Traffic on the Great Lakes Recently

Shipping activity has started again on the Great Lakes. Cleveland saw the ALGOCANADA arrive with diesel on March 2, being towed up the river by Great Lakes Towing's tugs IOWA and RHODE ISLAND. Meanwhile, the tug/barge DOROTHY ANN/PATHFINDER has been shuttling iron ore up the Cuyahoga River to Mittal Steel.

All photos were taken on March 2.

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ALGOCANADA under tow of the tug IOWA upbound on the Cuyahoga River, nearing what is known as Nautica Bend.


Another view.


ALGOCANADA was built in Turkey in 2009.


Close up of the IOWA.


Stern view.


The RHODE ISLAND is on the stern acting as a brake.


Stern view of the tow.


DOROTHY ANN/PATHFINDER backing down the river later that day.


Coming under the Hope Memorial Bridge.


Close up of the Z-drive tug DOROTHY ANN.


Bow view backing down and approaching Collision Bend.


Another view.

OHIO Returns Barges; Departs

Great Lakes Towing's tug OHIO arrived in Erie at 1030 today towing the barges WITTE 1406 and WITTE 1407, which are returning from their charter to Alcoa and work in Cleveland.

OHIO docked both barges at the Mountfort Terminal in a strong north wind, and after a short stopover there lip and barges to their home base at the West Slip and departed for Buffalo, where the tug will take the barge CBC 1268, with windmill parts, in tow bound for Menominee, Michigan.

This is the OHIO's first visit to Erie since July 15, 2006, when it arrived to tow the LANSDOWNE to Buffalo. That tow departed the following day.

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OHIO, towing the WITTE 1406 and WITTE 1407, inbound this morning.


Another view.


Close up of the 1903-built OHIO.


WITTE 1406.


Stern view as the tow docks.


Stern view of the OHIO.


Docking.

Great Lakes Towing's SUPERIOR Arrives and Departs; KUBER Due

Great Lakes Towing's 98-year-old tug SUPERIOR arrived in Erie early this morning and picked up deck barge WITTE 1406 at Donjon Shipbuilding and shifted the barge to the Mountfort Terminal. There the duo spent the day loading the machinery delivered by the FEDERAL POWER on July 2.

The WITTE 1406 has been chartered for this, its first cargo-carrying run, to move this machinery to the port of Cleveland, where it will be delivered to Alcoa for use in a plant upgrade that will save 800 jobs in the city of Cleveland.

The SUPERIOR departed with the WITTE 1406 in tow astern at 2015 hours this evening. They should arrive in Cleveland sometime tomorrow.

Tug VICTORY and barge JAMES L. KUBER, with stone from Cedarville, are expected in Erie at 1700 Tuesday.

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SUPERIOR shifting at dock this afternoon.


SUPERIOR at dock.


WITTE 1406 at the Mountfort Terminal.


SUPERIOR in Erie harbor, shifting around to rig up a towline from the bow of the barge.


Stern view.


Rigging up the towline.


Departing the dock.


Outbound.


Stern view of the 1912-built tug. I will post video of the departure later this week.


Stern view.


Clearing Erie bound for Cleveland.

MANISTEE Departs, BOLAND, and Others Due

MANISTEE departed Erie at 0500 this morning, bound for Cleveland to load salt for Chicago, Illinois.

JOHN J. BOLAND, laden with stone from Stoneport, Michigan, is due in Erie tomorrow at 0900.

Also due in port tomorrow, with times of arrival to be determined, are motor yacht SCOTT FREE and sailing vessel DENIS SULLIVAN.

LAUD Arrives, Departs

SAM LAUD arrived in Erie at 2330 Saturday night with stone from Calcite, Michigan, docking at the Mountfort Terminal to unload. The LAUD unloaded through the night and departed at 0530 bound for Cleveland. The LAUD will load iron ore at the Cleveland Bulk Terminal on Cleveland's lakefront and shuttle the ore to the Mittal Steel plant upriver.

Ships that Paasch Built, Part 1: ANTHONY J. CELEBREZZE

Ships that Paasch Built will be an occasional series documenting the vessels built by former Erie shipbuilder Paasch Marine.

1961-built ANTHONY J. CELEBREZZE, named for the 49th Mayor of Cleveland and the fifth U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare who served under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, as well as on the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, is the Cleveland Fire Department's fireboat. The 61-foot long vessel was delivered from Paasch Marine on October 20, 1961 and was built at a reported cost of $85,000. Today a vessel of this size would cost well over $1,000,000.

The CELEBREZZE is stationed at Station 21 on Carter Road along the banks of the Cuyahoga River.

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ANTHONY J. CELEBREZZE upbound in the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, bound for Lake Erie, last Thursday.


Another view.


Passing under the Columbus Road bridge after waiting for the passage of tug/barge DOROTHY ANN/PATHFINDER.


Stern view.

Also in Cleveland on Thursday running shuttles from the lakefront's Cleveland Bulk Terminal to Mittal Steel, laden with taconite pellets, was Interlake Steamship's tug and barge DOROTHY ANN/PATHFINDER.


DOROTHY ANN/PATHFINDER entering the Cuyahoga River at 1400 on Thursday afternoon.


Another view in the ice-covered mouth of the river.


Stern view preparing to pass under the Norfolk Southern Railroad bridge.


Turning in the winding river at Columbus Road.


Rounding Collision Bend and the home of the CELEBREZZE, not visible on the left of the frame behind the bridge support.


Passing under the open, out-of-service West 3rd Street Bridge.


Close up.

Tug APALACHEE Headed to Erie

On its way to Cleveland, where it will be made into a museum, former U.S. Coast Guard tug APALACHEE will be arriving in Erie sometime tomorrow. The tug passed through the Welland Canal today and has stopped at Port Colborne, Ontario for the night before proceeding to Erie. The tug was previously based as a museum in Oswego, New York. More information on APALACHEE can be found here.

MANISTEE Departs

MANISTEE finished unloading as scheduled this afternoon at 1230 and departed Erie bound for Cleveland's Cargill Salt Dock. The vessel was escorted through the channel by USCG 49413, which arrived in Erie yesterday and docked at the Coast Guard Station. It is unknown how long 49413 plans on staying in Erie.

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MANISTEE inbound this morning.


Another view.


Stern view.


Turning in Presque Isle Bay.


Another view.


Approaching the Mountfort Terminal.


Coming alongside.


Ready to begin unloading.


Dockside view at 0915. One of the wheelsmen on the ship is climbing the ladder.


Three hours later, the last few tons of salt are off the boom.


Moving away from the Mountfort Terminal.


USCG 49413 outbound.


Stern view.


MANISTEE outbound.


Leading the MANISTEE through the channel.


Picking up speed in the channel.


Clearing the channel.


Stern view.


MANISTEE picks up speed in the lake.


About nine hours to Cleveland.