Saginaw River Passage - July 29th

The tug Undaunted and barge Pere Marquette 41 entered the Saginaw River early Wednesday morning heading upriver to Saginaw. Her security call indicated the pair were headed to the Wirt Stone Dock to unload. They were still in the upper river late Wednesday night. The tug Karen Andrie and tank barge Endeavour remained at the Dow Chemical dock on Wednesday.

Saginaw River Passages - July 28th

The American Century was inbound the Saginaw River early Tuesday morning, calling on the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville to unload. She completed her unload later in the morning, backing from the dock and turning at Light 12, before heading for the lake. The tug Karen Andrie and barge Endeavour finished unloading at the SEM Materials dock in Essexville on Tuesday, then turned and tied up at the Dow Chemical dock in Bay City. They reported that they could be there a few days just like they were after their last trip when they unloaded at the Bit-Mat dock.

Saginaw River Passage - July 27

Karen Andrie out of the notch at the SEM Materials Dock

The tug Karen Andrie was inbound the Saginaw River on Monday morning, pushing her tank barge, Endeavour. The pair called on the SEM Materials dock in Essexville to unload. They were expected to be outbound early Tuesday morning.

Saginaw River Passages - July 25th

Two vessels made their first appearances of the season on the Saginaw River on Friday. The Maumee called on the Sargent dock in Zilwaukee, while the tug Dorothy Ann and barge Pathfinder called on the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City. Both vessels were outbound during the day on Friday.

Saginaw River Passages - July 21st & 22nd

The tug Karen Andrie, with the tank barge Endeavour, departed the Dow Chemical dock in Bay City on Tuesday headed for the lake. The pair had arrived on July 14th. The American Century was inbound on Tuesday, calling on the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville to unload coal. She was outbound early Wednesday morning. Inbound on Wednesday was the the tug Olive L. Moore, with the barge Lewis J. Kuber. The pair lightered at the Bay City Wirt Stone dock before continuing upriver to finish unloading at the Wirt Stone dock in Saginaw. The Moore & Kuber were expected to be outbound late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.

Saginaw River Passages - July 13th through July 20th

OK. I am home from my camping vacation with my family. Here is what happened on the Saginaw River the week I was gone:


On Monday, July 13th, the tug Superior departed the Essroc dock in Essexville with Luedtke Derrick Boat 16 and two dump scows in tow, headed for the lake. The Algoway called on the Sargent dock in Zilwaukee to unload as well.

Tuesday saw the tug Karen Andrie and her tank barge, Endeavour, call on the Bit-Mat dock in Bay City. After unloading, the departed the slip and headed upriver to the Dow Chemical dock to turn and then tie up. As of Monday night on the 20th, the pair were still there, although they briefly departed the dock this morning and then returned to the dock.

On Wednesday, the Frontenac and the American Century both called on the Saginaw River, unloading at a pair of Essexville docks. Frontenac unloaded at the Essroc dock, while the Century unloaded at the Consumers Energy dock.

Thursday brought the tug Olive L. Moore and barge Lewis J. Kuber to the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City. The pair returned again on Sunday with a split load, unloading at the Bay City Wirt Stone dock and the GM dock in Saginaw.

On Friday, the Calumet arrived with a split load for the Sargent dock in Essexville and the Saginaw Rock Products dock in Saginaw.

Finally, Saturday saw the arrival of the Manitowoc with a split load for the Wirt Stone docks in Bay City and Saginaw.

Karen Andrie & Endeavour at the Dow Chemical dock on Friday

Reports to return on Monday

I apologize to everyone for the lack of reports.

I have been on vacation and the reports will return on Monday with a full recap of the past week that I have been away!

Saginaw River Passages - July 11th & 12th

The Robert S. Pierson was inbound for the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City late Friday night. She had completed her unload and was outbound for the lake early Saturday morning.
On Sunday, the tug Kurt Luedtke was outbound from the Essroc Dock in Essexville, headed for the lake, towing a hydraulic dredge, spud barge and 750 feet of dredge pipe. The tug Superior was inbound on Sunday headed upriver to pick up another barge. On her trip back downbound Sunday afternoon, the Superior hooked a log in the channel, getting hung up on her Kort nozzle and the barge nosing in towards the east bank of the river. The tug Jill Marie was summoned to assist in getting the pair free, but tug Superior was able to free herself on her own before the Jill Marie arrived. USCG Station Saginaw River was in contact with the Superior during the incident and after talking with Sector Detroit, the Superior was asked to dock before heading out to the lake so a crew from Sector Detroit could come aboard. The tug and barge stopped at the Essroc dock in Essexville to wait.

Tug Superior just down river from the Cheboyganing Creek

Saginaw River Passages - July 10th

The tug Gregory J. Busch & barge STC2004 made their final trips out to the OXL Lotus on Friday, finishing the transfer of cargo destined for the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville. The OXL Lotus had arrived in the Saginaw Bay on July 3rd and by Friday evening, 7 days after arriving, she was finally outbound for the lake once again. The Busch and her barge headed back upriver to the Busch Marine dock in Carrollton Friday evening as well.

Saginaw River Passages - July 9th

The tug G-tug Superior was outbound Thursday morning with two barges from the upper river dredging project. Superior had arrived Wednesday morning. The tug Gregory J. Busch made two more trips out to OXL Lotus on Thursday, continuing the shuttle back and for between the vessel and the Consumers Energy dock.

Tug Superior outbound at Smith Park in Essexville

Saginaw River Passage - July 7th & 8th

Over Tuesday and Wednesday, the tug Gergory J. Busch, with barge STC 2004, made two more trips out to the OXL Lotus to transfer cargo and returned back to Consumers Energy to unload. As of Wednesday night, the tug and barge were back out in the Saginaw Bay at the OXL Lotus for the forth time. The G-tug, Superior, arrived on the Saginaw River Wednesday morning and traveled upriver to the Luedtke dredging operation on the upper Saginaw.

Saginaw River Passages - July 5th & 6th

Traffic on the Saginaw River remained steady over the holiday weekend with a number of vessel passages. The SCS Greyfox departed for the lake early Sunday morning after spending the past week docked in downtown Bay City.

On Monday morning, the tug Gregory J. Busch and her barge, STC 2004, traveled from their dock in Carrollton out to the anchored vessel OXL Lotus out in the Saginaw Bay. During the day, cargo was transferred from the OXL Lotus to the barge and then brought in to the Consumers Energy dock later in the day. As of 9 pm Monday night, The Gregory J. Busch and her barge were still at the Consumers dock and the OXL Lotus was still anchored out in the Saginaw Bay. It was reported that the Lotus, who had arrived on Friday, was unable to make it to the Consumers dock due to her deep draft.

The Olive L. Moore – Lewis J. Kuber were inbound on Sunday with a split load for the Bay City and Saginaw Wirt Stone docks. After unloading, the pair was outbound for the lake early Monday morning. The Algoway was also inbound on Sunday, calling on the Sargent dock in Zilwaukee for her second trip there this week. Algoway was outbound late Monday morning.

Saginaw River Passages - July 3rd & 4th

There was some steady vessel traffic on the Saginaw River on Friday and Saturday, with a number of boats making stops along her banks. The OXL Lotus arrived on the Saginaw Bay early Friday morning and went to anchor. As of Saturday evening, she remains anchored out in the bay.

The Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber arrived on Friday traveling upriver to the GM Dock in Saginaw to unload. The pair was back outbound late on Friday. Also arriving on Friday was the tug Zeus pushing the tank barge Robert Deegan. The pair called on the Dow Chemical dock in Bay City to unload and were back outbound for the lake Saturday afternoon. Saturday morning saw the Algoway call on the Sargent dock in Zilwaukee. She finished her unload and was back outbound for the lake Saturday afternoon as well.

Tug Zeus at Dow Chemical and Tug Jill Marie at Bay City Fireworks near Vet's Bridge

Saginaw River Report - June Totals

Shipping numbers on the Saginaw River for June were fairly consistent with the numbers for the same period last year. In June 2008, there were 28 commercial deliveries as compared to 24 deliveries in 2009. When you look at the number year to date, there is more of a discrepancy: 56 so far in 2009 as compared to 73 in 2008.

In other news, dredging continues on the upper Saginaw from the Sixth Street turning basin to the disposal area just above the airport turning basin. The Greyfox continues to give short excursions in the mornings and tours in the afternoons while she is docked in Downtown Bay City at Wenonah Park. The Greyfox will be departing Bay City on Sunday morning.

SCS Greyfox downbound at Smith Park on 7-2-09