3/18/2013

The Mesabi Miner will load at Midwest Energy Resources Co. in Superior.

U.S.-flag lakers will begin moving in the Port of Duluth-Superior this week as the 2013 commercial shipping season gets underway on the far western edge of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system. The Mesabi Miner is expected to be the port’s first departure of the season, set for late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

The Miner is scheduled to begin loading coal Tuesday morning at the Superior Midwest Energy Terminal, after which the 1,000-footer will move to the Port Terminal to load and install a drive motor for its conveyor system prior to making a cross-lake delivery to Marquette, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority said in a news release. She’ll return to Duluth over the weekend to load iron ore at the CN dock then head to Indiana Harbor. The Canadian-flag CSL Tadoussac is also set to head to Duluth this weekend (from winter layup in Thunder Bay) to load iron ore pellets at CN.

Crews reported for fit-out last week to get many wintering vessels set to sail. Two U.S. Coast Guard cutters (Alder and Mackinaw) along with Heritage Marine tugs have been busy breaking ice to open shipping channels and slips around the harbor in preparation for not only the Miner getting underway, but also the Roger Blough, Indiana Harbor and American Century by end of this week. Cutter Biscayne Bay will join in icebreaking operations later this week.

The departing lakers will secure their places in line with other downbound traffic near Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., to await the reopening of the Soo Locks for the 2013 season at 12:01 a.m. on March 25. Likewise, there will be a line-up of upbound lakers on the eastern side of the Locks, led by the Paul R. Tregurtha, which means the Twin Ports will likely see regular marine traffic patterns by end of the month (including the American Spirit, scheduled to depart her winter berth in Superior late next week).

“We ended the 2012 season having moved just shy of 37 million short tons of cargo through the Port of Duluth-Superior,” said Adolph Ojard, Duluth Seaway Port Authority executive director, “nearly on par with the previous year. If the U.S. steel market remains strong and the resurgence of manufacturing in and around the Great Lakes basin continues, iron ore shipments should keep a strong pace. Projections for coal exports are up, plus the extension of wind production tax credits should see project cargoes pick up by fall. Depending on weather patterns and global economies, we’d also hope for marginal improvements in grain exports. All in all, the Port of Duluth-Superior should see an increase in activity during 2013.”

Of the vessels that arrived in January to winter in the Twin Ports for repair and maintenance, the John G. Munson and John J. Boland will remain docked until markets pick up pace this season and their services are required. The American Victory and Edward L. Ryerson remain in long-term layup at Fraser Shipyards.

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