Olive L. Moore/Menominee were back on the Saginaw River for their 15th visit of the season on Thursday, calling on the Burroughs North - Essexville Dock and the Wirt Stone Dock in Saginaw. After unloading at both docks, the pair were outbound Friday morning. Photos taken 9/3/26 as they were finishing up their unload at Burroughs North in Essexville and a large storm was rolling into the area.
The
Saginaw River saw 20 commercial vessel passages during the month of August,
with 12 different docks receiving a total of 31 product deliveries, accounting
for split cargo loads delivered to more than one dock. These passages represent 1 fewer passage than
recorded during August 2025. Looking at
long-term averages, the 20 passages in August are less than all the long-term
averages, with the 5-year average at 22, the 10-year average at 23, the 15-year
average at 21 passages, and the 20-year average at 25 commercial vessel
passages during the month of August.
There was also one outbound cargo: Gypsum loaded at the Sargent Docks
& Terminal, bound for Green Bay, WI.
This was the third outbound cargo of the season.
The total number of commercial vessel passages for the year-to-date is 89, which is 26 fewer than last year. Looking at the averages, the 89 passages for the year to date are less than all the long-terms, with the 5-year average being 103, 10-year average at 100, the 15-year average at 91, and the 20-year average at 96 vessel passages for the year to date as of the end of August.
During the month of August, there were 18 deliveries to the docks on the lower half of the Saginaw River, located in Essexville and Bay City, and 13 deliveries to upper river docks, located in Zilwaukee, Carrollton, and Saginaw. 9 vessels carried split loads with cargo unloaded at more than one dock. For the year-to-date, there have been 60 lower river deliveries and 35 upper river deliveries, with 27 split loads.
The vessels making deliveries to the Saginaw River in August: Olive L. Moore/Menominee (5), Robert S. Pierson (4), Defiance/Ashtabula (3), G.L. Ostrander/Integrity (2), Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder (2), Algoma Compass, Sam Laud, Iver Bright, and Undaunted/Pere Marquette 41
Robert S. Pierson was inbound Sunday morning, bringing a split load to the Saginaw River. She stopped first at the Wirt Sand & Stone Dock in Essexville, lightering there before continuing upriver to Saginaw, stopping at the ACE/Saginaw Paving - Crow Island Dock. Photos taken 8/30/26
G.L. Ostrander/Integrity were inbound on the Saginaw River, calling on the AmRize Cement Dock in Essexville to unload. The pair arrived Friday afternoon. Photos taken 8/28/26
