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Source: The Beacon, Column

Last week I began writing about a trip my brother, Tom Allen, took on the lake freighter Herbert C Jackson July 2-10. His friend, Charlie Ontko, had invited Tom to go on a working trip on this boat. They left from Toledo, loaded with coal, went across the western end of Lake Erie, up Detroit River, Lake St Clair, St Clair River and most of the length of Lake Huron.

… On July 5 the Herbert C Jackson was traveling “light ballast” (no freight) as she made her way out the St Mary’s River, through Whitefish Bay and thence onto mighty Lake Superior. Destination: Duluth, Minnesota, at the extreme western end of the lake.

The weather was good, sunny and fine. However, the water temperature of Superior was only 48 degrees so that kept things cool. The guys wore jackets or sweatshirts most of the time.

On Saturday night, just as darkness was coming down, they passed the Keweenaw Peninsula jutting out from the Michigan shore. Tom called home and said they were close enough to see lights from vehicles on shore.

…At Superior they loaded coal for Marquette, Michigan. They didn’t get off the boat at all because they were waiting for officials to check their identification papers. Soon they were underway again, back out the river and heading toward where they would round the Keewenaw Peninsula and then “short-cut” down to Marquette.

At Marquette they unloaded the coal, moved to another dock and loaded iron ore pellets. Tom told us later that the loading and unloading procedures are fascinating. The boat carries ballast water and while loading and unloading the boat is kept level fore and aft. Sometimes loading is slowed while ballast water is pumped out. The crew can actually load freight faster than they can pump water out!

… In the Detroit River, the mail boat came out to meet them. Called by the sailors, “mail in a pail”, a pail is let down and mail and other items are transported to or from the freighter in a closed bucket. Also, another sailor came aboard at this time, leaving the smaller boat and climbing up a ladder on the side of the big boat. Since the Herbert C Jackson was so heavily loaded and low in the water, the new man coming aboard did not have far to climb. Again, all this happened while the two boats were underway and, again, is “routine”.

Lots more to read of Tom’s 8 days on the Herbert C Jackson at The Beacon >>

** See Also: Incredible video of rescue taken by oiler Ed Spicuzza, on CNN.com

Source: U.S. Coast Guard

MARQUETTE, Mich. - A Coast Guard Helicopter crew medically evacuated a man suffering from internal bleeding off a 767-foot freighter Thursday in Lake Superior.

The 36-year-old crewmember from the freighter, American Valor, was transferred to Emergency Medical Services and brought to Marquette General Hospital.

An HH-65 Dolphin Rescue Helicopter, from Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City arrived at approximately 9 a.m. and hoisted the man off the ship.

He was taken to Sawyer Airport and taken to awaiting Emergency Medical Services.

by Sam Eggleston | Source: Mining Journal

ISHPEMING - The merger between Cleveland Cliffs Inc. and Alpha Natural Resources announced Wednesday morning isn’t expected to affect operations at the Tilden and Empire mines - or the planned surge in pellet production.

The two iron ore mines, both operated by CCI, will continue with full-scale production. Recently announced plans for a nugget-producing facility, a $500 million capital investment and increased production at the Empire Mine will all move forward, said Dale Hemmila, the district manager of public affairs for CCI.

“Nothing is going to change in our production and all of the plans that have been announced are going to progress as expected,” Hemmila said. “It’s going to be business as usual around here.”

Hemmila said there are no plans to interrupt the the investment into the Empire Mine or the expected increase of 375 new full-time jobs and increased pellet production that will come from it.

More details about the Cliffs-ANR merger at the Mining Journal >>

Source: CCI

CLEVELAND - Cleveland-Cliffs Inc has announced that William Brake, Cliffs’ executive vice president—Cliffs Metallics and chief technical officer, has been named chairman of Renewafuel, LLC, effective immediately.

Cliffs acquired controlling interest in Renewafuel in late 2007 and, earlier this month, announced the planned construction of a 150,000 ton per annum facility in Marquette, Mich. The facility will produce high-energy, low-emission biofuel cubes made from renewable and consistently available components such as corn stalks, switch grass, grains, soybean and oat hulls, wood and wood byproducts. The biofuel will be used in Cliffs’ iron ore mining and processing operations as well as in other industries in Minnesota, Michigan and other Midwest states. Production is scheduled to begin in 2009.

Source: Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc.

CLEVELAND — “We are happy to announce our first commercial-scale facility for Renewafuel,” said Dana Byrne, Cliffs’ vice president of public and environmental affairs. “Cooperation with the Michigan Department of Agriculture, Marquette County, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Telkite Technology Park and the Marquette Board of Light and Power helped make this happen, and we appreciate the efforts of their representatives.”

“We are excited to be a part of this tremendous economic development opportunity for both the Marquette area and Michigan’s growing renewable energy industry,” said Don Koivisto, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture. “Renewafuel’s investment demonstrates that Michigan is a state ripe with possibilities for alternative energy development.”

Renewafuel’s biofuel cubes generate about the same amount of energy as coal from the Western United States; however, the cubes emit 90 percent less sulfur dioxide, 35 percent less particulate matter and 30 percent less acid gases than coal. The cubes are made from feedstocks that are considered biogenic carbon, and will not add to atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide. Because of their size and density, the cubes can be used in most solid fuel systems with little or no modifications required.

At full production, Renewafuel will produce approximately 60,000 tons of biomass fuel cubes for the steam plant of Marquette Board of Light and Power, as well as replace a portion of coal used at Cliffs’ two nearby Michigan iron ore mines as process fuel for kilns used to harden iron ore pellets. Cliffs indicated the capital cost for the facility would be approximately $10 million.

Read the full release at Business Wire >>

Source: USCG

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – Coast Guard Station Marquette is scheduled to host a groundbreaking ceremony at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2008.

The ceremony will take place at the Coast Guard station [400 Coast Guard Rd., Marquette, MI - click for map].

In April 1891 the U.S. Lifesaving Service established a station in Marquette just west of the lighthouse.

Today’s crew still uses the original station building.

Captain Mark Huebschman, commander of Sector Sault Sainte Marie, stated,

“The Coast Guard has a proud history of service in Marquette. After many years of planning we are fortunate that a new building has finally been funded to replace the station that has served us so well for 120 years.”

“The crew of the station is looking forward to the prospect of having a new building to work from as they continue to serve the citizens of Marquette,” Huebschman said.

Source: WLUC TV6

MARQUETTE — Coast Guard officials say efforts to clean up an oil spill from a tug boat accident in Marquette’s Lower Harbor are complete.

Environmental contractors were able to collect over 30 gallons of oil using a vacuum truck.  They picked up more oiled debris from the shoreline.

The area is surrounded by a containment boom and boaters are asked to stay away.

Full story at WLUC TV6 >>

Source: WLUC TV6

MARQUETTE — The Azipod, or mechanical thruster, from the tug boat Dorothy Anne has been found in Marquette’s Lower Harbor.

It was located Tuesday night by divers off the Shiras Power Plant.

A crane and barge are expected by the weekend for the recovery of the thruster.  Its arrival could be delayed by weather.

Full story at WLUC TV6 >>

Source: WLUC TV6

MARQUETTE — Clean-up is continuing in Marquette’s Lower Harbor following a tug and barge mishap that spilled about 30 gallons of gear oil into the harbor on Monday.

Tuesday, environmental contractors worked to remove oil that had collected along containment booms and the shoreline.

Now attention is focusing on recovering the azipod steering mechanism that broke off of the tug during the accident. The unit weighs 35 tons and may contain another 300 gallons of oil.

“We’re quite confident that we can continue to recover the pod without any further release when we do raise the pod on Friday with a barge,” explained Ensign Jonathan Dale, the US Coast Guard Marine Inspector. “We will have plenty of boom in place and preventative measures so we have no further oil discharge.”

The tug was moved to the ore dock in the Upper Harbor on Tuesday. The tug was attempting to move the barge into the Shiras generating plant on Monday morning, when the azipod struck ground and broke off.

By KIM HOYUM | Source: The Mining Journal

MARQUETTE — The Lower Harbor in Marquette is still closed to boaters today after a tug boat lost a propeller and began leaking oil into the harbor Monday.

… Cleanup was completed Monday evening, and today Coast Guard divers are scheduled to secure and mark the lost propeller, which could pose a hazard to navigation, said Lt. Kurt Higginbotham of the Coast Guard Sault Ste. Marie Sector. The divers will use sonar to locate the propeller, since its exact location is yet unknown. It will then be removed from the lake.

“We’ll be coming in with a crane on Thursday to lift it out of there,” he said.

… The Dorothy Ann belongs to Interlake Steamship Company of Ohio. Interlake contracted with Marine Pollution Control and Mackinac Environmental Technology of St. Ignace to help with containment and cleanup of the oil, Adams said.

… The Coast Guard continues to investigate the grounding, and Adams said it’s possible that the lake bottom around the plant had shifted, creating shallows or sandbars where the boat’s captain did not expect them.

“It’s being investigated to see whether over the winter months, the bottom structure changed,” he said.

The Dorothy Ann is likely to dock at the Upper Harbor ore dock until the company completes repairs and the Sault Ste. Marie Coast Guard captain of port allows it to get under way again, Coast Guard officers said.

Full story, photo at the Mining Journal >>

By Samantha Liebman | Source: WLUC TV6

MARQUETTE — A tug boat accident early Monday morning resulted in 30 gallons of oil being spilled into Marquette’s Lower Harbor.

The U.S. Coast Guard and contractors spent the day cleaning it up.

As of Monday night, the cleanup was still going on.

The tug boat Dorothy Ann was leaving the Shiras Power Plant when, at about 6:30 a.m. it touched the lake bottom.

“They notified the Coast Guard immediately and the Coast Guard launched assets to begin deploying boom to contain the oil that was spilled into the harbor,” said Chief Petty Officer Brad Adams. “We also bought in representatives from the city to take action as far as closing off the harbor to recreational traffic.”

The Dorothy Ann also deployed its own boom and hired a contractor to assist with cleanup. Fortunately, the good weather helped.

“Most of it has evaporated,” said Petty Officer Aaron Borg. “It’s a very nice day out. The wind and the waves and the sunlight really help a lot. And what’s left, the contractors are cleaning up in natural collection spots.”

And as day turned into evening, the oil was accumulating in those spots. That’s where contractors put out absorbent materials, awaiting a vacuum truck to suck up the remaining sludge.

“You’re looking at something that could provide a rather significant-looking sheen within the harbor, but in all actuality is something that Mother Nature is going to evaporate off the water,” said CPO Adams. “So, yeah, it was smelly around this morning, very inconvenient and it did require a pretty substantial effort just to get on top and ensure the safety of our harbor.”

And according to the Coast Guard’s marine science specialist, the mission will be accomplished.

“There shouldn’t be much damage at all,” said Petty Officer Borg. “The oil’s dissipated naturally, so people shouldn’t have to worry about catching fish and eating them out of here or anything like that.”

They speculate that a new sandbar formed over the winter and that’s what this ship hit.

The Coast Guard is still investigating, trying to determine exactly what happened and find the piece of the boat that broke, causing the oil to leak.

Officials expected the cleanup to be completely done by Tuesday morning. Until then, the Lower Harbor will remain closed.

Related: Interlake Steamship Company

April 21, 2008 — Early this morning, the tug Dorothy Ann had an incident in Marquette, MI. At this time, it is believed that a propulsion unit struck an unidentified object, resulting in the release of less than thirty gallons of lube oil through a seal into the water. The release was promptly contained.

The US Coast Guard, corporate representatives and a spill response contractor are on scene. An investigation is currently underway, and details will be released at some point in the next several days.

Source: WLUC TV6

MARQUETTE — The Lower Harbor in Marquette is the site of an oil spill. The leak is coming from a tug boat that is moored in the harbor.

Around 9:30 a.m. Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard was notified of the leak coming from the Dorothy Ann, which was pulling [sic] a barge.

The tug apparently touched bottom, which jarred a seal causing it to break.

The vessel then contacted the Coast Guard not knowing of the leak at the time.

Crews are on the scene inspecting the spill. The DEQ and Coast Guard will be teaming up to contain and clean up the leak. A Coast Guard chopper did fly-overs of the area to see how widespread the oil was.

Officials say the wind is not strong which is limiting the spread of the oil at this time.

There is no further leakage from the tug.

The Dorothy Ann is waiting for inspection before it can move.

Vessels currently in the Marquette area are Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder, Robert S. Pierson and Herbert C. Jackson. We will post more information as available. – Ed.

Source: The Mining Journal

The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating an oil spill reported this morning from the Great Lakes freighter shown anchored [Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder] in the Lower Harbor [at Marquette, Michigan].

The Lower Harbor is closed to boating, including the boat launch at the Cinder Pond Marina, until further notice. The Coast Guard will be working with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to contain and clean up the spill.

Source: Great Lake Ships

Three ships in Marquette today.  The American Valor, which was doing a slow load (former Armco), the Kaye E Barker, which loaded and left, and the Calumet, which arrived early evening.

Photos at Great Lake Ships >>