Saginaw River Passage - November 30, 2022

High winds and low water levels on the Saginaw River have delayed shipping traffic. The tug Spartan and her tank barge remained tied up at the Port Fisher Terminals Dock in Bay City, waiting to depart after unloading there yesterday. Paul R. Tregurtha is at anchor off Point Lookout in Saginaw Bay waiting to unload coal at Consumers Energy in Essexville, and Algoma Intrepid is at anchor off Tawas also waiting to come into Essexville to unload, most likely at the Wirt Fertilizer Dock. The highest winds were recorded just after 4pm today with westerly winds around 37 knots and the peak gust at 46 knots.  

Saginaw River Passage - November 25, 2022

BBC Song at the Port Fisher Terminals Dock in Bay City and heading outbound on the Saginaw River. She was assisted by the tug Manitou.

Saginaw River Passage - November 23, 2022 - Part 2

Built in 1919, the tug Gregory J. Busch remains tied up on the Saginaw River at the Busch Marine Dock in Carrollton. The 1938 built tug, Barbara Merry Busch, rests along side, sitting on the bottom and severely listing. The Barbara Merry Busch was purchased by Busch Marine from the Zenith Tugboat Company in 2006 and has basically remained where she sits since then. Also, the Gregory J. Busch has not been active in a number of years. These photos are from November 23, 2022 

Saginaw River Passage - November 23, 2022

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

BBC Song unloading at the Port Fisher Terminals Dock in Bay City, November 23, 2022

Saginaw River Passage - November 18, 2022

Happy River and Calumet were both inbound on the Saginaw River this morning, with Happy River calling on the Port Fisher Terminals Dock to unload wind turbine components and Calumet headed up to the Saginaw Asphalt/Buena Vista dock to unload.

Saginaw River Passage - November 14, 2022

Laura L. Vanenkevort/Joseph H. Thompson inbound on the Saginaw River, headed up to the Saginaw Asphalt-Buena Vista Dock. November 14, 2022. In the last few stern view photos, you can see the outline of the remains of the schooner/barge Chieftain. She was built by James Davidson and launched in 1902. She was abandoned in 1938 and remained tied up near Cass Avenue, where this photo was taken today, until she burned on October 2, 1953. Her remains still lay just below the surface of the Saginaw River. The suction of the passing Laura L. Vanenkevort is pulling the silt of the top of the remains.

Saginaw River Report - October 2022

There were a total of 21 commercial vessel passages on the Saginaw River for the month of October 2022, with 12 different docks receiving 24 separate deliveries of product, accounting for split cargos delivered to multiple docks.  This represents 2 more passages than in October 2021, and is higher than the 5-year average of 20, the 10-year average of 18 and the 15-year average for October at 18 passages.

For the total number of commercial vessel passages for the year-to-date, the number is 151.  This number represents an increase of 15 passages based on the total from last year at this point.  Looking at the long term averages, it is also an increase compared to the 5-year average of 146 passages, 10-year average of 125 passages, and the 15-year average of 128 passages.

 

Saginaw River Passage - November 2, 2022

Dorothy Ann/Pathfiner outbound on the Saginaw River at Smith Park in Essexville on November 2nd. The pair had finished unloading overnight at the Wirt Stone Dock in Saginaw.

Saginaw River Passage - October 31, 2022

Laura L. Vanenkevort/Joseph H. Thompson inbound on the Saginaw River with a split load for the Saginaw Asphalt/Buena Vista Dock and the GM Dock in Saginaw.