Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Guest wrote: March 22, 2026, 3:43 pm Such a short run from Toledo to Monroe - would they even have to put the hatches on tight?

That's how Ford did it back in the day with coal for the Rouge

Guest wrote: March 22, 2026, 6:57 am 1000 footers can’t deliver full loads into Monroe. That’s why historically footers would offload approximately half the cargo in St Clair then continue to Monroe with a lesser draft as the channel isn’t deep enough. No point in loading footers in Toledo if you can only load them half way. Might as well use something smaller.

Footers have loaded in Toledo over the years including loads for Bay City and Marquette. Loading a footer “half way” will yield a much larger load for Monroe since all loads would end up in Monroe at relatively the same draft whether using a footer or smaller vessel.

Such a short run from Toledo to Monroe - would they even have to put the hatches on tight?

I googled it - says it's 17 miles. The Cleveland shuttle is 6 miles but I bet it would take less time to do the 17 miles.

Labor would be the biggest cost - maybe a tug barge combo?

Guest wrote: March 22, 2026, 6:57 am 1000 footers can’t deliver full loads into Monroe. That’s why historically footers would offload approximately half the cargo in St Clair then continue to Monroe with a lesser draft as the channel isn’t deep enough. No point in loading footers in Toledo if you can only load them half way. Might as well use something smaller.

How come the shipping channel at Monroe wasn't deepened for a fully loaded vessel to unload at the DTE plant?

1000 footers can’t deliver full loads into Monroe. That’s why historically footers would offload approximately half the cargo in St Clair then continue to Monroe with a lesser draft as the channel isn’t deep enough. No point in loading footers in Toledo if you can only load them half way. Might as well use something smaller.

I wonder then IF any 1,000 footers could load the coal from Toledo then and deliver it to Monroe? It world be a challenge I’m sure for a 1,000 footer to load under the loading coal rig loader at the CSX #4 Machine down there where all of Toledo’s coal is loaded onto ships at! I think in the past I have seen footers load from Toledo before but definitely not too often for sure!

Guest wrote: March 19, 2026, 6:02 pm Monroe Michigan if IIRC correctly is the last coal plant served by ship on the Great Lakes. When SMET shuts down, its either all by rail which DTE doesn't really care for or maybe from Toledo.

Toledo picked it up.

ASC doesn’t currently have any 1000-footers scheduled to load at MERC in April or May. (I don’t know about Interlake, but it seems unlikely.) Given that MERC’s lease is up in June, it seems likely that no further shipments from MERC will go to St. Clair or Monroe. The coal pile at MERC also looks pretty small.

A few petroleum coke shipments will occur before they close. I could see a couple of coal deliveries going to Graymont (Superior) before they close. The Oberstar is doing the first load early this coming week.

Monroe Michigan if IIRC correctly is the last coal plant served by ship on the Great Lakes. When SMET shuts down, its either all by rail which DTE doesn't really care for or maybe from Toledo.

Just found out that the Frontenac has laid up in Port Colborne on March 18 but will remain in lay up there for about a month before they return to service for the 2026 shipping season then. Also, and this is off subject and topic however in regards to the comments and questions about the coal shipment stuff from Toledo. I see on the MERC Dock line up and their website, I guess to nobody’s surprise that so far there are no loads scheduled yet for delivery to the DTE Coal Plants at both St. Clair/Belle River along with the Monroe Plant as well. So, it will be interesting to watch and see IF we could have any of the 1,000 footers remain at the wall this season then? I’m sure some can fill the void of no more coal loads by loading ore pellets instead but, just how many of the 1,000 footers will be needed and used this year to move the ore pellets? We may see either a few smaller size lakers then maybe 🤔 either laid up or seeing more of them out this year and less of the 1,000 footers possibly? Just my thoughts and opinion only on this is all.

riverrat wrote: March 16, 2026, 10:45 am Rumor has it more coal is expected to leave Toledo this season. Maybe they pick up some of that work.

And just where would this supposed extra coal shipments be headed ? Believe it when I see it happen. Sounds like wishful thinking to me… rumor🙄what’s the source?

Judging by the news out of Sturgeon Bay, doesn't look like much work will be done at the shipyard. Sounds like the whole town is shut down for the blizzard. Probably will be tomorrow too.

Rumor has it more coal is expected to leave Toledo this season. Maybe they pick up some of that work.

Mn bob wrote: March 14, 2026, 12:57 pm I wonder then if the Speer isn’t going to be in service until August if they will bring the Anderson and Clarke out to make up for the lost cargo that the Speer hauls.

With 2026 iron ore pellet tonnage requirements likely to continue to be on the weak side, as was the case in 2025, and with the movement of western coal from Superior to St. Clair & Monroe by ship slated to cease less than half way into the 2026 shipping season, there is likely to be a thousand footer or two (or more) that will be looking for cargo to move and will easily slot in to carry tonnage while the Speer is being re-powered.

Ships from the Interlake Steamship Co. fleet were reported to have been contracted to move a few loads for Key Lakes / GLF last season; perhaps that relationship might expand this coming season.

Mn bob wrote: March 14, 2026, 12:57 pm I wonder then if the Speer isn’t going to be in service until August if they will bring the Anderson and Clarke out to make up for the lost cargo that the Speer hauls.

I think very doubtful

Mn bob wrote: March 14, 2026, 12:57 pm I wonder then if the Speer isn’t going to be in service until August if they will bring the Anderson and Clarke out to make up for the lost cargo that the Speer hauls.

They wont, both need dry dockings

If you recall, things went south really fast in the early spring of 2009. With the current economic uncertainty, it would be a huge leap of faith to break out a long-term laid up boats.

I wonder then if the Speer isn’t going to be in service until August if they will bring the Anderson and Clarke out to make up for the lost cargo that the Speer hauls.

I believe August, Denny

The Edgar B. Speer right now is the only one I can think of that sailed last year but, will have a late fit out this year. They are in Sturgeon Bay right now waiting to get new engines put into them. I had asked in another post “When the Speer will have her new engine project completed and be out this year?” The response I got was “Probably during the Summer sometime.”