Noteworthy Passages

2 pm UPDATE: The Cort departed Escanaba about 1 p.m. Saturday with a destination of Superior, WI.

ORIGINAL REPORT: ESCANABA, MI – Interlake Steamship Co.’s 1,000-footer Stewart J. Cort arrived early Saturday and tied up at the North Shore Marine Terminal dock. Waterfront reports suggest she is there to address starboard propulsion issues which have been ongoing since midsummer. She is moored near the long-laid up Cason J. Callaway.

Amy Chown

Stewart J. Cort Saturday morning in Escanaba. Laid up Cason J. Callaway is at left. [Amy Chown]

Duluth-Superior Harbor

• Algoma Intrepid departed Duluth early Thursday morning at 03:55 central heading for Thunder Bay; fleetmate Algoma Compass arrived later that morning at 07:40 carrying salt for Envirotech-Hallett #8. H. Lee White arrived at 09:20 loaded with limestone for CN-Hallett #5. Thursday night, Algoma Compass departed at 21:25 after fueling, and H. Lee White departed empty at 21:55 for Thunder Bay. Due to the high winds out of the north/northwest, ATB Dirk S. VanEnkevort / Michigan Trader was the only vessel to arrive Friday having hugged the north shore as much as possible. They arrived at 15:04 to fuel before unloading limestone at Graymont. Depending on how the winds diminish on the lake overnight, Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader could leave early morning empty for Silver Bay. Once conditions improve, Paul R. Tregurtha and Algoma Innovator will be due at the Duluth entry while Algoma Compass and Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin are due at the Superior entry.

Two Harbors

• Since Wednesday evening, two thousand footers were in port loading iron ore pellets. American Century, which arrived at 10:47 central on Thursday and departed around 23:24 with Minntac flux pellets, is heading for Conneaut. Edwin H. Gott arrived at 05:20 Friday morning and departed at 14:32 following behind the bad weather as it moved east. No vessels were in port Friday night with James R. Barker expected once the waves diminish on the big lake.

Silver Bay

•  Silver Bay has been quiet the last few days but is expected to host the ATB Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader once they finish unloading stone in the Twin Ports.

Thunder Bay

• Thunder Bay was relatively quiet until later Thursday when vessels began to come and go. That evening, Federal Clyde arrived at 15:12 eastern, Rodopi departed at 18:36 with grain from the Superior elevator, Algoma Intrepid arrived at 19:24 to load grain at Superior and CSL St. Laurent departed at 23:05 with grain from Bunge’s Pool 7A elevator. Friday was similarly quiet until the windy weather began to calm in the evening with Frontenac departing Bunge Pool 7B at 17:06, Algoma Strongfield departing G3 at 21:03, Algoma Intrepid departing Superior elevator at 22:28 and Strandja arriving at 22:49 to load at Richardson’s Current River elevator.

• As of Friday night, Federal Clyde was loading potash at Thunder Bay Terminals and Strandja was loading grain at Current River. Ocean-going vessels Noelle G., Federal Michigan, Federal Hamilton and Rodopi were sitting at anchor. H. Lee White is expected to arrive early Saturday to load wheat for Buffalo.

Marquette

• John G. Munson departed Marquette with iron ore pellets for Burns Harbor at 11:56 eastern, allowing Hon. James L. Oberstar to arrive at 13:29 to begin loading. Joseph L. Block departed at 20:32 with iron ore pellets destined for Indiana Harbor. Oberstar waited at the dock all Friday as wind and waves roared out of the north; they will depart for Indiana Harbor once the weather improves.

Scott Bjorklund

Duluth-Superior Harbor

• Mesabi Miner departed the Superior Entry at 15:30 central Wednesday afternoon carrying iron ore pellets destined for Lake Erie Works at Nanticoke. The Duluth entry didn’t see any ship traffic until later in the day when Algoma Intrepid arrived at 19:20 and Walter J. McCarthy Jr. departed at 21:20; Intrepid arrived with salt from Goderich and McCarthy departed with iron ore pellets destined for Conneaut. As of Wednesday night, only Algoma Intrepid was in port unloading salt at Envirotech-Hallett #8 in Superior. Algoma Compass is due early morning Thursday, also carrying salt for the same dock, so they may have to wait outside Duluth until Intrepid departs. H. Lee White is due a few hours later carrying limestone destined for CN-Hallett #5.

Two Harbors

• Integrated tug-barge Presque Isle departed at 05:40 central Wednesday morning with Minntac acid iron ore pellets destined for Nanticoke. As of Wednesday night, no vessels were in port. American Century is due in Two Harbors mid-morning Thursday.

Silver Bay

• American Mariner, an infrequent visitor for Silver Bay, arrived at 02:10 central coming from the Twin Ports. They departed at 21:35 Wednesday night with iron ore pellets destined for Ironville at Toledo. No other vessels are expected in port in the near future.

Thunder Bay

• Grain and potash continues to flow at the Canadian head of the lakes. Both lakers and salties were coming to and from port Wednesday: Algoma Strongfield arrived at 00:58 eastern, Federal Asahi departed Keefer at 03:26, Perelik departed at 03:27, Federal Asahi arrived at 04:20 to take the Perelik’s spot at Richardson, Frontenac arrived at 14:36 and Flevoborg departed at 17:38 with potash.

• As of Wednesday night, Federal Asahi was loading grain at Richardson’s Main elevator, Frontenac was loading grain at Bunge Pool B, fleetmate CSL St Laurent was loading grain on the other side at Pool A, Algoma Strongfield was loading grain at G3 and finally Rodopi was loading grain at Cargill Superior elevator. At anchor were ocean-going vessels Noelle G, Federal Michigan, Federal Clyde and Federal Hamilton; all, except Federal Hamilton, were waiting to load potash. No new lakers or salties are expected in port Thursday.

Marquette

• American Spirit departed Marquette at 13:10 eastern Wednesday with Tilden iron ore pellets bound for TORCO in Toledo. Joseph L. Block arrived at 14:39 to load iron ore pellets, and John G. Munson arrived at 23:05 to load the same cargo. As of Wednesday night, Block and Munson were on each side of the LS&I ore dock. Both vessels should depart sometime Thursday, and Hon. James L. Oberstar is due in port mid-morning.

Scott Bjorklund

The Algoma Center self-unloader Saginaw was upbound at dawn Tuesday in the lower St. Marys River. She unloaded limestone at Algoma and was back downbound in the early evening headed for Calcite.

Dean Smith

The Saginaw Tuesday moring in the rain at Mission Point. [Dean Smith]