The iron ore dock at Superior, Wisconsin, is very busy right now, but with loading out of one elevator only, there are three freighters waiting outside the harbor as the fourth gets loaded.
Freighter Coming In
Picture of the Day for January 18, 2023
While the large freighters may still be active on the other Great Lakes, the traffic is down to one ore carrier on Lake Superior since the Soo Locks closed earlier this week (although the closing was delayed by 10 hours until the last ship that was leaving Lake Superior was through the locks). The Saginaw is still making a few more load of iron ore pellets from the docks in Superior to the Sault Ste Marie area. This ship, the Algoma Guardian also came into Superior for ore but didn’t have to fight the ice in the harbor during July as compared to loading out in January. The Algoma Guardian is spending the winter at Goderich, ON until the Soo Locks reopens on March 25 after winter maintenance.
Algoma Guardian Arrival
Picture of the Day for December 11, 2022
Although my little pond has been froze over for a while now, the shipping season continues on Lake Superior until the Soo Locks close for the season on January 15, but the visitors watching the large freighters coming into port will need winter coats instead of summer shorts. It is always a treat to listen to the James Barker ship horns when it does the master salute when going under the Duluth Canal Bridge.
Ship Coming In
Picture of the Day for December 7, 2021
Some of these freighters are in the docks for repairs as well as a brand new self-unloading bulk carrier for Great Lakes is being built at the Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. And while the scene here is fairly quiet, even with the construction noise, 80 years ago the scene at a different harbor was not peaceful when the surprised attack happened at Pearl Harbor. And as President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy.
Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding
Picture of the Day for September 11, 2020
Last evening and early this morning was a busy time at the Duluth Canal with 9 freighters coming in or going out of port during about an 8 hour period, including the largest ship on the Great Lakes, the Paul R. Tregurtha. I saw the Mighty Paul last October and felt lucky to have seen three ships go through the canal during my visit but it would have been nicer to have observed nine big freighters.
The Paul R. Tregurtha
Picture of the Day for July 22, 2020
The freighter, Algoma Guardian, sails pass the Wisconsin Point Light as it enters Superior Harbor breakwater to be loaded with iron ore pellets.
Freighter Arriving at Superior
Picture of the Day for May 23, 2020
The long holiday weekend has some people venturing out to lakes, cabins and other places even during the pandemic, but many things have needed to changed to allow social distancing and still allow some activities like watching freighters on the lake.
Ship Leaving Port
Picture of the Day for March 26, 2020
The spring 2020 shipping season on Lake Superior started this past Sunday as vessels began leaving port again. Today the H. Lee White, a 704 foot freighter, arrived in Duluth for the first time this season after a winter layup in Sturgeon Bay.
Arrival of the H. Lee White
Picture of the Day for January 16, 2020
It will be a few months before the sight of a freighter vessel is seen leaving port on Lake Superior. The last two ships arrived in Superior port this morning and made their way through the ice to the docks. Although most of Lake Superior’s water is open, the ports have become iced over and with the Soo Locks closing yesterday, the vessels are stuck somewhere on Lake Superior until late March when the locks open again for freighter traffic.
Superior Freighter Season Over
Picture of the Day for January 10, 2020
At 1013.5 feet, the reigning “Queen of the Lakes” is the Paul R. Tregurtha and she came through the Duluth canal and under the lift bridge for last time this shipping season. With the Soo Locks closing next week, many of the vessels are beginning their winter lay up in various ports around the Great Lakes. The Paul R. Tregurtha docked at the Superior Midwest Energy Terminal this afternoon for the winter until the Soo locks reopens on March 25. A tugboat had to sweep ice away from the dock area for the freighter as it neared the dock.
Winter Layup Time
