Erie Shipping News

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

WHITE UPDATE; CALUMET AND CLEVELAND ROCKS MOVED

CALUMET and CLEVELAND ROCKS are both currently in the West Slip. H. LEE WHITE is due at 0930 on Thursday morning.

I will post photos of Donjon's activity tomorrow.

CALUMET TO BE MOVED; WHITE UPDATE

Later this afternoon, CALUMET and CLEVELAND ROCKS will be moved from the drydock at Donjon. CALUMET will be moved to the east side of the shipyard and CLEVELAND ROCKS will be moved to the West Slip, across from KEN BOOTHE SR./LAKES CONTENDER, which was moved across to the west side of the West Slip this morning. H. LEE WHITE is expected in Erie at 0830 tomorrow.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

H. LEE WHITE Due

H. LEE WHITE is currently anchored in the lower St. Mary's River awaiting weather on Lake Huron. Once underway the WHITE is bound for Erie. I will post an update when I have a better ETA for the WHITE.

H. LEE WHITE in Erie on November 16, 2010.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

BOOTHE/CONTENDER Delayed

KEN BOOTHE SR./LAKES CONTENDER have been delayed and will not be leaving today. Reportedly a change order has given a few more days worth of work.

I will update as I learn more.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

BOOTHE/CONTENDER RETURN

KEN BOOTHE SR./LAKES CONTENDER returned to Erie at 1900 this evening and docked at Donjon. All going as planned, the duo should depart on its maiden voyage sometime tomorrow morning.

KEN BOOTHE SR./LAKES CONTENDER inbound.

Turning in Presque Isle Bay for Donjon.

Turn completed.

Approaching the dock.

A push from the bow thruster.

Video of the outbound trip.

BOOTHE/CONTENDER SET FOR DEPARTURE, BUFFALO IN PORT

Newly-completed tug and barge KEN BOOTHE SR./LAKES CONTENDER are preparing to depart on their maiden voyage for American Steamship Company. The duo is out on acceptance trials at the moment and if all goes well the duo will depart Donjon tomorrow. Tuesday afternoon the BOOTHE got underway from Donjon at 1330 hours, went out into Presque Isle Bay and turned to mate up with the barge LAKES CONTENDER. The duo backed out of the West Slip at 1730 and proceeded to return to the slip. Also Wednesday, VICTORIAN PRINCESS was moved by Lakeshore Towing tugs FLATTOP and DON HENRY at the dock at Dobbin's Landing. The PRINCESS was moved to allow re-installation of the hydraulic steering ram on the port side. After the ram was lifted and bolted on, the PRINCESS was again spun around. BUFFALO arrived in Erie this morning at 0200 and docked at the Old Ore Dock to unload. BUFFALO was outbound at 1000. KEN BOOTHE SR./LAKES CONTENDER, on acceptance trials, followed them about 30 minutes later.

BOOTHE preparing to depart her dock ahead of the LAKES CONTENDER.

The BOOTHE had to back up and try again after the wind began to set the tug into the barge.

KEN BOOTHE SR. was Donjon Hull Number 1108.

Stern view.

In Presque Isle Bay.

Turned.

In the slip.

Preparing to mate up with LAKES CONTENDER.

FLATTOP pulling VICTORIAN PRINCESS away from the dock.

DON HENRY pushing.

FLATTOP and VICTORIAN PRINCESS.

Almost back to the dock.

KEN BOOTHE SR./LAKES CONTENDER returning to the dock at 1800 on Tuesday evening.

Another view.

At dock.

BUFFALO sharing the Old Ore Dock with APALACHEE and MANITOU this morning.

APALACHEE and MANITOU.

BUFFALO unloading.

Unloading.

Finished and preparing to depart.

Outbound.

Another view.

Stern view.

Departing for Cleveland. In Cleveland, the BUFFALO will shuttle iron ore from Cleveland Bulk Terminal at Cleveland's lakefront to Mittal Steel's Upper Dock, at the end of the navigable Cuyahoga River.

BOOTHE turning for the channel.

Lined up and preparing to head out.

Outbound.

Close up.

BOOTHE provides the power.

Stern view.

Outbound.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

BUFFALO Due

BUFFALO, with stone from Calcite, becomes the second vessel of the year to arrive in Erie upon arrival at 0230 on Wednesday.

BUFFALO arriving in Erie on October 17, 2007..

Monday, April 16, 2012

Layoffs at Donjon

Unconfirmed reports have more layoffs coming this week at Donjon Shipbuilding and Repair. These come on the heels of 30 layoffs last week.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

HOLLYHOCK Returns

USCGC HOLLYHOCK returned to port at 1800 this evening after spending the past two days in Buffalo. HOLLYHOCK docked at the Cruise Terminal and received provisions from a van from Station Erie.

HOLLYHOCK inbound.

Stern view.

Approaching the Cruise Terminal at the foot of Holland Street.

Docking.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

HOLLYHOCK Replaces Buoys

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter HOLLYHOCK spent today in port replacing the winter channel markers with the summer buoys. HOLLYHOCK's visit is about a month earlier than usual due to the mild winter; HOLLYHOCK was not needed for icebreaking as it normally is. buoy replacement began in upper Lake Huron in late March and, as Erie is usually one of the last ports to have buoys replaced, is probably almost complete.

HOLLYHOCK moored at the North Pier at 1400 this afternoon. The crew is preparing to swing CG 231060, also known as "HOCK 1", over the side of the vessel.

Six crewmembers board HOCK 1.

HOCK 1 departs the HOLLYHOCK and heads into Presque Isle Bay.

Stern view of HOLLYHOCK.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

KEN BOOTHE SR. AND LAKES CONTENDER CHRISTENED

On a rainy, cool April afternoon typical of an early spring day in Erie, Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair christened the first new bulk cargo vessel to be built in Erie in almost forty years.

Barge LAKES CONTENDER, a 740-foot long bulk cargo barge with capacity to carry 34,000 tons of cargo, and tug KEN BOOTHE SR., a 135-foot long, 10,700 horsepower articulated tug built to be mated with the CONTENDER, were christened at about 1630 hours this afternoon. Ellen S. Boothe, widow of the late Kenneth Boothe Sr., christened the tug KEN BOOTHE SR., and State Senator Jane Earll christened the LAKES CONTENDER.