Duluth/Two Harbors Ore Docks

Discussion board focusing on Great Lakes Shipping Question & Answer. From beginner to expert all posts are welcome.
garbear

Re: Duluth/Two Harbors Ore Docks

Unread post by garbear »

I see this morning the John G. Munson is loading at the gravity/pocket dock at West of #6, Duluth. I also see this morning the Callaway is loading North of #1, the gravity/pocket dock in Two Harbors. First time in awhile I've seen boats loading at the CN gravity docks, especially both docks on the same day.
Denny

Re: Duluth/Two Harbors Ore Docks

Unread post by Denny »

Thanks for the reply there garbear and you are more than welcome at anytime. Sorry to go off subject, my Mom is doing okay and very busy as now she will have back surgery later this month and be down for recover about 2-4 months! Don't want to go off subject her too much so, if you check the Regional Board you will find out more about her and other stuff related to me as well. Check out my stories as well on the Regional Board as it's good and fun reading more to go!
Duluth Guest

Re: Duluth/Two Harbors Ore Docks

Unread post by Duluth Guest »

I think there are more factors involved when it comes to whether or not to load at the gravity chutes to be honest. For example, the Gott and Speer can only load at the ship-loader due to the short hatches on the deck. So if a vessel arrives that can load at the chutes, and neither the Gott or the Speer are due in port in the near future, I think they wait for the ship loader. Such is the case right now, the Gott is probably a 48 hours out and the Speer just left a day or so ago. At any rate, I think the preference is not delay the "big guys" as much as they can. I have seen both the Blough and Presque Isle take partial loads at the chutes then shift to the ship loader. It is not unusual at all to see the GLF AAAs loading at the chutes but some of those cargoes are mill fines that they typically run through the gravity docks. So, long story short, it all depends on what the cargo is, whom it is for and what the timing is relative to the footers. All of this is just speculative though.
garbear

Re: Duluth/Two Harbors Ore Docks

Unread post by garbear »

Denny wrote:Hey garbear I remember when the GLF used to have their tape years ago of their vessel movements, sometimes they would talk and say that one of their ships "would go North of #2 Dock in Two Harbors!" Not sure if this was to wait on another boat or to load there but I do remember the GLF tape at times saying that. They've dis-continued the tape message quite a few years ago now though. Hope this helps.
Thanks, Denny. I know it's changed since I sailed. I think from watching the Two Harbors cams the Presque Isle takes on a partial load at the gravity docks, but watching AIS and the cams I don't see
anyone else loading at those docks. It would have been a no-no when I sailed to lay by when there were docks to load at. Hope your Mom is doing okay. Gary
Denny

Re: Duluth/Two Harbors Ore Docks

Unread post by Denny »

Hey garbear I remember when the GLF used to have their tape years ago of their vessel movements, sometimes they would talk and say that one of their ships "would go North of #2 Dock in Two Harbors!" Not sure if this was to wait on another boat or to load there but I do remember the GLF tape at times saying that. They've dis-continued the tape message quite a few years ago now though. Hope this helps.
Guest

Re: Duluth/Two Harbors Ore Docks

Unread post by Guest »

garbear wrote:Guess I ask questions that no one has answers to, but I'll try again. I see the Oberstar arrived Two Harbors at 04:43 and it's sitting at the North of #2 awaiting the departure of the American Spirit from the shiploader. Is it too labor intensive to load at the pocket/gravity docks anymore? When I sailed we would have been loaded and on our way in that length of time.
From an outside observer with no insight into this scheduling situation I assume this could be caused by a number of factors. Perhaps the dock did not have enough crew to operate the gravity dock or it is too maintenance intensive. Perhaps the load for the Oberstar was not yet staged at the dock or needed to be blended in a certain way to meet a customer's specifications. As the Oberstar hatch arrangements date back to the 1950s I don't believe there is any reason it could not have loaded at a gravity dock. Sorry to respond to your post with perhaps more questions than answers! Keep up your posts as you help me remain aware of the shipping activity in your neck of the woods, an area I enjoy visiting very much!
garbear

Re: Duluth/Two Harbors Ore Docks

Unread post by garbear »

Guess I ask questions that no one has answers to, but I'll try again. I see the Oberstar arrived Two Harbors at 04:43 and it's sitting at the North of #2 awaiting the departure of the American Spirit from the shiploader. Is it too labor intensive to load at the pocket/gravity docks anymore? When I sailed we would have been loaded and on our way in that length of time.
garbear

Re: Duluth/Two Harbors Ore Docks

Unread post by garbear »

I've noticed this season, for the most part, fairly slow loads coming out of the West Duluth ore dock. The Mesabi Miner came in here yesterday about this time and is still at the ore dock. In roughly the same time period, I know the Blough arrived Two Harbors yesterday morning, but 3 boats have been loaded at the ship loader in Two Harbors. The loading time has been 6-6 1/2 hours per boat. Just curious. My sailing days were done before either ship loader was operational.
garbear

Duluth/Two Harbors Ore Docks

Unread post by garbear »

A couple questions. When both ship loader docks are fully charged, can they load a 1000 footer without having to reclaim? Also, how many tons/hour can the docks reclaim from their respective stockpiles? I guess 3 questions. What is the workable loading speed in tons/hour these docks can put on board a laker? Thanks for any info.
Never loaded at the ship loader. Think Two Harbors was in operation the last year I sailed. We loaded once in Escanaba and it probably took us 8-10 hours to load there. Once in Taconite Harbor. Probably 6-8 hours there. And I think twice in Silver Bay. Probably about a 10 hour load on the Clarke.
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