Record tonnage through the Soo??

[Guest]

Marine Traffic app has the vessels draft listed in the “voyage” tab.

[Denny]

Thanks Roger as I’ll be looking forward then to seeing it as I’m sure many others will as well.

[BigRiver]

Removed to verify exact numbers, which is being done now. Should be back up in tomorrow's news.

[Denny]

Just now noticed that on today’s boatnerd news that an article and story regarding the new tonnage record at the Soo Locks has been removed and I don’t know why as I saw the story late last nite. I believe it said the American Integrity now has the record at 76,063 tons and prior to that the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. briefly held the title at 75,387 tons of iron ore pellets. I think it mentioned the draft of the American Integrity if I recall the story and the article was at 28’10 or at 29’10 inches or something like that? If anyone has more to add or more information then it would be greatly appreciated. Other than here on boatnerd, as far as I know there’s still noting on Social Media about it unless I may have missed something with it.

[guest]

Not a tonnage record, but I heard that the Defiance/Ashtabula was the first vessel ever to go through the locks at 30ft just the other week.

[diesel]

The Indiana Harbor loaded 67,610 N.T on July 5th for Essexville and St. Clair drafts were FWD: 26’09” MID: 27’04” AFT: 28’00”

[Denny]

I agree Charlie and wonder the same thing and I think that I had also asked part of that question regarding coal such as the Bay Ship class 1,000 footers. If you look at the MERC website for coal, it projects the loads for the Bay Ship footers like the McCarthy and American Century at being 68,000 tons. With the near record high water levels all over, I have to firmly believe now that the Bay Ship footers are loading well and much more than the 68,000 ton average that MERC projects on their website. Even the Paul R. Tregurtha I’ll bet is carrying at least 68,000 a trip and perhaps maybe even more than that. Today I saw the H. Lee White headed for Zug Island and he was loaded very deep and in fact the number 30 on the bow was just barely above the water as it seem that 31 was more visible on her than 30 was. I haven’t seen a Bay Ship footer with coal since back in May and would love to see one soon to see what they’re drafts are now? I’m sure the record for iron ore now on the American Integrity won’t last for long. Remember back during 2017 the Speer first set the record only to be beat by the Gott and then finally the American Integrity got it. So I don’t believe any word that it can’t be broken because I’m a firm believer that new cargo records will indeed be set and broke this season. I like to see tonnage records not just on certain ships but what about Ports and what ship has carried the most tonnage through the Locks the last few years as LCA used to do that.

[Charlie]

i see everyone is looking at the Soo numbers what about boats at stone, grain and other items are they also loading more cargo and deeper too????????

just a question

hope everyone is having a great summer

charlie

[Guest]

I assume the figures being thrown around here short tons?

[Guest]

I wonder if the marine engineers that built these boats are comfortable with the increased load lines? It reminds of one of the contributing factors to the 1975 infamous tragedy. 10,000 more tons of cargo is a heck of an increase. I presume freeboard is not in question but the weight, I have to wonder.

This has nothing to do with increased load lines. Rather, the increased water levels are permitting loadings to deeper drafts. As designed, many thousand-footers were built with the capability of drafts of up to 34 feet. However, the navigation channels usually limit these ships to around 27 feet in depth. I may be wrong, but I believe that the increased load lines you are referring took place during the late 1960s and early 1970s and mostly involved existing ships built after 1940. As such a comparison to ships designed with deeper drafts is irrelevant. I would assume that the possibility of the channels being deepened at some point in the future led to this design feature. If the Escanaba ore dock was operating there would be probably be some record loads being carried in the Lake Michigan ore trade right now.

[tugboathunter]

The load lines have not increased. The 1,000 foot ships have never been able to load to their maximum drafts (usually around 34 feet midsummer) because of the draft constraints of Great Lakes waterways.

A load line can only be changed by the classification society during a survey.

[Darryl]

I wonder if the marine engineers that built these boats are comfortable with the increased load lines? It reminds of one of the contributing factors to the 1975 infamous tragedy. 10,000 more tons of cargo is a heck of an increase. I presume freeboard is not in question but the weight, I have to wonder.

[BigRiver]

I am waiting for the Corps to verify the exact numbers. Looks like the McCarthy broke the record early Monday with more than 75,000, but the American Integrity right behind her broke it again with 76,000+ tons.

[Denny]

So has anyone heard yet or have any information regarding the new tonnage record through the Soo? I haven’t seen anything posted yet anywhere on what the new tonnage record is or for that matter what ship set the new record? It was mentioned here that 75,387 tons was loaded aboard the McCarthy and that 76,000 net tons was loaded onto the American Integrity at Duluth. There’s been nothing mentioned that I am aware of on any Facebook pages or social media unless I missed it and nothing has been mention so far on the news page here. If anyone knows anything further, an update would be appreciated. Thank You.

[Guest]

Yes, kudos all around!

[Denny]

I see on AIS this morning that the McCarthy headed West through the Straits of Mackinaw over to Gary, Indiana to unload its iron ore cargo at U.S. Steel. The American Integrity passed through the Soo overnight and is still in the lower river as I type this now and just about out of the river system there. They are expected to be at Zug Island sometime early tomorrow morning to unload and they probably will be back up on the St. Clair River late tomorrow night after unloading all day down at Zug Island. So does any know, heard or have anything to add as far as what the actual tonnage numbers are or were then? Supposedly then the McCarthy’s load was at 75,387 tons, while the American Integrity was around 76,000 or just over 76,000 net tons. Anyone know what the exact number was as I’m very interested and curious of finding out as I doubt highly that the USACE will have much on their Facebook page and I don’t believe that the 9&10 News station will talk about it either on their news but you never know? Thanks for any info in advance as well.

[hugh3]

1st Mate? Back when I was sailing (with USS) the mate on watch did the loading. Has that practice changed?

[Chris]

I understand that many of the loads from the CN dock get surveys to confirm the tonnage because of the scales there. I wonder if they had a survey done to confirm their awesome tonnage? If so, Kudos the captain and 1st Mate.

[Denny]

So is this then at 76,000 tons the new record and does it now go to the American Integrity or does the Walter J. McCarthy Jr. have the record? Help as I'm lost on this one? Any news on these record loads on any facebook pages, news or websites? I am wondering if the 9&10 News from Traverse City will have something to say on it as they sometimes will cover news from the Soo. As for down here in the Detroit area, Forget about it as they could care less at least the news media here about any Great Lakes Shipping current events that go on.

[Superiorsailor]

The American Integrity just loaded over 76,000 net at CN yesterday.