JOSEPH H. THOMPSON Visits; Tug ELIZABETH ANNA due

JOSEPH H. THOMPSON arrived in Erie on July 3 at 0300 with stone from Marblehead. The barge unloaded at the Old Ore Dock before departing at 1200 on a return trip to Marblehead.

Donjon Marine's small tug ELIZABETH ANNA is currently upbound somewhere in the Erie Canal system bound for Erie. The 500-HP tug will be stationed permanently at Erie as an assist vessel at the shipyard. The tug, formerly known as BEAR, was purchased from Disch Construction in 2014, along with a sister known as LITTLE BEAR. Given the light horsepower on ELIZABETH ANNA, it seems possible that LITTLE BEAR, now known as NICOLE MAIREAD, could be joining ELIZABETH ANNA in Erie at some point in the future.

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KATHY LYNN departs the South Pier worksite outbound for her dredge on June 24.


Another view.


Dredging operations should wrap up within a couple of weeks.


Side view.


Stern view.


Outbound for the dredge.


At the dredge.


Crew change complete, KATHY LYNN heads back in.


Inbound.


Another view.


Photo caption.


Side view.


ANDIAMO, of Chicago, inbound.


Outbound again.


Moving a scow.


MANISTEE inbound on June 24.


MANISTEE approaches the harbor with a cargo of salt.


The beautiful, 1943-built laker was once based out of Erie as RICHARD REISS.


The ship just passed a five year survey this winter, but questions remain about the 72-year old laker's future.


Passing the dredging operation.


Close up.


Turning to stay in line with the channel.


Another view.


Stern view.


MANISTEE approaches the Mountfort Terminal, where she will unload.


JOSEPH H. THOMPSON unloading at the Old Ore Dock on July 3.


Overhead view.


Outbound.


Passing a sailboat.


THOMPSON is again bound for Marblehead to load another cargo of stone.


Another view.


Close up.


JOSEPH H. THOMPSON JR. provides the power.


Stern view.


Passing the Erie pierhead light.


Clearing the harbor.

DREDGING ON PRESQUE ISLE BAY

Dredging work began on July 6 in Erie harbor and is expected to continue through the 15th of August. Below are photos taken on July 13.

I will be posting more photos of recent Erie activity sometime this weekend.

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Luedtke's ANN-MARIE pulling an empty scow inbound.


Close up.


Stern view.


Dredging in the bay.


KRISTA S, recently acquired by Luedtke from Calumet River Fleeting in South Chicago, stands by the dredging operation.


Another view.

DREDGE EQUIPMENT ARRIVES

Luedtke tugs KRISTA S. and ANN MARIE are currently moored at the Old Ore Dock with dredge equipment anchored in the harbor. Harbor dredging is expected to begin any day.

I will be posting photos of recent activity in Erie sometime this week.

LUEDTKE TO BEGIN HARBOR DREDGING

Luedtke Engineering Company will begin harbor dredging on June 20 with the tug ANN MARIE and a dredge. The dredging work in the channel is expected to last about two months.

Tug ANN MARIE is 71 feet long and was built in 1980. Last winter, it sank on the Saginaw River, where it had been working on another dredging project. For more on that, see Saginaw River Images.

Dredging was made necessary due to shoaling that last year prevented the CLIPPER LOYALTY from loading biodiesel here.

Lakeshore Towing Finishes Dredging; Announcing Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair; Notes on Donjon Marine; Miscellaneous News and Notes

Lakeshore Towing Services completed dredging of the Old Ore Dock on Friday. Although the job was not complete ice is beginning to form in the harbor and is making it impractical to continue to dredge. However, the company was able to get quite a bit of dredging done.

The Old Ore Dock will likely have to be dredged every few years, as ships docking there stir up sediment with their propellers and that sediment is deposited along the east side of the dock, where ships dock to unload. With more sediment deposited there ships must load less cargo to dock there, and dredging is a cheaper alternative to getting more ships into the dock.

Donjon Marine has announced the formation of their new shipyard, Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair (DSR). DSR has purchased the assets of Erie Shipbuilding and is working under a new long-term lease with the Erie Western-Pennsylvania Port Authority to establish a shipbuilding and ship repair facility at the yard. No word as to yet as to what their first projects will be, or what will become of the tug CLYDE VANENKEVORT and barge ERIE TRADER that were under construction at the yard. Rumors floating around were that the tug would be finished and go to the ocean to push an oil barge, but I'm not sure if that will happen.

Longtime readers of the Erie Shipping News will recall that Donjon is the largest customer Erie Shipbuilding ever had, with their order for a dumpscow (WITTE 4003) and five deck barges (WITTE 1401, WITTE 1402, WITTE 1403, WITTE 1404, and WITTE 1405). In addition, their then-subsidiary Port Albany Ventures ordered several other deck barges. Less than a month ago Donjon sold their 1/2 interest in PAV to their partner. I'm not sure if that was related to their purchase of ESB, but sources tell me that Donjon is extremely serious about making the shipyard the best facility possible. The only disadvantage DSR will have is that the facility only has about 4,000 feet of dock space, some of which is falling apart, particularly on the east side of the property adjacent to the Old Ore Dock.

Donjon also operates a full-service marine operation that includes towing and salvage.

In other harbor news and notes, EDGAR B. SPEER and PRESQUE ISLE should be arriving in Erie sometime after the first of the year for winter layup. PRESQUE ISLE will, as usual, be going to the Mountfort Terminal where the cofferdam will be installed on the vessel to allow for replacement of the ever-problematic shaft seals.

Dredging Begins at Old Ore Dock

Lakeshore Towing Services began dredging work at the Old Ore Dock yesterday, marking the second time since 2007 that the slip has been dredged. The Old Ore Dock silts badly as ships use their propellers when approaching the dock, which stirs up sediment on the bottom and deposits it along the east side of the slip.

Dredging is supposed to be completed by the end of December. Weather, however, may delay that, and is expected to shut crews down for the rest of the week.

I will post photos of today's activities later today.


Photo caption.

PRESQUE ISLE Fitting Out; BLOUGH Fit Out Cancelled; Harbor News and Notes

PRESQUE ISLE's engine room crew reported to the vessel on Wednesday and began fitting out for the new season. The barge has been ballasted down to allow for reconnection of the tug and barge when the deck crew reports on Monday. The PRESQUE ISLE is still scheduled to begin the new season on next Wednesday.

Meanwhile, ROGER BLOUGH's fit out has been cancelled due to the poor economy and reduced demand for iron ore pellets. Late next week the BLOUGH is scheduled to be towed from Erie to Conneaut, where the vessel will be layed up at the P&C Coal Dock. I will update when I learn a more definitive date for the tow.

Despite the poor economy, Lakeshore Towing Services has several jobs underway or scheduled to be completed this spring. The company is currently finishing a dredging job in Conneaut harbor and will soon be completing minor dredging at the Old Ore Dock and major dredging at Shade's Beach.

The company also will soon be beginning the construction of a floating dock behind the Sheraton Bayfront hotel and replacing the "C" Dock at Perry's Landing Marina.

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Barge PRESQUE ISLE ballasted down at the Mountfort Terminal on Thursday.


Another view.


Tug PRESQUE ISLE at the Mountfort Terminal.


Another view.


Stern view.


THE PRESQUE ISLE from inside the notch of the barge.


ROGER BLOUGH at the Old Ore Dock on Thursday.


With the J.S. St. JOHN.


Port side bow thruster on the BLOUGH.


A unique angle of the J.S. St. JOHN. If you look closely under her name, you can see her former name, LAKE EDWARD, and port of registry, Wilmington, DE.


Stern view of the BLOUGH.


Another view.