Saginaw River Passage - December 16th

Late season traffic continues on the Saginaw River, with the arrival of the steamer Alpena, who arrived this morning in heavy fog. She called on the Lafarge Cement dock in Essexville to unload.

Saginaw River Passage - December 11th

The John J. Boland arrived on the Saginaw River, early Tuesday morning, unloading at the Burroughs North Dock in Essexville. 12/11/18.

Saginaw river Passages - November 2018

As the year, and the 2018 commercial shipping season are rapidly coming to an end, Traffic on the Saginaw River continues to be on the positive side. For the month of November, there were a total of 16 commercial vessel passages, up from the 14 logged for November 2017. This also represents increases over the 5-year average of 13 passages and the 10-year average of 15 commercial vessel passages.

For the year to date, there have been 136 commercial vessel passages on the Saginaw River. This number is ten more than were logged during the same period last year. Looking at the 5 and 10 year averages, 2018 is also running ahead of both, with the 5-year average being 120 and the 10-year average 128 vessel passages.

We are already guaranteed to finish ahead of the total for the entire 2017 season, as traffic on the Saginaw River has already surpassed that number with the November 24th arrival of the Calumet.

Saginaw River Passage - December 1st

Algoma Buffalo was inbound on the Saginaw River this morning, headed up to Zilwaukee to unload. This is her first visit sailing for Algoma Central Marine, under the Canadian Flag. The last time this vessel was on the Saginaw River was May 17, 2015, when she was sailing for the American Steamship Company, under the U.S. Flag. 12/1/18

Algoma Buffalo inbound on the Saginaw River

Algoma Buffalo passing through the Lake Sate Railway Bridge

Saginaw River Passage - November 21st

On a very cold and windy Wednesday morning, Alpena was inbound on the Saginaw River, calling on the Lafarge Cement dock in Essexville to unload cement powder.

Saginaw River Passage - November 10th

Mississagi outbound on the Saginaw River after unloading overnight at the Sargent dock in Zilwaukee. 11/10/18

Mississagi outbound at Cass Avenue

Saginaw River Vessel Passages - October 2018

There were a total of 17 commercial vessel passages on the Saginaw River during the month of October, 2018.  This number represents an increase of two passages over the same time period in 2017, an increase of one over the 5-year average of 16, and an increase of one over the 10-year average, also of 16.

For the shipping season for the year to date, there have been 120 commercial vessel passages on the Saginaw River.  This represents an increase of eight passages over the same period in 2017, an increase of 14 passages compared to the 5-year average of 106, and an increase of seven passages over the 10-year average of 113 commercial vessel passages.

Saginaw River Passages - September 2018

Commercial vessel passages on the Saginaw River totaled 18 for the month of September. This is a slight decrease from the same month last year, when there were 20. This was right on par with the 5-year average of 18 passages however.

For the year to date, there have been 103 commercial vessel passages. This is the highest number at this point of the season since 2009, when there were 119 passages by the end of September. Last season, there were 97 passages at the end of September. For the 5-year, September 2018 was 13 passages above the average of 90.

Saginaw River Passage Report - August 2018

On the Saginaw River, for the month of August, there were 21 commercial vessel passages. This was an increase of two passages over August of 2017 and three more than the 5-year average of 18 passages. For the year-to-date, there have been 85 commercial vessel passages. Also an increase over 2017 by eight vessel passages and twelve passages more than the 5-year average.

So far in 2018, the shipping season is turning out to be the best in years, as far as the vessel passage numbers are concerned. You have to go back to 2013 to have an August with at least 21 passages and back to 2012 to find year-to-date numbers of at least 85.

Saginaw River Passage - August 10th

Algoma Innovator outbound on the Saginaw River - 8/10/18

Saginaw River Passages - August 10th

Algoma Innovator inbound on the Saginaw River, headed for the Port Fisher/Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City. 8/10/18.

Saginaw River Report - July 2018

During the month of July on the Saginaw River, there were a total of 20 commercial vessel passages. This is a decrease of five from July of last year, when there were 25 vessel passages. It is however in increase over the 5-year average of 18 vessel passages for the month.

For the total commercial vessel passages for the year to date, there have been 64 on the Saginaw River as of the end of July. This represents an increase over the 2017 numbers by six passages. Compared to the 5-year average, the 64 total passages for the year to date are also above the average of 55.

Saginaw River Dredging - July 12th

Dredging operations on the upper Saginaw River near James Clements Airport and spoils offloading at the Confined Disposal pump-out near Cheboyganing Creek. The Ryba Marine Contracting tug, Thomas R. Morrish, has been running the mud scows between both locations. 7/12/18.

Saginaw River Passages - July 6th

Friday was a busy day on the Saginaw River, with four commercial vessel cargoes delivered to five different docks. The Olive L. Moore - Menominee arrived during the morning, unloading cargo at the Burroughs North Dock in Essexville, then continuing upriver to finish unloading at the Lafarge Stone Dock in Saginaw. In next was the tug Zeus, with the tank barge Robert F. Deegan. The pair called on the Port Fisher dock in Bay City. Just a little down river, the tug Sharon M I, pushing the barge Huron Spirit, called on the Port Fisher/Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City. American Century was the last to arrive, stopping at the Consumers Energy Dock in Essexville to unload coal.

Saginaw River Report for June 2018

June was a big month on the Saginaw River for commercial vessel cargo deliveries. There were a total of 26 vessel passages for June. This is eleven more passages than June 2017 and seven more than the 5-year average. Looking back even further, June 2018 was 6 passages above the 10-year average of 20.

For the total commercial vessel passages for the year to date, the Saginaw River has had 44. This number represents an increase of eleven more then the 33 passages logged in 2017. These 44 vessel passages at the end of June 2018 also represent an increase of seven passages over the 5-year average of 37 and two passages over the 10-year average of 42.

Saginaw River Passages - July 4th - July 5th

Mississagi called on the Saginaw River, unloading at the North Star Dock in Essexville on Wednesday morning. She was outbound later Wednesday afternoon.

Samuel de Champlain - Innovation were inbound on Thursday morning, calling on the Lafarge Cement dock in Essexville to unload. The pair were expected to be outbound later in the evening on Thursday.

Saginaw River Passages - June 29th -30th

The tug G.L. Ostrander, and her cement barge, Integrity, called on the Saginaw River on Friday, stopping at the Lafarge Cement Dock in Essexville. The pair were back outbound by late afternoon. Saturday morning saw the arrival of Olive L. Moore - Menominee, traveling to the upper river to unload at the Buena Vista dock.

Saginaw River Passages - June 23rd-26th

On June 23rd, the Dorothy Ann-Pathfinder called on the Saginaw River with a split load.  The pair dropped a partial cargo at the Wirt Stone Dock in Bay City, before continuing upriver to finish unloading at the Wirt Stone Dock in Saginaw.  June 25th saw the arrival of the Alpena, unloading at the Lafarge Cement dock in Essexville.  Very early on the morning of June 26th, the Dorothy Ann - Pathfinder were back again, this time unloading at the Wirt Sand and Stone dock in Essexville.  The pair were outbound before daylight on the 26th.

Saginaw River Passage - June 21st

Algoma Innovator made her very first trip to the upper Saginaw River Thursday afternoon, calling on the Sargent Dock in Zilwaukee with a cargo of salt. She was expected to be outbound early Friday morning.

Saginaw River Passages - June 20th & 21st

Traffic remains steady on the Saginaw River. Manitowoc called on the Port Fisher/Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City on Wednesday morning to unload. Later in the day Wednesday, Walter J.McCarthy arrived to unload coal at the Consumers Energy Dock in Essexville. Thursday morning saw the arrival of the Olive L. Moore - Menominee. The pair were traveling to the upper river to unload at a Saginaw area dock.

Saginaw River Passages - June 14th - June 18th

The Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. unloaded coal at the Consumers Energy dock in Essexville on June 14th.  June 15th saw the arrival of the tug G.L. Ostrander and her cement barge, Integrity.  The pair called on the Lafarge Cement dock in Essexville to unload.  On June 17th, the Herbert C. Jackson unloaded at the Port Fisher/Bay Aggregates dock in Bay City.  June 18th saw two vessel passages: The H. Lee White also called on the Port Fisher/Bay Aggregates dock to unload. A few hours later, Olive L. Moore - Menominee arrived on the Saginaw River, traveling all the way up to the Lafarge Stone dock in Saginaw, to unload

Saginaw River Passage - June 13th

The tug Defiance and her self unloading barge, Ashtabula, called on the Saginaw River early Wednesday evening. the pair entered the Port Fisher/Bay Aggregates slip to unload. Defiance - Ashtabula had finished unloading and were outbound early Thursday morning.