Spring 2012

North Star Port | Spring 2012 1 What about Bob? And NoBob? or 11 years, my wife and I ists between the ship’s hull and its Fast forward to 2012. In the past six have been proud owners of a cargo holds. This void is part of the months, both the EPA and U.S. Coast F 90-pound Doberman. And like ship’s infrastructure, with large steel Guard have established standards all Dobermans, his sheer size and frames and steel braces or stiffeners. and protocols for the installation shape make the bravest of humans In a no-ballast condition (NoBOB), of ballast water treatment systems hesitate or even retreat as they enter small pools of water collect in these onboard international vessels dis- our yard and see Bob bounding for- voids. Of course the great concern charging ballast in U.S. waters. These ward to greet them. That’s right: his would be discharging foreign fresh- standards and implementation dates name is Bob. And so, you ask, “What water ballast in our Lakes. are closely aligned with Canadian about Bob?” To deal with this concern, the regulations and with International Ironically, Bob maritime industry developed a bal- has as many pho- last management plan that permitted bias and anxieties the exchange of harbor and river bal- as does Bill Mur- last water with mid-ocean saltwater. ray in the 1991 Ballast water exchange (BWE) takes film comedy of place at a minimum of 200 miles from What About Bob? land and in at least 600 feet of water. fame. Our Bob is This is to insure that the tens of thou- afraid of every- sands of gallons of new ballast wa- thing—thunder, ter being taken onboard are from an lightning, fire- ocean’s relative “dead zone” with few crackers, being if any living saltwater organisms. home alone— On unballasted ships with cargo, and is far more ocean water is pumped through the unsettled by hu- empty tanks, displacing any pooled mans than vice water, and discharged. This pro- Here’s Bob — or, to his neighbors, ‘No, Bob!’ versa. Yet he is distinctly Doberman cess, often referred to, rather inele- with a mind of his own — so much gantly, as “swish and spit,” is differ- Maritime Organization standards. so that we are frequently trying to ent on most every ship due to unique Due to the success of the ballast correct his behavior with this sim- designs and conditions; plus, the de- exchange program, these standards ple command: “No, Bob. No, Bob.” gree of risk is amplified as crews and protocols will remain in full force Apparently we repeat this phrase so move ballast that affects both stabil- in addition to onboard treatment often that our neighbors and house ity and hull stresses in open ocean technology. This added level of guests have thought his name real- wind and waves. protection for the Great Lakes helps ly was “NoBOB,” which provided me For the Great Lakes, the proce- ensure that ballast water discharged a very circuitous route to get to my dure is highly effective, as the saline from international ships exceeds message in this edition ... shock kills the freshwater organisms. world standards and maintains the In the maritime industry “No- BWE was introduced as voluntary in integrity of this unique binational BOB” means “no ballast on board.” 1997 and made mandatory in 2006. waterway. Perhaps my subconscious was at To ensure compliance, each ballast Bob is now in his dog-years old work in naming our pet — or in writ- tank on each ship entering the Sea- age, and the last chapter of his life ing this column? way is tested by a joint team of U.S. is winding to a close. Aligning bal- All kidding aside, NoBOB is the and Canadian regulatory agents for last water standards across the Great condition in which most internation- ocean salinity levels at the first Sea- Lakes means that the maritime in- al ships enter the Great Lakes. When way lock in Montreal. Since compli- dustry will soon be closing that chap- the industry talks of ballast tanks, ance became mandatory, there have ter as well. what is actually being referred to is been no new aquatic invasive species While individual states retain the the void — the empty space that ex- discovered in the Lakes since 2006. (See Bob, next page) 2 North Star Port | Spring 2012 Inside your

www.duluthport.com Spring 2012 / Volume 44, Number 1 1200 Port Terminal Drive Duluth MN USA 55802-2609 Tel: (218) 727-8525 / (800) 232-0703 Fax: (218) 727-6888 E-mail: [email protected] ‘Life on the Lakes’ Commissioners Introducing a series of profiles Steve Raukar, Hibbing, president 4 Ray Klosowski, Duluth, vice president of veteran Great Lakes Mariners Cal Larson, Fergus Falls, secretary Lowell Hellervik, St. Paul, treasurer Rick Revoir, Duluth, assistant treasurer Norm Voorhees, Duluth Chris Dahlberg, Duluth River Quest Administration Entertaining speaker kicks off 20th Executive director: Adolph Ojard 5 Chief financial officer: John Kubow annual outreach event Industrial development: Andy McDonough Trade development: Ron Johnson Facilities manager: Jim Sharrow Public relations: Adele Yorde Clure Public Marine Terminal operator The Sailing Kolendas Lake Superior Warehousing Co., Inc. 1210 Port Terminal Drive 6 New generation of mariners Duluth MN USA 55802 follows in illustrious footsteps Tel: (218) 727-6646 Fax: (218) 727-6649 E-mail: [email protected] www.lswci.com About North Star Port Strong start to 2012 + This magazine is published by the Duluth Seaway Port 8 The Roger Blough powers her way into Lake Authority. Direct comments to Adele Yorde, PR manager. Superior as the season starts strong The magazine is prepared for publication by Fortner WordWorks; Larry Fortner, editor. North Star Port is printed by ProPrint of Duluth and mailed by BarCodes Plus of Superior.

(Bob, from previous page) Tug-barge combos right to ask for higher standards, I 18 Once a Great Lakes oddball, am hopeful that the new national reg- now on the leading edge of a trend ulations will be universally adopted and we can move forward with imple- On the covers mentation of approved ballast water

PRSRT STD treatment systems. On the front: US POSTAGE PAID DULUTH, MN PERMIT NO. 492 This scene, on April 6, sums up Twin 1200 Port Terminal Drive Duluth, Minnesota Within a few years, “BOB” and USA 55802-2609 www.duluthport.com

Ports shipping in a single frame: ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED “NoBOB” will slowly disappear from Spring 2012 approaching the Duluth entry are a my vocabulary both at home and at Canadian laker (Algoma Quebecois), work. There will undoubtedly be oth- followed by a U.S.-flag laker (James er maritime issues to address — and R. Barker) and a saltie (Dutch-flag Arubaborg). other dogs to raise — but perhaps none more inextricably linked in my On the back: subconscious than this Doberman The Canada-flag Frontenac steams toward the Duluth entry through and this issue that we have so dog- North Star Port | Spring 2012 1 Robert Welton storm-tossed seas on March 26. Diane Hilden gedly tried to fix. North Star Port | Spring 2012 3 Life on the Lakes: Captain Gil Porter

By Leslee LeRoux license and soon was back sailing on the water. He launched Duluth Mag- Capt. Gil Porter has looked out on the Lakes. netic Compass Service, providing the water for most of his life. Piloting proved to be not that dif- swinging magnetic compasses on ev- Though born in the U.S., he spent ferent from his work on the buoy ten- erything that sails, from 1,000-foot- his boyhood days sailing as a Sea der. “You put the boat in position with ers to private sailboats. He keeps the Scout in Montreal, Canada, where his the buoy; it’s like docking and un- business active today at age 88. father’s work had taken the Along the way, Porter family and where the mari- and his late wife, Helen, ner-to-be grew up. raised four children — When World War II Skip, Ken, Cindy and broke out and the Canadi- Lani. Skip followed in his an Navy turned away the father’s wake and earned young U.S. citizen, he came his living on the water, and back to the States and en- Porter’s grandson, Logan, listed in the Coast Guard, is a mate on Woods Hole’s launching a career that in- research ship. cluded service in the Ca- Duluth has been home ribbean and North Atlantic to Porter for more than 40 during the war. years. He remains an ac- At 29, he took com- tive member of the mar- mand of his first ship, the itime community — at- Coast Guard Buoy Tender tending Harbor Club, Basswood, in Honolulu. As- Propeller Club and Ship- signments in Boston, Phil- masters meetings with adelphia, Duluth and San good friends who never Francisco followed. miss the opportunity to He first sailed into the tell, and retell, tales of Life DSPA Twin Ports on the Coast The author, Leslee LeRoux, with the captain, Gil Porter. on the Lakes. Guard cutter Woodrush, “There are no better which was under his command from docking, 20 times a day,” Porter said. sailors than those that sail the Great 1959 to 1963. In those early years When it came time for his first official Lakes,” Porter says. And he is among in Duluth-Superior he judged a Sea job as a registered pilot, Rico wished the best of the best. Scout project — a handmade sextant him luck and gave him some advice. n n n — of a young Chuck Ilenda, and he “It’s just like a buoy tender. Just stop Leslee LeRoux, an accomplished met Tony Rico, president of Upper 500 feet sooner.” writer and journalist in the Twin Great Lakes Pilots Association. After piloting, Porter and his busi- Ports, is writing Life on the Lakes, a The Great Lakes had begun their ness partner, Jack Saunders, ran the collection of stories of Great Lakes pull on Porter. Lake Carriers Deck Officers School mariners. While he was on his last Coast in Duluth. They helped more than 150 Excerpts from these stories, which Guard assignment, in San Francisco, pilots and deck officers pass license will appear in a book, will be featured he was contacted by Rico and asked exams and advance their own mari- occasionally in this magazine. to return to the Great Lakes and go time careers. The partners also made If you have a tale to tell, contact piloting. So Porter enrolled in “cram many lifelong friends. LeRoux at [email protected]. school,” got his commercial captain’s Porter never stopped working on

4 North Star Port | Spring 2012 River Quest marks 20th anniversary What got off to a small but ambi- tious start 20 years ago has grown Helping to clean up America’s rivers into an educational outreach program To kick off River Quest’s 20-year milestone week, one of the program’s cur- that has now served more than 16,000 rent sponsors — Sappi Fine Paper — hosted an evening presentation by na- students in the Duluth-Superior area. tionally acclaimed champion of environmental stewardship Chad Pregracke, Today, sponsored by nearly 40 founder and president of Living Lands & Waters, a nonprofit he launched at public and private organizations con- age 23 to clean up Ameri- cerned with the responsible use and ca’s rivers. preservation of the St. Louis River River Quest founders, estuary, River Quest involves some donors, educators and vol- 1,200 sixth-graders, 40 educators and unteers gathered onboard as many as 100 volunteers each year. the Vista Star on May 14 This year’s River Quest was to celebrate with a harbor presented on May 14-17 with six cruise, then joined the gen- learning stations aboard the Vista Star eral public at the DECC to and another six in Pioneer Hall at the hear Pregracke’s presenta- Duluth Entertainment Convention tion. Center (DECC). Along the way, attend- The River Quest planning com- ees had a chance to expe- mittee opted to expand the program rience a “River Quest sam- for 2012 to include the landside option pler” by moving through not only to celebrate the event’s 20- the 12 learning stations year milestone but, more important, much as sixth-graders had to accommodate an additional 250 done earlier that day. students — a 25 percent increase. As the founder of The expansion was made possible by America’s only “industri- financial support provided by a host of al-strength” river cleanup local donors this year, including: organization, Pregracke Platinum level ($1,000) Duluth Public tells a compelling and fun- Chad Pregracke — funny guy with a serious vision. Schools, Duluth Seaway Port Authori- ny story about growing up ty, Holcim (US) Inc., Sappi Fine Paper, on the river and how his experiences led to his unique vision to clean up the Vista Fleet. nation’s rivers. His entertaining remarks left the audience with a clear under- Gold ($500) Marine Tech, Minnesota standing that the actions of each person truly make a difference. Power, Minnesota Sea Grant Program, Visit www.livinglandsandwaters.org. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Western Lake Superior Sanitary District. “It isn’t often you find an educational outreach program still in Silver ($250) Calumet Superior LLC, existence after 20 years with its core leadership team intact, let alone one Fraser Shipyards, Gavilon LLC, Gray- that is continuing to expand,” noted Adele Yorde, Port Authority public mont (WI) LLC, Hallett Dock Co., Mid- relations manager and current River Quest coordinator. “We honor those west Energy Resources Co., NewPage, visionaries who first created River Quest and express our deep gratitude Subway. to the organizations who continue to generously support the program and Bronze ($100) Allouez Marine, Grand- shepherd its mission.” ma’s Restaurant Co. (Watch for a full feature story and photos in our summer issue.) Steel ($50) National Bank of Commerce.

North Star Port | Spring 2012 5 All hands on deck Following in a father’s footsteps “Ladies and gentlemen and War. He followed the lead of his older Great Lakes for his piloting skills,” children of all ages, presenting … ” brother Joe, first serving in the mili- said Don Willecke, current WGLPA So began the ringmaster’s in- tary and later pursuing a maritime president. “He was very popular with troduction of the highwire perfor- career on the Great lakes. the foreign captains and crews be- mances of one of the world’s greatest LeRoy enlisted in the Navy and cause of his vibrant personality. They entertainment families, The Flying proudly served his country for six always asked where ‘Captain LeRoy’ Wallendas. years; his love of the sea was set. was.” Well, pardon the play on names, Upon his return to civilian life, LeRoy passed away on May 11, but what a great way to introduce a he went to work for U.S. Steel’s 2008, but as stated in his obit, “Cap- story about a family of mariners — Great Lakes Fleet, working his tain LeRoy will forever be sailing in three brothers, a father, an uncle way up from third mate to even- our hearts.” and aunt — who all chose to sail the tually captain of the Presque Isle. And a part of him is still sailing Great Lakes. He worked for Upper Lakes Pilots the Lakes. All three of his sons at- Presenting … Association, piloting foreign vessels tended and graduated from the engi- The Sailing Kolendas! on the Lakes during the mid-’80s. He neering officer program at the Great Okay, so much for comparing also served as a harbor pilot in Chi- Lakes Maritime Academy (GLMA) high wires and high seas. On with cago for a while before joining the in Traverse City, Mich. Their mom, the story … which began some 45 reinvented Western Great Lakes Pi- Mary Alice, recalls driving the boys years ago when Duluth native LeRoy lots Association headquartered here to school year after year. “I can’t Kolenda volunteered for service in in the Twin Ports. “LeRoy was highly count how many trips I made over the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam respected and known throughout the the Mackinaw Bridge!” Robert Welton The current generation of Kolendas on the Great Lakes: MIchael, Dominic and LeRoy (the younger) with an MAK rocker arm assembly on the Edwin H. Gott. 6 North Star Port | Spring 2012 Wait is over — season is under way Each year, baseball fans eagerly follow spring training in anticipation of their fa- vored team’s season opener. Anglers, like- wise, wait impatiently for fishing to open. Meanwhile, we boatnerds in Duluth-Superi- or and at dozens of other Great Lakes ports eagerly count down to the start of the ship-

ping season on this inland waterway. Robert Welton A pair of Great Lakes tugs helps the Stefania I into Port on April 18. Here in the Twin Ports, maritime traf- fic for the 2012 commercial navigation sea- son got under way on Friday, March 16, with the morning departure of the 1,004- foot Mesabi Miner. Having wintered at the Superior Midwest Energy Terminal, the vessel was first out — loaded with coal for Presque Isle, Mich. That trip was the first of three intralake deliveries she made be- fore the opening of the Soo Locks at noon on Saturday, March 24. The Mesabi Miner also claimed honors of being the first ves-

sel to move through the Poe Lock this year, Ken Newhams followed by the 768-foot John G. Munson, The H. Lee White departs Duluth on April 11 for a rare trip through the Seaway to Quebec City with a load of iron ore pellets for transshipment overseas. which had left Duluth the day before. This marked the first time the Mesabi Miner had ever opened the Soo as well as the first time since 2007 that a downbound vessel opened the locks. Her Interlake fleet- mate, the Stewart J. Cort, became the first upbound arrival at the Soo that Saturday, which made her the first inbound vessel from the Lower Lakes to arrive in Duluth- Superior this season, followed by the vener- able Lee A. Tregurtha. Of the 10 vessels that spent winter layup here in the Twin Ports, seven completed their scheduled maintenance and were underway before the end of March. Among them were the: Mesabi Miner (3/16), American Spirit (3/23), Roger Blough (3/24), Edwin H. Gott (3/24), American Century (3/24) and Walter J. McCarthy (3/28). The John J. Boland departed on April 3. The American Victory and Edward L. Ryerson remain in layup at Fraser Shipyards, where they have rested since 2008 and 2009, respectively. The Mesabi Miner makes her way under Duluth’s famed Aerial Lift Bridge as she departs on March 16.

8 North Star Port | Spring 2012 Laker traffic revs up, first saltie reaches Port While laker traffic revved up, boatwatchers started guessing when the Port of Duluth-Superi- or would welcome its first oceangoing vessel. They didn’t have long to wait. The Seaway locks (the Montreal/Lake Ontario section and the Welland Canal) reopened for business on March 22, and on April 6 the Dutch-

Diane Hilden flag Arubaborg sailed into the harbor beneath the The Roger Blough leaves Port through the Duluth Entry (or Exit) on March 24. Duluth Aerial Bridge just after noon. The 469-foot vessel had begun her voyage in Eu- rope, stopping in Sault Ste., Marie, Ontario, to dis- charge steel pipe en route to the Twin Ports. She sat at anchor for the Easter weekend before moving to the CHS grain terminal in Superior to load 11,350 short tons of durum wheat. She departed April 10 for Ghent, Belgium. The Port Authority hosted an official First Ship Ceremony onboard the Arubaborg on April 9 dur- ing which a group of community leaders, maritime stakeholders and reporters officially welcomed Ro-

Diane Hilden manian Captain Mihail Garaiman and his crew. The The stately Arubaborg wins First Saltie into Port honors on April 6. captain noted that this trip was just his third on the Great Lakes (and to Duluth) — the first having been 20 years earlier and the second just last November. He said that this, however, was the very first time in his life that he’d ever been a port’s “first ship.” “The Port of Duluth-Superior has had a long- standing relationship with Royal Wagenborg,” said Port Authority Director Adolph Ojard. “Their ves- sels carry a variety of inbound cargoes to Great Lakes ports including steel, wind components and other energy-related equipment plus shipments of grain back to Europe. Wagenborg had a significant increase in vessels calling into the Lakes in 2011 — some 40 vessels — the most ever compared to pre- vious years.” Over 1,300 people submitted entries in the 2012 First Ship Contest, an annual online competition cosponsored by the Port Authority and Visit Duluth. This year’s winner is Sheila McMahan of Newalla, Okla., who entered the contest on a whim, clicking a link while making Duluth hotel reservations online. Her “wild guess” of April 6 at 12:03 p.m., was just minutes off the Arubaborg’s official arrival time of 12:38.14.

The Mesabi Miner makes her way under Duluth’s famed Aerial Lift Bridge as she departs on March 16. That made her the first outbound laker of the 2012 season. Travis Chadwick

North Star Port | Spring 2012 9 Early open. Strong start. Steady traffic The Port of Duluth-Superior ended last season on a positive note — topping 37 million short tons — led by a 17 per- cent increase in iron ore shipments and strong deliveries of limestone, salt, ce- ment and general cargo. “We expect to Robert Welton see more general cargo in 2012,” said The harbor bustles with activity on March 26 as the CSL Assiniboine loads coal at Superior Midwest Energy while the Lee A. Tregurtha departs Port with iron ore pellets from the CN dock. Adolph Ojard, Duluth Port director, “with nearly 20 shipments of wind com- ponents and other project cargo on the books al- First come, first served ready. Coal volume should remain steady, even in- First Laker Out March 16 1440h Mesabi Miner crease slightly with exports to Europe.” First Canadian Laker In The iron mining industry is still the biggest (from winter layup in Thunder Bay) March 23 1820h CSL Niagara driver for shipping here in the Twin Ports. Iron ore First U.S. Laker In (First transit of Soo Locks) March 25 1600h Stewart J. Cort shipments mirror domestic and global demand for steel and pellets from Minnesota’s Iron Range. Ab- First Saltie In April 6 1238h Arubaborg sent major changes in the world economy, plants First Grain Out April 10 1348h Arubaborg will continue to run at capacity, and the 2012 ship- ping season should be steady and strong. Grain exports face stiff competition in overseas markets. “The decline in the overall EU economy and uncertainty about a quick recovery has led to slower demand and a weaker Euro. Expectations are for some improvement in exports to the EU, and hopefully a more stable economic situation in the EU will add to those gains,” said Jim Peterson, director of marketing, North Dakota Wheat Com- mission. “The spring wheat region of the Dakotas and Minnesota is experiencing an early spring, and wheat plantings are all ahead of normal,” said Dave Torgerson, executive director, Minnesota Associ- ation of Wheat Growers. “This should bode well for spring wheat yields. Growers are optimistic that this year will be a good production year for wheat. With additional acres being planted, grow- Lynn Wegner The Arubaborg takes on durum wheat at CHS in Superior. The ship and cargo ers should have plenty of exportable supplies.” left Port on April 10 bound for Belgium.

Courtesy Prairie Ag Communications

While the Twin Ports was busy getting the 2012 shipping season under way, farmers in the Great Plains were getting this fall’s grain cargoes in the ground. North Star Port | Spring 2012 10 Layup labor Before shipping can begin each spring, there’s plenty of hard work to be done, often in tough conditions. These pictures, taken at worksites around the Twin Ports during winter layup, help tell that story. Robert Welton Robert Welton photos 11 North Star Port | Spring 2012 Around the Port

2012 Invasive Species Awards honor Great Lakes leaders Two of just five recipients of the first-ever National Invasive Species Awards are from the Great Lakes region. Kudos to Noel Bassett, vice president-operations for American Steamship Company, and Doug Jen- sen, aquatic invasive species program coordinator at the University of Min- nesota Sea Grant Program in Duluth. Both were USCG honored for Duluth’s Aids to Navigation team shows off its well-deserved award. their work as part of a Nation- Award-winning performance for Coast Guard team al Invasive Spe- For the first time since the program began in 1979, crew members of cies Awareness Duluth’s U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team (ANT) earned the Week ceremony prestigious Sumner I. Kimball Readiness Award, given to only about 10 held on March Bassett percent of teams across the country. The award was presented at Coast 1 in Washington, Guard Station Duluth by Rear Admiral Michael Parks, Commander, Ninth D.C. Coast Guard District, and Captain Joseph McGuinness, Commander, Sector Bassett, re- Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., on Feb. 9. ANT Duluth is based in the Port of Duluth- cipient of the Superior. The 13-member crew is responsible for placement and recovery of Outstanding In- more than 335 navigational buoys and maintenance of lights at lighthouses in vasive Species a three-state area from Warroad, Minn., to the Twin Ports and across to the Volunteer Award Black River in Michigan. of 2012, was rec- Jensen ognized for his work with the Great New MnDOT/District 1 engineer named Lakes Ballast Water Collaborative for Duane Hill has been selected to serve as district engineer for the innovation, creativity and courage in Minnesota Department of Transportation/District 1, which encompasses creating a successful coalition. eight counties in northeastern Minnesota. Jensen was presented the 2012 District 1 maintains 1,600 miles of highway and Outstanding Achievement in Inva- more than 600 bridges. Amr Jabr, Metro District Oper- sive Species Outreach and Education ations and Maintenance director, served as acting dis- Award for aquatic species, recogniz- trict engineer until February. ing his significant achievements to Hill began his career with MnDOT as a graduate en- advance awareness and understand- gineer in 1991. Since then, he has served in a number ing through outreach and education. of key positions, including assistant design engineer, Hill He has championed two national cam- preliminary design engineer, project engineer, bridge paigns: Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!™ engineer and operations assistant district engineer since 2005. He has a bach- and Get Habitattitude!™ elor’s degree in civil engineering from North Dakota State University.

12 North Star Port | Spring 2012 Duluth. They had a rural plot of land just off High- way 33, about as far away from Lake Superior as you can be and still get to the port in decent time. “Lee (as his wife affectionately calls him) always worked on water, but wanted to live and raise kids in the woods,” noted Mary Alice. “He liked the country life — the trees, the birds, dig- ging in the dirt … ” Because he was work- ing on the boats, Mary Al- ice says, LeRoy missed a lot of birthdays, school ac- tivities, football and base- ball games. “But we made up for lost time when he got home,” she said. “We’d leave the Christmas tree up until March so we could celebrate as a family.” Tradition in this Italian-Irish family was so

Courtesy Kolenda family important. In addition to Capt. LeRoy Kolenda — forever sailing in the hearts of his family. following in their father’s Inset: Kolenda clan while visiting Capt. LeRoy in Chicago in 1989. maritime footsteps, the boys The boys: ture and the lure of the Lakes. But also pledged to sustain their dad’s LeRoy, 33, is now port engineer for their collective memories drift back devotion to pro football. LeRoy was Great Lakes Fleet/Key Lakes Inc., to the times they spent together as a purple-hearted, die-hard Vikings having put eight years on his license they all chime in, “Our mom would fan, and his Super Bowl parties were before taking on his supervisory land- pile us all into the little station wagon legendary. That’s one more family side role. and drive us up to Two Harbors to tradition the boys are honoring for Michael, 32, is currently first en- meet Dad when they pulled in to load the next generations. gineer/relief chief on the Edwin H. [ore], just so we could spend a few Those young people include, at Gott. This is Michael’s third year on hours together as a family each week the time of this printing: Vincent the Gott; he spent his first six years during the shipping season.” (11); Ryden (16 months), Gianni (5), on the Lakes aboard the Presque Isle. Despite being away for weeks at a Vienna (3) and Marcello “Marco” (3 Dominic, 25, is enjoying his first time, Captain LeRoy was devoted to months). Great Lakes assignment as third as- family. His sons (and daughter Jen- sistant engineer on the Paul R. Tre- nifer) remember him as a compas- Post script: Though not interviewed for this story, Joe Kolenda had a lengthy Great gurtha, following his GLMA gradua- sionate and giving father. He worked Lakes career in his own right, retiring as tion in 2011. hard on the boats but was happy to chief of the 1,000-foot Edgar B. Speer in Ship talk was a second language be on land between seasons. He was 2009. Earlier in his career, Joe had served in the Kolenda household as the boys an avid gardener and poured hours aboard the Roger Blough, as did his former wife Candace, also a GLMA engineering were growing up. Dad would regale of labor into his property in Saginaw, graduate. them with tales of shipboard adven- Minn., about 20 miles inland from

North Star Port | Spring 2012 7 Navy veteran/Congressman Port Authority Board keynotes National Maritime Day elects officers National Maritime Day is celebrated across the country on May 22 — a combined salute to merchant mariners, merchant marine veterans and the en- The Duluth Seaway Port Authority tire maritime industry. Board of Commissioners elected offi- Hosted by the Propeller Club of Duluth-Superior, this cers at its annual meeting held March year’s commemorative event in the Twin Ports featured 23, 2012: Steve Raukar, president; Ray Minnesota 8th District Congressman Chip Cravaack as its Klosowski, vice president; Cal Larson, keynote speaker. secretary; Lowell Hellervik, treasurer; A 24-year Navy veteran and third-generation military and Rick Revoir, assistant treasurer. To- serviceman, Cravaack understands commitment to cause gether with fellow board members and country. The Congressman has been a resolute cham- Norm Voorhees and Chris Dahlberg pion for the Great Lakes maritime industry on a host of of Duluth, the commissioners oversee Cravaack legislative fronts during his first term in Congress (includ- the Port Authority’s financial and or- ing dredging and Harbor Maintenance Tax issues), highlighting the impor- ganizational affairs. tance of the Port of Duluth-Superior and the Great Lakes/Seaway system to this region’s economic vitality. The title of his address was, “America’s Water- Ojard named to state ways: Securing Continued Prosperity for the Future.” transportation committee As in years past, retired and veteran mariners from the U.S. Merchant Ma- rine Viking Chapter traveled from the Twin Cities to join Propeller Club mem- Duluth Port Director Adolph bers in commemorating National Maritime Day in Duluth. A memorial service Ojard is one of 14 members appoint- is part of the annual event, during which time prayers are offered and a ship’s ed by Gov. Mark Dayton to the Min- bell is rung to honor those seafarers who have passed. nesota Department of Transporta- tion Commissioner’s Transportation Finance Advisory Committee. The O, TWIC office, where art thou? For truck drivers, mariners and other folks in maritime-related businesses group, led by MnDOT Commission- who need to apply for Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) er Tom Sorel, includes members from cards, finding the local enrollment center has been the most difficult part of the the public and private sectors, repre- process. Over the past few years, the office has moved three times, but appears senting both Greater Minnesota and to have found a permanent home at Halvor Lines in Superior. the Twin Cities metro area. For more information: http://twicinformation.tsa.dhs.gov/twicinfo/portinfo.jsp?id=9009 “We are bringing together a cross TWIC Enrollment Center TWIC Office Hours: section of some of the best in trans- 211 Cumming Ave. Tues. 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. portation and finance from across the Superior, WI 54880 Wed. 12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. state,” said Sorel. (715) 392-8161 The committee is charged with identifying transportation investment Yorktown to call on Port opportunities to support a thriving Be on the lookout on Aug. 1 to see economy, an inviting business envi- the 257-foot luxury liner Yorktown arrive in Duluth … and depart ronment and high quality of life for that evening. One-hundred-plus Minnesotans over the next 20 years; passengers will disembark from analyzing the potential of various rev- the U.S.-flag vessel along Harbor enue sources and non-traditional ap- Drive to complete a “Great Lakes Grand Discovery/The Best of the proaches to transportation financing; Inland Seas” cruise from Detroit plus examining opportunities for pub- through Lakes Huron, Michigan and Superior. Another contingent will board the ship later that lic-private investment partnerships. day to embark on a 12-day cruise back to Detroit. For details, visit www.traveldynamics.com.

North Star Port | Spring 2012 13 season. This year’s service was led the Around Port by board members of the Twin Ports Ministry to Seafarers, an agency The Port is blessed that has been providing assistance, volunteer services and spiritual Now in its fourth year, the annual support to seafarers and their loved Blessing of the Port keeps growing. ones for over 40 years. Held again at the Lake Superior For more information or to Maritime Museum in Duluth on volunteer with The Seafarers Center March 22, the event celebrates in Duluth, contact the Rev. Tom DSPA and offers blessings for seafarers Anderson: Tom Anderson, director of The Seafarers Center in and all others involved in maritime (218)727-5897 Duluth, speaks at the annual Blessing of the Port. commerce during the shipping [email protected]

Port Passings Dale W. Waters, 75, of Superior, died his career with Krech Ojard and Asso- Feb. 29, 2012, at his residence. Born ciates in 2006 as manager of civil engi- Elliott John Bayly, 71, died in Tucson, in Duluth, Waters worked many jobs, neering, through which he became in- Ariz., on Jan. 20, 2012. He grew up in including employment at U.S. Steel, volved with several waterfront projects. Duluth, earned an undergraduate de- but spent the majority of his career on At the time of his death he was KO’s gree in electrical engineering from the rails. He worked for the Duluth chief operating officer in Duluth. He is M.I.T., a master’s from Stanford and Winnipeg and Pacific Railroad for over survived by his wife, Wendy, a son and a Ph.D. from the University of Minne- 47 years, retiring as a conductor at the daughter, two grandchildren, his moth- sota. In 1968, he joined the faculty of age of 62. He was preceded in death by er, brother and in-laws. Northwestern University and taught for his parents, wife Barbara and a brother Capt. Donald Erickson, 84, died March four years. He was known around the and is survived by three sons and six 26, 2012, in Dearborn, Mich. Born in waterfront for his passion and expertise grandchildren. Superior, Erickson began working in in wind power. Bayly is survived by his Nelson P. Sturdevan, 79, of Port Huron, the merchant marine at age 15 and wife, Anne Lewis, a sister and brother died March 13, 2012. Having served joined the U.S. Navy a year later during and five nieces and nephews. in the U.S. Army in Germany, he came WWII. While serving in the Pacific, he Capt. James Henry “Sledge” Schwingham- back to the States and began his career operated an assortment of landing craft, mer, 69, of Lake Nebagamon, Wis., died with U.S. Steel aboard the S.S. Pittsburg. minesweepers and patrol boats and was Feb. 9, 2012, in Reno, Nev. A graduate He later transferred from the fleet to awarded the Bronze Star. After the war, of the Father Pierz Memorial School in offices in Cleveland, Duluth and then Erickson began working for Ford and Pierz, Minn., Schwinghammer served to Sault Ste. Marie. Sturdevan designed eventually became the youngest cap- in the U.S. Navy and later worked as an galley operations on many Great Lakes tain at that time on the Great Lakes. ore boat captain on the Great Lakes (in- vessels including the Roger Blough, He captained several freighters during cluding a stint on the Presque Isle). Sur- Edwin H. Gott and Edgar B. Speer. He his 40-year career, including the Henry viving are five siblings and their spous- was employed with U.S. Steel for 42 Ford II, but spent the bulk of his time es, plus nine nieces and nephews and years, retiring as a general manager aboard the William Clay Ford. Erick- a host of maritime friends. A group of of the Soo warehouse in 1992. He is son retired in 1986. Survivors include friends and lodge brothers from Lodge survived by a sister, a nephew and a his wife of 55 years, Carol, his son Eric 12 Duluth-Superior of the Internation- niece. and a sister. al Shipmasters Association Lodge trav- Mike Metso, 57, died unexpectedly on eled to Lake Nebagamon to attend his March 17, 2012, in Duluth. Metso mar- memorial service on Feb. 18. ried his high school sweetheart, gradu- James E. “Jim” Shunk, 97, of Proctor died ated with a degree in civil engineering CORRECTION: Feb. 28, 2012, in Duluth. A 1943 gradu- from the University of Minnesota and The obituary for Mike Colalillo in the pre- ate of Proctor High School, Shunk was began his career as a design engineer vious issue contained two errors. The a World War II Navy veteran and en- in Minneapolis. From 1981 to 1995, he correct name of his wife was Lina, joyed a 42-year career with the DM&IR held multiple positions with People’s and his survivors include a brother, Al Railroad, retiring as a carman in 1984. Natural Gas throughout Minnesota. He Colalillo. Al is a two-term former Port Shunk is survived by his wife, Myrtle, served as Bemidji’s city engineer be- Authority board member and was a two sons, two sisters, five grandchil- fore serving in that same capacity in leader of the ILA in the Seaway’s forma- dren and a great-grandchild on the way. Duluth from 2001 to 2006. Metso began tive years. We apologize for the errors. 14 North Star Port | Spring 2012 Tug-barges From one-time oddball to the latest new thing on the Lakes

By Patrick Lapinski steamers, as well as hopes for single their masts shortened to offer some Until the past few decades, a tug- body, new-build construction for the general independent maneuverability barge on the Great Lakes was some- American Great Lakes fleets. in an emergency. The consort thing of a maritime oddball. Today, Historically, the tug-barge on the arrangement allowed owners to though, every fleet on the American Lakes was a carryover from the early increase the amount of cargo they side of the Great Lakes now operates days of the Erie and Welland canals, could haul with little additional costs a tug-barge, and the concept is look- where special flat-hulled craft were in fuel. ing like the leading edge of a trend. developed for the shallow waterways. Ships heading to Duluth-Superior The April 11 christening of the Among these craft were small wood- to unload coal or load ore would self-unloading articulated tug-barge en schooners, a design that spread frequently drop off their barges Ken Boothe Sr. (the tug) and Lakes onto the Great Lakes in the 1840s. A at anchor off Two Harbors. Once Contender (the barge)* in Erie, Pa., scant two decades later these ships the steamers resumed course, the was another clear indication of the became the connection between the barges would be taken to the dock by growing acceptance of this configu- early days of sail on the Great Lakes the tug Edna G. to load ore and then ration in Great Lakes shipping. The — sail’s golden years — and the be- re-anchored when loaded to await the tug-barge is owned by SEAJON, ginning of the steam era. return of the steamer. The sequence LLC, a partnership between SEA- In 1869, the R. J. Hackett, was reversed on the bottom end of COR Holdings Inc. and Donjon Ma- considered to be the first bulk the Lakes where ports like Chicago, rine Co., Inc. The vessels will be op- freighter built on the Lakes, was Milwaukee, Cleveland and Detroit erated by American Steamship Co. launched. The following year the bustled with harbor tugs. The articulated pair was the first Forest City, a new schooner-barge, The arrival of the age of steam of its kind to be built in Erie since the was built for towing behind the meant that when the smaller Presque Isle was launched in 1972. Hackett. Generally, smaller craft schooners were gone, the larger The launch perhaps dealt another were towed behind steam-powered ones were relegated to the end of a blow to the continued use of older freighters as barely manned barges, tow. The rapid rise of the number of Lynn Wegner This view of the Preque Isle clearly illustrates her tug (aft) barge (fore) configuration. North Star Port | Spring 2012 15 Maritime Collection Archives / UWS Archives Maritime Collection The aging steamer Horace S. Wilkinson, once past her prime, was reduced to a barge for use with a tug. Inset: The Edna G. often was dispatched to aid tug-barges in Two Harbors. schooner consorts clearly told the of tow barges. With the arrival of the a unique role in the re-introduction story of commercial sailing; simply new generation of steamer, the scow of the tug-barge to the Great Lakes, put, sail was losing. During their schooner was a thing of the past. though somewhat ahead of its time. peak, an estimated 25,000 sailing The big steamers dominated the After nearly a century of relative ab- vessels operated on the Lakes. Most industry for the next half century, sence from the lakes, the tug-barge of them had been reduced to barges carrying the country through de- had returned. in the 1880s. By 1887 it was reported pression, war and economic boom. That first tug-barge combination, that only about 300 of those vessels The marine steam plant had no se- the Wiltranco I, ultimately failed, but remained. rious competition until the mid-to- the idea and the notched stern sur- During the early 1890s, in the late-60s when diesel engines began vived. Less than a decade later the re- midst of the scow schooner era, a appearing. During this era, Fraser- sults of a refined notched barge and Twin Ports shipyard was building Nelson Shipyard, in contract with tug arrived, in a big way. The Presque steam-powered steel vessels as well Wilson Marine Transit, began the Isle began operation in 1973 and is as unpowered steel barges to tow be- conversion of the aging steamer Hor- still the only thousand-foot tug-barge hind. Alexander MacDougall brought ace S. Wilkinson into a barge for use combination on the Great Lakes. In the tug-barge concept to the modern with a tug. What was unique to this its locking configuration, the tug and shipyard, but because of design de- process was the fabrication of a notch barge are coupled so that the two ficiencies, the whaleback was short- on the aft end of the barge’s hull so components ride together, as if they lived and soon eclipsed by the clas- that a tug could be secured to push were one ship. sic Great Lakes steamer. The growth the barge in addition to towing it. Thus, the Presque Isle is classi- in size of the modern steamship also Thus, long after the end of the whale- fied as an integrated tug-barge (ITB), did away with any need for a string back era, our local shipyard played the only one of its kind on the Great

16 North Star Port | Spring 2012 Lakes. All of the other combinations effectiveness of many older steam- the Gulf Coast. But in recent years are classified as articulated tug-barg- powered vessels. New diesel engines Canadian Great Lakes ship owners es (ATB), a classification based on are cutting fuel consumption by near- have opted for single-body new-build the tug having some independent ly 50 percent — with reduced emis- construction, principally constructed movement from the barge. sions. As a result, several trends have in China, to augment their fleets. Classification of tug-barges has emerged. The days of the multi-vessel con- been a contentious issue between One has been pairing the hull/ sort are not likely to return, but the ship owners and mariner unions. cargo section of old steamers with use of tug-barges in cross lake move- Vessels are manned according to new EPA-compliant diesel-powered ment of ore, grain, cement, coal and classification, and on the Great Lakes tugs. Some examples of recent con- stone is significant on the Great the operators of the Presque Isle were versions are the ATBs James L. Ku- Lakes. Like the schooner-barge con- hoping for a much larger reduction ber (Reserve) and the Lewis J. Kuber sorts of a century ago, the modern in crew size than they were finally (Buckeye, Sparrows Point). In these cross-lakes ATB can be viewed as granted. Reduced manning of vessels two instances, the full cargo capacity an adaptation to the economic forces is a hot topic across the industry, not of the hull was maintained with sig- of the industry and the region. That just for tug-barges. Even without the nificant savings in operating expens- ability to adapt has long been one even lower numbers they wanted, es from the elimination of the old of the hallmarks of the Great Lakes tug operators are saving by having steam plant. Another example is the maritime industry. a smaller crew. As a rule of thumb, Pathfinder (the hull section of the for- tug-barges usually require about one- mer J.L. Mauthe) and the tug Dorothy third less crew than a self-propelled Ann, built for the conversion project. * Here are the specifics on the two vessels, vessel. Foremost among the unions’ New-build construction is another provided by Donjon: argument is that smaller crew sizes alternative. One state of the art ATB Tug Ken Boothe Sr. will lead to an overall increase in coming onto the Lakes recently, 135’ 4” Beam, 50’ Depth, 26’ Draft accidents. along with the Lakes Contender, is the Barge Lakes Contender Jumping ahead one generation, Great Lakes Trader. In each instance 740’ Beam, 78’ Depth, 45’ Draft today’s diesel engines are incredibly the hull and the tug were newly Writer and photographer Patrick Lapinski is powerful and efficient. The refine- fabricated. A few tug barge combos a native of Superior. He concentrates on the ment of the marine diesel engine has are in use in Canadian fleets, too — Great Lakes maritime industry and its history. www.inlandmariners.com brought about the decline in the cost one just arriving this spring from Michelle Hill, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Michelle Hill, The tug Ken Boothe Sr. and barge Lakes Contender make up the newest cargo-carrying combo on the Great Lakes. North Star Port | Spring 2012 17 PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DULUTH, MN PERMIT NO. 492 1200 Port Terminal Drive Duluth, Minnesota USA 55802-2609 www.duluthport.com

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