Good News for Boatnerds: Saginaw Returns to Service

August 25, 2026

Saginaw upbound under the Blue Water Bridge Monday afternoon. [Jeff Gushman]

SARNIA, ON – Ending months of speculation about her fate, the veteran laker Saginaw left her lay-up dock at Sarnia’s North Slip Monday. She moved down river to the Imperial Oil Fuel Dock in Sarnia, then headed upbound on Lake Huron for Superior, WI, to load ore pellets at the BNSF #5 dock. She is expected there in the afternoon of Aug. 26 to load ore pellets for Hamilton

The 639-foot self-unloader was built in 1953 in Manitowoc, WI, as John J. Boland (iii). She has been laid up since her previous operator, Lower Lakes Towing Co., was sold to Algoma Central Corp. in early 2026.