Saginaw River Passage - June 8, 2025: Spencer F. Baird

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service vessel, Spencer F. Baird, arrived on the Saginaw River Sunday evening, tying up at the Port Fisher Terminal Dock in Bay City.  Photos taken on 6/8/25

Saginaw River Passage - June 8, 2025: Samuel de Champlain/Innovation

Samuel de Champlain/Innovation were back on the Saginaw River, calling on the Holcim Cement Dock in Essexville Sunday morning.  The pair were still at the dock late Sunday night.  Photos taken 6/8/25 in the morning and in the evening.

Saginaw River Passage - June 7, 2025: Mark W. Barker - Part 2

Here are a few bonus shots of Mark W. Barker on the Saginaw River, unloading at the Wirt Sand & Stone Dock in Essexville at sunset.  For the final photo of this set, I took it with the drone at ground level.  Note all of the little black spots in the sky....Mayflies!  They were pretty bad last night.  Photos taken 6/7/25

Saginaw River Passage - June 7, 2025: Mark W. Barker

Mark W. Barker was on the Saginaw River, Saturday afternoon, calling on the Wirt Sand & Stone Dock in Essexville to unload.  This was the first visit of the season here for the Barker.  Photos taken 06/7/25

 

Saginaw River Passage - June 7, 2025: Calumet

Calumet made her first appearance of the season on the Saginaw River, delivering a split load to the Wirt Stone Dock in Bay City and the Burroughs North - 1st Street Dock in Saginaw.  Photos taken 6/7/25 

Saginaw River Report - May 2025

There were 26 commercial vessel passages on the Saginaw River for the month of May 2025, with 11 different docks receiving 40 separate deliveries of product, accounting for split cargo delivered to more than one dock.  This represents one more vessel passage than recorded during May 2024.  Looking at the long-term averages, May was above the 5-year average of 24 passages, the 10-year average of 20 passages, the 15-year average of 18 passages, and the 20-year average of 20 commercial vessel passages for the month of May.

For the total number of commercial vessel passages for the year-to-date, there have been 35, which is 6 fewer passages than last year at this point.  Looking at the averages, the 35 passages for the year to date are less than than the 5-year average of 36 but are more than the 10-year average of 30, the 15-year average of 27, and the 20-year average of 31 vessel passages for the month of May.

During the month of May, there were 23 deliveries to the docks on the lower half of the Saginaw River, located in Essexville and Bay City, and 17 deliveries to upper river docks, located in Zilwaukee, Carrollton, and Saginaw.  13 vessels carried split loads with cargo unloaded at more than one dock.  For the year-to-date, there have been 32 lower river deliveries and 19 upper river deliveries, with 15 split loads. 

Saginaw River Passage - June 5, 2025: Northern Venture

Northern Venture was inbound on the Saginaw River, calling on the Wirt Sand and Stone Dock in Essexville.  She unloaded there Thursday evening and once finished, turned, then headed outbound for the lake early Friday morning.  Photos taken 6/5/25