We call it A TwoFer! 2 Freighter Friday! The Saginaw Arrives and the Mesabi Miner Departs Duluth!

Pictures of the event at   / duluthshipphotography  
A Two-Fer is when the Bridge lifts one time for the passing of 2 vessels. It usually happens when the ships are in close proximity to each other, making it more efficient to let them both pass before lowering the bridge.
Info About the Saginaw visit!
The Saginaw shown in the video, arriving Duluth MN For the 6th time this season, coming in to Port to load Iron Ore Pellets at the CN Duluth dock. Arriving in the Canal at a speed of 5.0 Kts. They pulled up to the CN dock at 17:03 and began loading the ore. This time only 14.5 L Tons of ore. 14.9 hours later they finished loading the ore and departed the CN dock, Aug 02, at 07:58. The time at the dock equates to 1.02 hours per ton on the load. They sailed under the Aerial lift bridge at 08:49 after being in port for 15.7 hours. Heading to Algoma Steel at the Sault to deliver the ore.

Info about the Mesabi Miner Visit:
The Mesabi Miner shown in the video departing Duluth after the Saginaw arrived, the Miners 11th visit to the Twin Ports. They arrived Duluth August 01, 2024 at 00:58 in the morning to load Ore at the CN Duluth Dock. They sailed into Port at a clip of 5.5 Kts. Pulled into the CN dock at 02:11 and began loading the ore. Only 13.2 hours later they finished loading at departed the dock at 15:24. Talk about a quick load for a 1000 footer! They let the Saginaw arrive, passed on 2 whistles, departed Duluth at 16:41 after only being in Port for 15.1 hours. They delivered the ore to Cleveland OH.
Oops, forgot to add they departed at 5.1 Kts, gaining speed once out of the Canal.

All about the Saginaw: All about the Miner below this info!

SPECIFICATIONS

LENGTH 640’
BEAM 72’00”
DEPTH 36’00”
CAPACITY 21,500 tons
UNLOAD RATE 3,500 NT/hr
OPERATING SPEED 13 Kts
AVERAGE CREW ON BOARD 18-20

MORE ABOUT THE VESSEL

A new Caterpillar MAK 6M43 rated at 6000 bkw @ 500m rpm main engine coupled to a Lufkin vertical offset gearbox with
a 4.265:1 ration and a live power take-off was fitted: the main engine now running on IF180 or diesel fuel. The vessel
successfully departed Sarnia on June 12, 2008 as a motor vessel. The new diesel propulsion plant gives the vessel better
fuel economy with a service speed of 13 knots. And with this new plant, Saginaw could have another 55 years of
operation.
Cargo carried on the Saginaw includes stone, iron ore, coal and other bulk commodities.
The Boland was the former flagship of the American Steamship Company and was another vessel which the industry had
written off, only to see its career revived by Lower Lakes Towing. Being the second acquisition of this newly-formed
Lower Lakes Towing, the purchase of the S/S John J. Boland from the Reiss family, a long-established family in the Great
Lakes shipping represented a great success for the Company.

Previous names:

John J. Boland: 1953 – 1999
Launched as the John J. Boland - This was the third lake boat to carry the John J. Boland name. Mr. John James Boland
was born in Buffalo, NY in 1875. He developed a vessel brokerage business and in 1904, formed a partnership with Mr.
Adam E. Cornelius resulting in the firm Boland & Cornelius which further resulted in the formation of the American
Steamship Company in 1907. Mr. Boland died in October 1956.
Saginaw: 1999 – present

About the Miner, from the Interlake site:

M/V Mesabi Miner was christened in 1977 to honor the men and women of Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range. She was built by American Ship Building Company in Lorain, Ohio, and has always been part of the Interlake fleet. Her self-unloading system includes three cargo hold belts and a 265-foot boom.
Interesting Facts
She is the sister ship of the James R. Barker.
1978, she loaded the first cargo of ore at DM&IR's new loading dock in Two Harbors, Minnesota.
In 1986, she became the first thousand footer to deliver coal in the Saginaw River.
She was the final vessel to arrive for lay-up at the Twin Ports in 2006.
Statistics
Carrying Capacity: 63,300 Gross Tons
Overall Length: 1004.0'
Year Built: 1977
Hull Depth: 50.0'
Beam: 105.0'
Engine Horsepower: 16,000