Saginaw River Passages - July 28th to July 31st

The tug Olive L. Moore and barge Lewis J. Kuber called on the Saginaw River Saturday morning, carrying a split cargo. The pair lightered at the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City, then continued upriver to the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee to finish. The pair were outbound late Saturday evening.

On Wednesday, July 28th, Algorail called on the Buena Vista dock in Saginaw. She was outbound for the lake later that day.

For the month of July, there were 14 commercial vessel passages on the Saginaw River, a decrease of eight from the same period last year and 15 passages below the six year average of 29. For the year to date, there have been 63 commercial vessel passages on the Saginaw River. This number is down 15 from the same time period last year. Looking at the six year average is where you really see the difference. There are 50 less passage then the average of 113 and a huge 110 less then the 2005 shipping season when there were 173 passages at this point in the season.

Saginaw River Passages July 26th

Manitowoc was back again on Monday morning, arriving with a split load for the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee and the GM dock in Saginaw. She completed her unload and was outbound through Bay City during the evening. Indiana Harbor was also inbound Monday morning, calling on the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville to unload. Once finished, she backed from the dock and headed out for the Saginaw Bay to turned around and make way for the lake.

Saginaw River Passages - July 18th - July 24th

I apologize for the lack of reports for the past week or so. I have been on vacation and just returned home. Not that I missed much though:

On Monday July 19th, the Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber called on the Saginaw River with a split load. The pair lightered at the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City before continuing upriver to finish unloading at the Wirt stone dock in Saginaw. On Saturday July 24th, Manitowoc called on the Wirt stone dock in Saginaw to unload.

Saginaw River Passage - July 16th

The tug Olive L. Moore, with the barge Lewis J. Kuber, called on the Saginaw River Friday evening, stopping at the Wirt Sand and Stone dock in Essexville to unload. The pair were then back outbound for the lake Saturday morning.

Saginaw River Passages - July 15th

Algoway outbound near Smith Park, Essexville
The Saginaw River was chaotic on Thursday. Between the arrival of the tall ship fleet and two commercial vessel passages, it was a stressful day for many vessel masters. The Tall Ship Celebration "Parade of Sail" began out in the Saginaw Bay early in the afternoon on Thursday. During the fleet's parade into the river, Algoway was outbound from the Sixth Street turning basin after unloading at the Sargent dock in Zilwaukee overnight. She started meeting tall ships between Veteran's Memorial and Liberty bridges and passed her last ones near the Dow Chemical dock downriver. Inbound Thursday evening was the tug Zeus and tank barge Robert F. Deegan, calling on the Dow Chemical dock in Bay City to unload. The pair were expected to be outbound early on Friday.

The tall ships in port for the Tall Ship Challenge are: Madeline, Pathfinder, Playfair, Lynx, Denis Sullivan, Pride of Baltimore II, Roseway, Roald Amundsen, HMS Bounty, Europa, Appledore IV, and the Appledore V. The tall ships will remain in Bay City through Sunday.

Saginaw River Passages - July 14th

Tall Ship Denis Sullivan at Wenonah Park, Downtown Bay City

The Indiana Harbor was inbound Wednesday morning calling on the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville to unload coal. She completed her unload Wednesday evening, backed out into the Saginaw Bay to turn and headed for the lake. Algoway was inbound Wednesday evening, passing Indiana Harbor near Lights 11 & 12, on her way upriver to unload at the Sargent dock in Zilwaukee. She was expected to be outbound on Thursday.

The tall ship fleet began to arrive in the Downtown Bay City Area on Wednesday, with Lynx and Denis Sullivan both tying up at the docks. Out in the Saginaw Bay were Bounty, Pride of Baltimore 2, and Europa, who were on the move toward the Saginaw River. The forecast of severe weather for this area played a part in the decision of some of the tall ship fleet to dock in Bay City early.

Saginaw River Passage - July 12th

With no commercial traffic on the Saginaw River since July 4th, the streak was snapped at seven days, when the tug Barbara Andrie and her tank barge called on the Bit-Mat dock in Bay City. Arriving on Sunday, the pair completed their unload and were outbound Monday afternoon, headed for the lake.

Saginaw River Traffic Report - June 2010

With more boats trading on the Great lakes in 2010 than last year and increases in cargo being hauled, traffic on the Saginaw River continues to trend downward. There were only 18 commercial deliveries on the Saginaw River during the month of June. That is six less then the same period in 2009, fifteen less than the average over the past six years and 28 less than the high over that time period, June 2005. For the year to date, there have been 56 commercial cargo deliveries. This is down seven from the same time period in 2009, thirty six less than the average over the past six years and 89 less than the high over that time period, June 2005.

Saginaw River Passages - July 4th

There was some shipping traffic on the Saginaw River over the holiday weekend. Algoway called on the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee late Thursday evening to unload. She was back outbound for the lake on Friday, passing through Bay City late in the afternoon. The tug Zeus, along with her tank barge, called on the old Dow Chemical dock, which is now being referred to as the "Oxy" dock. The pair were outbound on Saturday. Sunday saw the Calumet arrive with a split load. She lightered at the Lafarge Essexville dock before continuing upriver to finish at the Burroughs dock in Zilwaukee. Calumet was expected to be outbound late Sunday night or early Monday morning. USNSCS Greyfox departed Bay City at 6am on Sunday after spending the past week in port giving tours.