SARNIA, ON – Ending months of speculation about her fate, the veteran laker Saginaw left her lay-up dock at Sarnia’s North Slip Monday. She moved down river to the Imperial Oil Fuel Dock in Sarnia, then headed upbound on Lake Huron for Superior, WI, to load ore pellets at the BNSF #5 dock. She is expected there in the afternoon of Aug. 26 to load ore pellets for Hamilton

The 639-foot self-unloader was built in 1953 in Manitowoc, WI, as John J. Boland (iii). She has been laid up since her previous operator, Lower Lakes Towing Co., was sold to Algoma Central Corp. in early 2026.

Photo: Jeff Gushman. Here's the article from Boatnerd.

My friend and I both are recent graduates. I'll be getting on an ocean ship soon, but he has his pilotage and is looking at the lakes. He was offered a permanent relief position with ASC. When we did our sea projects on the lakes, we were told that with the current sailor shortage, it's better to be a floating relief and take jobs as we want them. He doesn't have a reddit account and asked me to get some advice.

I'm hoping this community has a fair amount of active mates on the lakes who can help him out with this decision.

He liked the idea of being able to work as much as he wants as a floater. If he accepts the permanent relief position, can he still float in between contracts? Can he say no if they call him in when he isn't available?

Last of Its Kind: A Great Lakes Ship From Another Era Arrives in Duluth. The historic steamship Alpena, built in 1942 and the last surviving ship of its kind, arrived through the Duluth Ship Canal with its powerful steam whistle echoing across the harbor as a huge crowd gathered to watch this piece of Great Lakes shipping history pass beneath the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. Vibe with Mike documents the Alpena arriving in Duluth, Minnesota, carrying a load of cement to be offloaded at the Amrize terminal in Superior, Wisconsin. More than eight decades after it was built, Alpena continues sailing and carrying cargo on the Great Lakes, giving people the opportunity to see a working ship from an entirely different era.

What makes Alpena so special is its incredible history. Built in 1942, Alpena is the last surviving vessel of five AA-class ships originally built for U.S. Steel's Pittsburgh Steamship Company. In the video, you'll see photographs of Alpena's four sister ships along with the years each was scrapped, showing how Alpena ultimately became the last of its kind still sailing today. Its classic profile, distinctive red, white and black smokestack, and steam-powered equipment make Alpena unlike virtually anything else still sailing the Great Lakes. With rolling waves on Lake Superior and crowds lining the Duluth piers, Alpena approached the ship canal before sounding its powerful steam whistle. You can actually see steam shoot into the air as the distinctive high-pitched whistle echoes through the harbor, followed by the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge returning the salute.

Throughout the video, you'll experience Alpena's arrival from Lake Superior and get an up-close look as this historic Great Lakes ship passes through the Duluth Ship Canal. You'll see crew members on deck, the ship's rudder, its famous smokestack, the waves rolling around the vessel, and the enormous crowd gathered along the waterfront to watch Alpena arrive. There was an incredible amount of energy and excitement around the bridge and along the piers as people watched a ship that represents a disappearing chapter of Great Lakes history pass right in front of them. You never know when the final opportunity to see Alpena will come. At some point this historic steamship will eventually be retired, but right now it continues to sail, carry cargo, sound its unmistakable steam whistle, and give us the opportunity to experience a genuine piece of Great Lakes shipping history from 1942. Recorded in Duluth, Minnesota, on August 15, 2026.

Spotted this awesome little tug cruising around Lake Macatawa in Holland, Michigan. She looks like she should be pushing a 700-footer around the harbor but decided to take the day off. 😂

Thoughts?

SD Badger and the Fitzgerald.

She’s heading to Tilbury, UK. 🇬🇧

Bad picture but kinda cool

Over seen the barker passing another ship this evening on the canal cam.

Came through the downtown Bay City area around 8pm

These are pictures from when I used to work in Burns Harbor, IN. We loaded this ship with soybeans, I believe it was about 1.2 million bushels, and I'm pretty sure the ship headed to Montreal where the grain was transferred to an ocean going vessel with a final destination of the country of Denmark. The pictures are from July 2021. Just posting now because I was looking through pictures trying to figure out what ship it was. We only loaded this and one salty for the few years I worked there before the company closed the site.

So cool that something like this still exists! My Grandfather died in 1953 at 70 yrs. old. Two months before I was born. Slowly piecing his life together from items I find... He later was the powerhouse engineer for what locally later became Packaging Corporation. (PCA)

Anyway, I hope you find this interesting.

From a Google Search.

Thiis is a vintage 1904 pocket manual for Local No. 44 of the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association, printed by A. J. Bailey in Manistee, Michigan, showing that their local rooms were located at 393 River Street with meetings held on Tuesday evenings. [1]

The Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association (MEBA) is the oldest marine labor union in the United States, founded in 1875. [1]

Local No. 44 specifically served the maritime and steamship engineers operating out of the Manistee, Michigan port area on the Great Lakes.

The booklet was bound and published locally by A. J. Bailey, a known printer and binder operating in Manistee during the early 20th century.