Boats on the move

[Mn bob]

Thanks Denny for all the updates on ship movements, I always check ais daily but not some of the other sites you suggested. Take care and be well my friend.

[Denny]

As of 4:30 p.m. on March 19, the Herbert C. Jackson has departed its layup berth at Nicholson’s in Ecorse and headed downbound presumably for Sandusky to load coal or coke. Thus far that’s the only one that I am seeing on the move at least from layup right now. I just wonder if there will be very many vessels sailing this Friday or not? Isn’t there a superstition about sailing on a Friday or something like that as to why many ship captains wait before they sail and pull out on a Friday then? Does it bring some sort of bad luck to them then or any mis-fortunes? Thanks for any information you have on any of this then.

[Denny]

Bob, just checked the boatnerd AIS map as I am typing now on March 19th at 11:35 A.M. and I see two more vessels may be on the move sometime very soon then this weekend! In Sarnia, the Algoma Bear has their AIS updated and now says “Glorious Fit Out 3/21/25 at 0100.” So, I assume then that they should be fitting out sometime this weekend from their layup dock in Sarnia. Also, in Hamilton the CSL Assiniboine has their AIS updated and is now showing a Superior destination for 3/23/25. So, they too should be sailing from their layup dock in Hamilton sometime this weekend. Keep doing like I do Bob, check out the AIS map on boatnerd for anything that may be moving and sailing soon. Also, check out the Seaway’s website as well with the opening of both the Seaway & Welland set for March 22, ships should start to show up on the Seaway’s website as well this weekend. Get your camera ready Bob as the 2025 season is about to begin. As they say then in Auto Racing “Start Your Engines!” The green flag is up and out for all ships that are due to sail at least in 2025 to set sail then! Calm Seas, Fair Winds along with Sunny Skies to the ships their captains and crews for a safe 2025 year!

[Denny]

Bob, check out the MERC website sometime. At last check, the American Century I think was expected to move over from its layup Dock at Elevator M to the MERC Coal Terminal to load in Superior on or about March 22. That could be the first vessel movement for 2025 out of the Twin Ports area? Unless of course something loads at one of the Ore Docks at about that same time. The Edwin H. Gott laid up in Toledo has Two Harbors now listed on their AIS so, they should be departing sometime this week! Just have to keep watching the Boatnerd AIS maps like I try to do in order to catch them whenever they start to sail!

[Mn bob]

Being that the soo locks open Friday anybody have any insight or info as to what ships will be leaving out first? Just curious as to what ships are scheduled to load at the head of the lakes. I would think a few of them would be ready to load tomorrow or Wednesday as it generally takes 24 hours from the Duluth/superior area to the soo locks.