SIDSEL KNUTSEN DEPARTS; MANITOWOC DUE

Lakeshore Towing tug FLATTOP removed the oil containment boom from around the SIDSEL KNUTSEN as the vessel completed loading of biodiesel at the Mountfort Terminal. The KNUTSEN's crew finished preparing for their overseas journey and the SIDSEL KNUTSEN, loaded with 5,000 tons of biodiesel produced at Lake Erie Biofuels and shipped down to the port via rail, departed at 1845.

The KNUTSEN is bound for Rotterdam with this load of biodiesel, the second of many that will move through the port this season.

Meanwhile, the former EARL W. OGLEBAY, which last visited the port of Erie on July 6,2006, is returning to the port tomorrow under the ownership of Lower Lakes Transportation. MANITOWOC is due at 0915 with stone from Stoneport, Michigan.

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SIDSEL KNUTSEN at dock after removal of the oil-containment boom.


Warming up the engines in preparation for departure.


Backing away from the dock.


SIDSEL KNUTSEN turns away from the dock.


Turning.


KNUTSEN in the channel.


Close up.


The writing on the cabin is what is typical of all chemical tankers.


Stern view.


KNUTSEN turns in the channel.


Outbound.


Even at a distance the KNUTSEN, at 167-meters long, appears huge.


Outbound with the Erie Pierhead light in the foreground.

SIDSEL KNUTSEN Set to Depart

SIDSEL KNUTSEN is due to finish loading at around 1500 this afternoon. The oil-containment boom will be removed soon thereafter and the tanker should be departing for Europe during daylight hours today.

SIDSEL KNUTSEN Arrives to Load Biodiesel

SIDSEL KNUTSEN arrived in Erie at 2330 last night, turned in the harbor and docked at the Mountfort Terminal, after which Lakeshore Towing deployed the oil containment boom around the vessel so that it could begin loading. Crews from Carmeuse Lime & Stone and Lake Erie Biofuels began loading the vessel with 5,000 tons of biodiesel at around 0200 this morning.

Loading of the SIDSEL KNUTSEN is expected to take around 40 hours, so if all goes well the tanker could depart for Europe tomorrow evening before sunset.

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KNUTSEN at the Mountfort Terminal.


Another view.


KNUTSEN is scheduled to load 5,000 tons of biodiesel.

SIDSEL KNUTSEN ETA

SIDSEL KNUTSEN is due in Erie at 0100 on Tuesday to load biodiesel. The vessel is coming from Sarnia, Ontario and had been expected this morning, but due to delays at Sarnia the KNUTSEN was delayed.

KNUTSEN Remains in Sarnia

SIDSEL KNUTSEN remains in Sarnia discharging cargo at this time and should be departing later tonight for Erie to load biodiesel.

Another KNUTSEN Update

SIDSEL KNUTSEN arrived in Sarnia this afternoon and will be there for several hours before departing downbound for Erie. When the KNUTSEN arrives in Erie, she will be loading another cargo of biodiesel from Lake Erie Biofuels.

Already several cuts of tank cars are sitting on the Mountfort Terminal awaiting the KNUTSEN's arrival, and many other cars will follow before the ship is done loading.

SIDSEL KNUTSEN Update

Latest ETA for the SIDSEL KNUTSEN is 0600 on Monday, June 9 to load biodiesel. The vessel is coming from Sarnia to load biodiesel produced at Lake Erie Biofuels. The cargo is bound for Rotterdam, Netherlands when loaded.

SIDSEL KNUTSEN Update

SIDSEL KNUTSEN cleared the Welland Canal upbound bound for Sarnia, Ontario. After the vessel finishes discharging her remaining cargo there, the KNUTSEN is bound for Erie to load biodiesel, and should be arriving sometime on Sunday during daylight hours.

SIDSEL KNUTSEN Update

SIDSEL KNUTSEN is now alongside in Oakville unloading. After unloading part of the cargo there, the KNUTSEN will finish her unload in Sarnia and is currently due in Erie on Sunday at around noon to load biodiesel.

KATHY LYNN Departs

Tug KATHY LYNN and barge CT 150 departed Erie at 0200 bound for Rochester, New York. I'm not sure what they're doing at the moment.

SIDSEL KNUTSEN is upbound for Oakville, Ontario, where the vessel is expected tomorrow to finish unloading. After that, the KNUTSEN is bound for Erie to load biodiesel.

KATHY LYNN, CT 150 Loading Crane; SIDSEL KNUTSEN Due

Ryba Marine's tug KATHY LYNN and spud barge CT 150 remain in Erie today loading a crane at the Mountfort Terminal. I believe they're headed back to to Lake Michigan with this crane, as Ryba Marine is reported to be using KATHY LYNN on a dredging project in the Kinickinic River in Milwaukee.

During one of the attempts to load the crane, the crane got away from crews and narrowly missed hitting the warehouse on the Mountfort Terminal.

Meanwhile, the next load of biodiesel is scheduled to go out later this week aboard the tanker SIDSEL KNUTSEN. The KNUTSEN has been a frequent trader to the Great Lakes over the past few years, but is best known for colliding with and sinking the J.W. WESTCOTT in the Detroit River on October 23, 2001. The WESTCOTT, the U.S. mailboat servicing ships in the Detroit River, was completing a pilot change on the KNUTSEN at the time of the accident. The 1948 Erie-built WESTCOTT sank in the accident, killing two of the four people aboard the vessel at the time.

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KATHY LYNN with the barge alongside the Mountfort Terminal this afternoon.


Loading the crane.


Crane gets away from the crew working on loading.


Moving backwards. Note the man standing between the crane and the warehouse.


The crane is stopped. Note that the man standing between the crane and warehouse has wisely moved.