End of the Season?

The weather is getting colder and ice has formed on the Saginaw River. It has been weeks since the last laker called on the river with a cargo to deliver and 2009 will go down in the record books as a disappointment for ship watchers, shipping companies, dock owners, and the industry in general.

It is my hope we will still see a late season delivery or two, but it does not look too promising. Look for my year in review in the coming weeks and some other items of interest posted here over the winter.

Saginaw River Update

It has been eight days since the last visit by a commercial vessel on the Saginaw River. The usual end of season rush never really happened this year as most docks along the river already had a large quanity of product sitting on the ground.

Saginaw River Passage - December 7th

On Monday, the USCG Cutter Hollyhock was working aids to navigation in the Saginaw River Entrance Channel, removing lighted summer buoys and replacing them with winter marks. Also on Monday, Indiana Harbor called on the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville to unload coal. She completed her unload and backed from the dock later in the day.

November Passages and Year to Date Report

The number of commercial vessel passages on the Saginaw River for the month of November totaled just 17. This is down eight passages from 2008. For the year to date, there have been 158 commercial vessel passages as compared to 201 in 2008, for a decrease of 43 over the same time period.

If you look at these numbers as compared to the five year average, November shows a decrease of 9 passages over the average of 26. Looking at the year to date, you see a decrease of 86 based on the five year average of 244.

The biggest difference appears when you compare 2005 against 2009, for a decrease of 165 vessel passages.

Saginaw River Passage - December 5th & 6th

Saturday saw the return of the tug Joe Thompson, Jr. and barge Joseph H. Thompson to the Bay City Wirt Stone dock. After unloading sugar stone there on Wednesday, the pair was back again with another load for the growing pile. They were outbound later in the day. On Sunday, Olive L. Moore-Lewis J. Kuber called on the Saginaw River with a split load. Just like on Thursday, the pair lightered at Bay City Wirt before heading upriver to finish at the Saginaw Wirt dock. The Moore and Kuber turned Sunday night and were heading outbound for the lake.

Saginaw Passage - December 3rd

The Olive L. Moore, with the Lewis J. Kuber, called on the Saginaw River Thursday with a split load. The pair lightered at the Bay City Wirt Dock before heading upriver to finish unloading at the Saginaw Wirt dock. The Moore & Kuber then turned at Sixth Street and were outbound for the lake.

Saginaw River Passage - December 2nd

The tug Joe Thompson with the barge Joseph H. Thompson called on the Saginaw River on Wednesday. The pair stopped at the Wirt Stone Dock in Bay City to unload. The were expected to be outbound late Wednesday or Early Thursday morning. The is the first visit of 2009 for the Thompson's to the Saginaw River.