Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Salties don't always stop in Montreal on their way out of the Lakes. Sometimes they stop for fuel, others will stop at a port before the Atlantic to top off their load, or just continue on. I just use Montreal as a way of saying they are headed out of the Lakes since it is at the end of the Seaway.

It seems like it would be a prudent practice to carry less fuel in order to maximize the cargo carried from inland ports and then top off at Montreal to a maximum draft. But I have no clue if this is what is actually done.

Among other things, they can take on fuel, top up their load to max. and probably take on a new pilot, just saying.

They want to maximize cargo lift so bunkers are planned sufficient to reach montreal outbound therefor

refueling is the reason

The ships are stopping for fuel. New regulations require these ships to burn clean fuels inside the US and Canadian boundaries, but the ships are designed to burn heavy fuel and do not have large capacity for clean fuel. Ships are stopping frequently in the Welland Canal, at anchorages, or other ports where convenient to load a truck or two of diesel to ensure they comply with the new regulation.

Noticed that salties departing the upper lake ports with grain shipments often list Montreal as their initial destination although they are actually headed for European or North African ports. Why Montreal? Must they stop there for customs, seaway scheduling, fueling, etc.? Thanks in advance.