Renamed b.) ADAM E. CORNELIUS in 1989. On August 22, 1863, WILLIAM S. BULL (wooden propeller steam tug, 16 tons, built in 1861, at Buffalo, New York) waterlogged and went down in a storm 40 miles east of Erie, Pennsylvania. She was in company of the tug G. W. GARDNER and the canal boat M. E. PAINE, who saved her crew. On August 22, 1876, the Canadian schooner LAUREL sank off Big Sandy Creek on Lake Ontario. The crew made it to shore in the yawl. The LAUREL was bound from Kingston, Ontario, to Charlotte, New York, with iron ore. On August 22, 1900, SPECULAR (wooden propeller freighter, 264 foot, 1,742 gross tons, built in 1882, at Cleveland, Ohio) was carrying iron ore when she was a "hit & run" victim by the steamer DENVER at 2 a.m. and sank in six minutes in the Pelee Passage on Lake Erie. Fifteen of her crew abandoned in her yawl and were saved. The remaining five scrambled up into the rigging and clung there until they were rescued four hours later by the steamer MARITANA and brought to Detroit. Salvagers worked on the wreck continuously until they gave up on September 28. Wreck lies 3.16 miles SE from Pelee Passage light. She was owned by Republic Iron Co. of Cleveland. Data from: Joe Barr, David Swayze, Father Dowling Collection, Ahoy & Farewell II and the Great Lakes Ships We Remember series. This is a small sample. The books include many other vessels with a much more detailed history. |
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John Sherwin tow update 8/21 - 5 p.m. - According to Basic Marine, their tug Erika Kobasic and another tug are with the John Sherwin in Chicago. They just are not sure when the tow to Sturgeon Bay will begin Reported by Dan McNeil |
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Port Reports - August
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Twin Ports - Al Miller Herbert C. Jackson was at the CHS grain terminal on Wednesday morning preparing to load. At Fraser Shipyards, the drydock containing USCGC Alder has been flooded and the vessel appears to be ready to come out of the dock. Midwest Energy Terminal’s dock was empty in the morning, but Indiana Harbor and Mesabi Miner were both due there later in the day. Grand Haven - Dick Fox Buffalo - Brian Wroblewski Holland - Bob VandeVusse |
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Tug crew pays tribute to Edna G. 8/21 - Two Harbors - Those passing through the Two Harbors waterfront last Saturday may have done a double take at what may first have appeared to be a mirror image of the Edna G. Actually, the vessel that was travelling across Agate Bay was a diesel-powered 87-foot tug painted in identical colors as the Edna G. and owned by Mike, Patrick and Vincent Ojard. Mike Ojard, Knife River, was captaining the tug Edward H. at the time, and he dropped into the harbor to pay tribute to the Edna G. with a Captain's salute, which was returned by the Edna G. Ojard's father, Edward Harvey Ojard was chief engineer on the Edna G. for many years and Mike's uncle, Adolph Ojard, was captain for many years. The Edward H., named for Ojard’s father, was acquired by the family last fall as the retired U.S. Army Corps of Engineers tug, Forney, and was extensively upgraded for commercial tugging over the winter months. It works out of the Twin Ports. Ojard said he duplicated the color scheme of the Edna G., out of nostalgia for the old tug, which was built in 1896 and is operated as a marine museum by the Lake County Historical Society, The Ojard's tug service operates as Heritage Marine. From the Lake County Chronicle |
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Dredging to start in Irondequoit Bay, near Rochester 8/21 - Rochester - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin dredging the Irondequoit Bay outlet, in preparation for next year’s boating season. U.S. Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Onondaga, who secured nearly $400,000 in funding for the work, announced the project on Tuesday, Aug. 19.About 20,000 cubic yards of material will be removed from the outlet and placed offshore, at nearby Oklahoma Beach in Webster. Crews will move about 5,000 cubic yards per day, according to a spokesman from Walsh’s office, who said the outlet was last dredged in 2000. The outlet is only about 3 to 4 feet deep, and will be about 10 to 12 feet deep when the work is done, the spokesman said. From the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle |
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Wolfe Island wind farm turbines arrive in Ogdensburg 8/21 - Ogdensburg, NY - The Danish ship Beluga Fighter brought windmill parts to the Ogdensburg port yesterday. The windmills are destined for the Wolfe Island Wind Farm project in Canada. Officials at the Ogdensburg Port Authority say the windmill project is large scale and having a positive effect on the local community.The ship is the eighth vessel to bring turbine parts here from overseas and the crew and company involved have been purchasing supplies and eating at restaurants around the area. The parts are taken from a storage section and placed on barges based on their serial numbers. Those barges head down the fifty miles to Wolfe Island, near the mouth of Lake Ontario. While it has been an educational experience for everyone involved, the project is also keeping port authority workers busy with extra work, extra hours and most are welcoming the extra income. The transfer of the windmills should be complete by November. From WWNY-TV7, Watertown, NY |
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Keweenaw Star offering cruises in Marquette's Lower Harbor 8/21 - Marquette - The Keweenaw Star will be offering cruises out of the Elwood Mattson Lower Harbor Park in Marquette for the 25th annual Seafood Fest August 22 and 23. The cruises will travel from the Lower Harbor of Marquette up to the Upper Harbor, and around Presque Isle Point. Organizers say this is a great chance to see the ships coming in and out of Marquette.Tickets are available through the Marquette Maritime Museum, (906) 226-2006. A portion of the proceeds go to the Marquette Maritime Museum. |
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Updates - August 21 News Photo Gallery updated |
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Today in Great Lakes History - August 21 August 21, 1996 - The former U. S. Army Corps of Engineers tug MARQUETTE was down bound past Detroit on her delivery trip to her new owners, based in Key West, Florida. Renamed MONA LARUE in 1997, she is no longer in documentation. At 7:10 p.m. on August 21, 1901, the whaleback steamer ALEXANDER MC DOUGALL (steel propeller modified whaleback freighter, 413 foot, 3,686 gross tons, built in 1898, at W. Superior, Wisconsin) ran into and cut in two the tug GEORGE STAUBER (wooden propeller tug, 55 foot, 43 gross tons, built in 1883, at Buffalo, New York) in the rapids at the mouth of the St. Clair River. The STAUBER sank immediately in about 60 feet of water. No lives were lost. The steam barge IDA assisted in retrieving people in the water. The MC DOUGALL did not stop. The BUFFALO's sea trials were conducted from August 21 through August 24, 1978. The GEORGE A. STINSON was christened at Detroit, Michigan on August 21, 1978. The CEDARGLEN, a.) WILLIAM C. ATWATER arrived under tow at Port Maitland, Ontario on August 21, 1994, where she was scrapped. |