Report - Saginaw River for May 2009

For the Month of May and for 2009, the numbers for vessel passages are down once again. There were 25 commercial vessel passages on the Saginaw River in May. This is six less in in May of 2008 and a whopping 29 fewer than May 2005.

For the year to date, there have been 32 commercial vessel passages as compared to 45 during the same period last year. Again, going back to 2005, which is the first year I started keeping records, there were 94 passages - 62 more than the same period for 2009.

Saginaw River Passages - May 31st

It has been a few days since there has been any commercial traffic on the Saginaw River, but that changed Sunday morning with the arrival of the Calumet. Carrying a split load, Calumet lightered at the Bay City Wirt dock before heading upriver to finish at the Saginaw Wirt Stone dock. She departed the Wirt Saginaw dock around 7pm, turned at Sixth Street and was outbound for the lake.

Calumet upbound at Smith Park in Essexville

Saginaw River Passage - May 27th

After three days of inactivity on the Saginaw River, Wednesday evening saw the arrival of the Robert S. Pierson. She traveled the short distance up the river to the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City to unload. The Pierson finished her unload around 9:30pm and was headed back outbound for the lake shortly after.

Saginaw River Passages - May 23rd and 24th

Saturday saw the arrival of two familiar visitors. The tug Olive L. Moore and barge Lewis J. Kuber arrived Saturday morning with a split load for the Sargent Stone dock in Essexville and the Saginaw Rock Products dock in Saginaw. Following behind the Moore & Kuber was the Manitowoc, who had a split cargo for the Bay City and Wirt Stone docks. Manitowoc completed her unload and was outbound from the Sixth Street turning basin on Saturday evening. The Moore & Kuber spent the night in Essexville before heading upriver Sunday morning around 7am headed for Saginaw Rock. The pair had finished their unload and were outbound for the lake, passing through Bay City early Sunday evening.

Olive J. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber upbound at Lake State Railway Bridge on 5-24-09

Saginaw River Passages - May 21st & 22nd

The tug Olive L. Moore & the barge Lewis J. Kuber were inbound late Wednesday night with a split load for the Bay City and Saginaw Wirt Stone docks. On her way in, she passed the outbound Agawa Canyon, who had unloaded at the Saginaw Rock Products dock. The Moore and Kuber were outbound on Thursday after unloading. Thursday also saw the arrival of the Manitowoc with another split load for the Bay City and Saginaw Wirt docks. The Manitowoc was back outbound for the lake early Friday morning.

Saginaw River Passages May 19th & 20th

Tuesday on the Saginaw River saw the Manitowoc inbound, traveling upriver to unload at the GM dock in Saginaw. She finished her unload and was headed back for the lake early Wednesday morning. On her way out, the Manitowoc passed the inbound Agawa Canyon just above the Veteran's Memorial Bridge in Bay City. The Canyon continued all the way up to the Saginaw Rock Products dock in Saginaw to unload. She was expected to be outbound late Wednesday evening. The tug Barbara Andrie and barge A-390 moved from the Bit-Mat dock on Tuesday after unloading there. She moved the short distance up to the Dow Chemical dock to make up for their trip out to the lake. After spending the night there Tuesday, the pair were outbound for the lake Wednesday afternoon.

Saginaw River Passages - May 18th

The Olive L. Moore with the Lewis J. Kuber were back again on Monday with another split cargo for the Bay City and Saginaw Wirt Stone docks. The pair arrived at the Bay City dock late in the morning to lighter before heading upriver to Saginaw early in the afternoon. They were expected to be outbound late Monday night. Tug tug Barbara Andrie and her tank barge, A-390, were also inbound Monday morning, calling on the Bit-Mat dock in Bay City to unload. The tug and her barge were also expected to be outbound late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.

Barbara Andrie & A-390 turning into Bit-Mat



Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber upbound at Cass Avenue

Saginaw River Passages May 17th

The Robert S. Pierson was inbound the Saginaw River late Saturday night, traveling upriver to unload at the Buena Vista dock in Saginaw. Turning in the Sixth Street basin Sunday morning, the Pierson was outbound passing through Bay City just before 10am. Sunday night saw the Sam Laud call on the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City. This is the first visit by an American Steamship vessel so far in 2009. The Laud is expected to be outbound early Monday morning.

Robert S. Pierson outbound at Cass Avenue

Saginaw River Passages - May 16th

The Calumet was back again on Saturday, this time with a split load for the Bay City and Saginaw Wirt Stone docks. She was expected to be outbound late Saturday evening. This was the fifth delivery to the Wirt dock in the past five days. There have been two apiece by the Manitowoc and Olive L. Moore/Lewis J. Kuber, and today's by the Calumet.

The Robert S. Pierson was inbound late Saturday night. Her security call stated she was headed up to the Buena Vista dock in Saginaw to unload.

Saginaw River Passages May 14th & 15th

Traffic remained steady on the Saginaw River on Thursday and Friday. Calumet was inbound Thursday with a split load. She stopped at the Sargent dock in Essexville to lighter and then continued upriver to finish unloading at the Saginaw Rock Products dock in Saginaw. Calumet was outbound Friday morning, passing the inbound Olive L. Moore & Lewis J. Kuber and the Manitowoc out in the Saginaw Bay. The Moore & Kuber lightered at the Bay City Wirt dock before heading upriver to finish at the Saginaw Wirt dock. Manitowoc did the same, lightering at Bay City Wirt once the Kuber cleared the dock, and then headed upriver to finish at Saginaw Wirt. The Olive L. Moore & Lewis J. Kuber were outbound late Friday night. Manitowoc was expected to be outbound late Friday night or early Saturday morning.

Saginaw River Passages May 12th & 13th

Split cargos were the rule of the day on Tuesday and Wednesday as three vessels called on the Saginaw River delivering to four differnet docks. The Calumet was inbound Tuesday morning lightering at the Sargent dock in Essexville before moving upriver to finish her unload at the Saginaw Rock Products dock in Saginaw. Following the Calumet, the tug Olive L. Moore, with the Lewis J. Kuber, arrived with product for the Bay City and Saginaw Wirt Stone Docks. The Manitowoc was inbound Wednesday morning, and like the Moore-Kuber, she also unloaded at the Bay City and Saginaw Wirt docks. Calumet was outbound Tuesday afternoon with the Moore & Kuber outbound Wednesday morning, and Manitowoc outbound Wednesday evening.

Olive L Moore & Lewis J Kuber downbound at Veteran's Memorial Bridge, Wednesday morning



Calumet at Indy Bridge, Tuesday morning



Manitowoc inbound Wednesday morning at Essroc

Saginaw River Passage - May 10th

The Olive L. Moore & Lewis J. Kuber lightered at the Bay Aggregates dock Saturday night before continuing upriver to finish unloading at the Buena Vista dock in Saginaw. The pair then turned in the Sixth Street basin and were outbound for the lake late Sunday morning. The tug Barbara Andrie and her tank barge made their way inbound for the Bit-Mat dock in Bay City early Sunday morning. She had waited for the Moore and Kuber to depart the Bay Aggregates dock as the slip there is shared by both Bay Agg. and Bit-Mat docks.

Dredging has begun on the Saginaw River starting at the end of the navigatible channel at the Sixth Street turning basin. The tug Kurt Luedtke began shuttling barges of dredging spoils brought up from the Luedtke Derrick Barge 16 at the Sixth Street basin down to the new disposal site just above the airport turning basin, where the hydraulic dredge, Lucille T, is unloading them.

Moore & Kuber downbound at Cass Avenue

Saginaw River Passages - May 9th

The Olive L. Moore & Lewis J. Kuber were inbound the Saginaw River Saturday night. The pair was passing the Front Range around 8:15pm on their way upriver to the Bay Aggregates dock to unload. The Moore and Kuber were expertly backed into the tricky slip a short time later with no problems and were expected to depart early Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, the tug Barbara Andrie was out in the Saginaw Bay, most likely waiting for the Moore & Kuber to depart Bay Aggregates so she could take their place in the slip to unload at the Bit-Mat dock.

Saginaw River Passage - May 8th

The Manitowoc was inbound the Saginaw River Friday night, heading upriver to unload at the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee. She is expected to be outbound sometime on Saturday morning.

Saginaw River Passage - May 7th

The Algoway was inbound the Saginaw River during the afternoon on Thursday, traveling upriver to unload at the North Star dock in Essexville. She is expected to be outbound Friday morning. The Algoway did not appear to have any difficulty with making the dock due to strong river currents.

Saginaw River Update & Passage - May 6th

The Malcolm Marine tug, Manitou, arrived Tuesday morning to assist the tug Gregory J. Busch in freeing the Herbert C. Jackson from where she was stuck in front for the Bay Aggregates slip. Working together, the tugs had the Jackson safely in the slip by 2:30pm. She unloaded her cargo and then with assistance from the Manitou, departed the slip without incident and the tug and laker were both on their way out to the lake. Most likely glad to be leaving the Saginaw River behind.

Herbert C. Jackson grounded just off the Bay Aggregates slip




The Dann Marine tug, Zeus, and tank barge Robert F. Deegan arrived on the Saginaw River to unload at the Dow Chemical dock in Bay City. The unload finished up Wednesday afternoon and the pair departed for the lake. this was the second visit of the season to Dow for the Zeus & Deegan.

Zeus at the Dow Chemical dock

Saginaw River Update - May 5th

U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit has just issued a marine safety advisory for the Herbert C. Jackson who is aground in the Saginaw River just off the Bay Aggregates slip in Bay City. The Jackson is partially blocking the shipping channel. More updates when they become available.

Saginaw River Passage - May 4th

The Herbert C. Jackson finally was able to enter the Saginaw River on Sunday, but was unable to enter the slip at Bay Aggregates where she was to unload, due to the strong river currents that were still present. She tied up for the night at the Essroc dock in Essexville. On Monday, the Jackson sat through the day at Essroc and around 8pm, with the assistance of the tug Gregory J. Busch, attempted to cross the river and make the turn into the Bay Aggregates dock once again. After an hour of trying, the pair were still battling the current trying to make the slip.

The Herbert C. Jackson at the Essroc Dock in Essexville

Saginaw River Update - May 3rd

As of Sunday morning, the Herbert C. Jackson remained at anchor in the Saginaw Bay awaiting more favorable condition to make her transit into the Saginaw River. The river has dropped about one foot to 18.38 feet from its high of 19.45 feet. The outflow has dropped from near 36,000 cfs down to 32,400 cfs.

Saginaw River Update - May 2nd

The Saginaw River continued its swift flow on Friday holding boats out on the lake from coming in. The Herbert C. Jackson remained out in the bay, while the Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber turned and headed out towards the lake.

For the month of April and for 2009 to date, there were seven commercial vessel passages. The compares to 13 passages for April last year and 14 for the year to date.