Saginaw River Passages - May 25th

Indiana Harbor was inbound on the Saginaw River early Sunday morning, calling on the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville.  After unloading her coal cargo, Indiana Harbor backed from the dock and out into the Saginaw Bay, turning at Light 12 and heading for the lake.  The tug Gregory J. Busch was outbound from the Busch Marine dock, Sunday morning, pushing a deck barge and headed for the lake.

Saginaw River Passages - May 23rd

The Saginaw River saw plenty of action on Friday as there were a number of vessel movements to start the holiday weekend.  After unloading overnight, the tug Samuel de Champlain, and her cement barge, Innovation, departed the Lafarge Cement dock in Essexville and met the waiting tug Manitou in the Essexville Turning Basin.  Manitou assisted getting the pair turned around and headed back out to the lake.  Next, after spending the past nine plus days tied up at the Wirt Stone Dock in Bay City due to strong river currents, the tug Olive L. Moore and her barge, Lewis J. Kuber, departed the dock and made their way up to the Airport Turning Basin.  The tug Manitou then assisted in getting the Moore and Kuber spun around and on their way towards open water.  One finished turning the vessels, Manitou departed the Saginaw River and headed for home.  Inbound on Friday was the Dorothy Ann-Pathfinder, who called on the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City to unload.  The pair were expected to be outbound later in the day.

Tug Manitou approaching the Olive L. Moore to assist pushing the stern around at the Airport Basin

Getting a line on the Olive L.

Nose of the Lewis J. Kuber up near the bank as the stern swings around

Turned around and headed outbound

Tug Manitou departing LaFarge Cement in Essexville and headed back home after a job well done.

Captain David Malcolm expertly working to turn the Samuel de Champlain

Wheelhouse of the Manitou

Samuel de Champlain - Innovation clear of the Lafarge Cement dock and headed for the Essexville Turning Basin

Approaching the stern of the Samuel de Champlain

Tug Manitou putting her bow on the Champlain to start pushing

Manitou pouring on the power

Saginaw River Passages - May 22nd

The tug Zeus and barge Robert F. Deegan were outbound from the Dow Chemical dock on Thursday, after unloading there overnight.  The tug Samuel de Champlain and barge Innovation were inbound Thursday morning, calling on the Lafarge Cement dock in Essexville, unloading the first cargo of the season at that dock.  The Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber remain tied up at the Wirt Stone dock in Bay City.  The tug Manitou remains at the Lafarge Cement dock in Essexville.

Saginaw River Passages - May 21st

The tug Manitou arrived on the Saginaw River on Tuesday, tying up at the Lafarge Cement dock in Essexville.  She is here to assist the Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber in getting turned, so the pair can finally depart after being tied up at Bay City Wirt for over a week, due to strong currents in the river.  The tug Zeus and tank barge Robert F. Deegan were back again, arrived at the Dow Chemical dock in Bay City during the afternoon on Wednesday.  The pair were at the same dock on the 16th.

Manitou at the Lafarge Cement dock in Essexville - May 21, 2014

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Saginaw River Passages - May 18th

The tug Zeus and her tank barge, Robert F. Deegan, were outbound from the Dow Chemical dock on Saturday.  The pair had arrived to unload on Friday.  The tug Gregory J. Busch was outbound from the Saginaw River Saturday afternoon.  The Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber remained tied up at the Wirt Stone Dock in Bay City as of late Sunday night.  Strong currents in the Saginaw River are preventing the pair from turning safely and heading outbound for the lake.

Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber @ Bay City Wirt - May 17, 2014

Buoy 21 in the Saginaw river showing the current.  The current is also tricky at the drawbridges

Saginaw River Passages - May 14th

The Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber called on the Saginaw River on Tuesday, stopping at the Wirt Stone Dock in Bay City.  The pair remained there Wednesday night with the boom in the cradle and no unloading going on.  American Integrity called on the Consumers Energy Dock in Essexville on Wednesday, unloading coal.  She backed from the dock during the evening and turned around at Light 12 before heading outbound for the lake.

Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber at Bay City Wirt.
May 14, 2014

Saginaw River Passage - May 11th

The tug/barge combo, Olive L. Moore-Lewis J. Kuber, returned to the Saginaw River early Sunday morning carrying a split cargo.  The pair dropped a partial unload at the Wirt Stone Dock in Bay City before continuing upriver to finish unloading at the Wirt Stone Dock in Saginaw.  The Moore-Kuber were then back outbound for the lake later in the morning.  The last commercial delivery to the Saginaw River was nine days ago.  So far this season, of the four commercial deliveries, the Olive L. Moore-Lewis J. Kuber have delivered three.

Saginaw River Passage - May 5th

The U.S.C.G. Cutter Alder arrived on the Saginaw Bay Monday afternoon and began working AToN, placing lighted buoys in the Saginaw River Entrance Channel.  This job is usually handled by U.S.C.G. Cutter Hollyhock, but she has been busy, tasked with icebreaking duties.

Saginaw River Passage - May 2nd

Olive L. Moore - Lewis J. Kuber made a return visit to the Saginaw River on Friday, this time with a split cargo for the Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City and for the Buena Vista dock in Saginaw.  After unloading, the pair were outbound for the lake late Friday night.

April Shipping Report for the Saginaw River

With the start to the 2014 commercial shipping season on the Saginaw River one of the latest on record, the first passage not coming until April 29th, there were only two passages recorded for the month.  This is below the five year average of nine passages at this point of the season.  The extreme ice conditions on the Great Lakes have played a huge part in the late start of the season and in the decrease in the number of passages.  Ice conditions in fact are still affecting commercial shipping in general and will for weeks to come.