Algoma Guardian - Conneaut

[Guest]

Well Bob unless somebody beats me to it which usually is the case, I’ll have to check my records and get back with you later to let you know what I found out on her. Usually I’m a silent type but IMO anyway since that serious grounding she had a few years ago, GLF seems to run her more to Gary and LESS to Conneaut than before. Now it seems that the Speer is going to Conneaut more and less with the Blough. Yeah I know the size differences on the two and the Speer can carry more but, I also believe that something more happened from the Blough’s grounding and repairs as to why she’s goes to Gary more. Just my two cents on this.

The Blough was repaired fully to unrestricted operation. As has been mentioned about this theory before, there's no such thing as repairs forcing restrictions on operation on certain Great Lakes.

[Guest]

I'm pretty sure the repairs the Blough received after its 2016 grounding in the Upper St. Marys River restored this vessel unrestricted operation from the head of Lake Superior to the eastern end of Lake Erie. I have never heard of it having any restrictions that would cause it to go to Gary more often than Conneaut after its accident. What would be the purpose of such restriction? I imagine the real reason for the mix of routes for GLF vessels would be dictated by cargo volumes and any particular considerations such as the Speer and Blough limited to serving Gary or Conneaut. Designed for year-round navigation the Roger Blough is one of the most staunchly built vessels currently in service on the Great Lakes and it is possible that the damage sustained in this accident could have ended the career of any number of other vessels sailing during the 2016 season.

[Denny]

I just checked my records and can confirm it at 100% she's made no trips yet to Conneaut this season. As of June 10 when she loaded at Two Harbors then, at that point she had made 11 trips I show to Gary and all of them coming from Two Harbors with no trips yet to the Twin Ports.

[Denny]

Well Bob unless somebody beats me to it which usually is the case, I’ll have to check my records and get back with you later to let you know what I found out on her. Usually I’m a silent type but IMO anyway since that serious grounding she had a few years ago, GLF seems to run her more to Gary and LESS to Conneaut than before. Now it seems that the Speer is going to Conneaut more and less with the Blough. Yeah I know the size differences on the two and the Speer can carry more but, I also believe that something more happened from the Blough’s grounding and repairs as to why she’s goes to Gary more. Just my two cents on this.

[Bob]

Denny, I thought sure the blough has made at least one trip to conneaut and I actually thought they had made two. I don’t know how a person can check but I’m almost certain she made one trip there earlier this season.

[garbear]

Jon Paul, the Blough as far as I know has not been to Conneaut so far this season as it’s been the Speer, Gott and Presque Isle as far as the GLF “big boys going and delivering there!” The Blough has been mostly going to Gary so far this season. Not sure yet when she will make any trips to Conneaut this season? I’m guessing probably not until Fall time.

Denny, you are correct. Blough hasn't made it to Conneaut this season. And when you said the Blough has been mostly going to Gary, she has been strictly going to Gary.

[Denny]

Jon Paul, the Blough as far as I know has not been to Conneaut so far this season as it’s been the Speer, Gott and Presque Isle as far as the GLF “big boys going and delivering there!” The Blough has been mostly going to Gary so far this season. Not sure yet when she will make any trips to Conneaut this season? I’m guessing probably not until Fall time.

[garbear]

I see the American Mariner is getting underway after being stopped behind Long Point showing a Conneaut destination. Another first timer is currently loading there, the John D. Leitch. Remember the days when the then Canadian Century was a steady trader at the coal dock.

[Jon Paul]

Thank you one and all for the responses. I have been trying to figure out who is delivering where and other than the Speer and Blough obviously using the hopper, I haven't been able to tell by AIS.
So far they have transhipped over 700,000 tons so they are on pace to beat the 2016 numbers.
I agree with Garbear about it being and interesting Port.
I remember being anchored in a gale off Conneaut in Dec of 1976 and thinking of Dwight Boyers classic short story "Knives in the Lifeboat" about Marquette & Bessemer #2 who sailed into Eternity from that very harbor in Dec of 1909.

[Guest]

I assume that US Steel's Mon Valley iron ore pellets have to be coming from Conneaut. Am I correct in my assumption?

[Mr Link]

No reason Conneaut ore would go to Cleveland. Would have gone to Pennsylvania.

The USACE doesn't track railroad traffic. So all the domestic tonnages listed left Conneaut by boat. So Pennsylvania doesn't seem to be be a likely destination.

They could possibly be split loads, although I have not heard them mentioned in regards to Conneaut.

[garbear]

I am curious to know what percentage of ore that is being delivered to Conneaut is being shipped out on trains to Pennsylvania and what percentage is being stored for transhipment to QC. Also, are the pellets unloaded in the P&C hopper the ones going to Penn and pellets for transhipment being unloaded directly onto the storage pile?

The US Army Corps of Engineers keeps track of such data, however it is generally 2 years before the data is available. And it appears that things are rapidly changing in Conneaut, especially this year.

Here is ore tonnage data from 2000 to 2018 for the years when Conneaut shipped out ore. Much of it went to domestic locations (Cleveland perhaps?)

(I rounded all the numbers)

2003: 2,200,000 tons received, 55,000 tons shipped domestically

2005: 2,800,000 tons received, 27,000 tons shipped domestically

2011: 3,900,000 tons received, 274,000 tons shipped (all foreign)

2012: 3,600,000 tons received, 50,000 tons shipped foreign, 25,000 shipped domestically

2013: 4,200,000 tons received, 58,000 tons shipped foreign, 112,000 tons shipped domestically

2014: 3,500,000 tons received, 32,000 tons shipped foreign, 93,000 tons shipped domestically

2015: 3,000,000 tons received, 83,000 tons shipped all domestically

2016: 3,900,000 tons received, 1,051,000 tons shipped all foreign

2017: 3,500,000 tons received, 161,000 tons shipped all domestically

2018: 3,300,000 tons received, 56,000 tons shipped all domestically



So it looks like 2016 was the first year with really heavy exports, with roughly 25% of the ore received being exported.

No reason Conneaut ore would go to Cleveland. Would have gone to Pennsylvania.

[Mr Link]

I am curious to know what percentage of ore that is being delivered to Conneaut is being shipped out on trains to Pennsylvania and what percentage is being stored for transhipment to QC. Also, are the pellets unloaded in the P&C hopper the ones going to Penn and pellets for transhipment being unloaded directly onto the storage pile?

The US Army Corps of Engineers keeps track of such data, however it is generally 2 years before the data is available. And it appears that things are rapidly changing in Conneaut, especially this year.

Here is ore tonnage data from 2000 to 2018 for the years when Conneaut shipped out ore. Much of it went to domestic locations (Cleveland perhaps?)

(I rounded all the numbers)

2003: 2,200,000 tons received, 55,000 tons shipped domestically

2005: 2,800,000 tons received, 27,000 tons shipped domestically

2011: 3,900,000 tons received, 274,000 tons shipped (all foreign)

2012: 3,600,000 tons received, 50,000 tons shipped foreign, 25,000 shipped domestically

2013: 4,200,000 tons received, 58,000 tons shipped foreign, 112,000 tons shipped domestically

2014: 3,500,000 tons received, 32,000 tons shipped foreign, 93,000 tons shipped domestically

2015: 3,000,000 tons received, 83,000 tons shipped all domestically

2016: 3,900,000 tons received, 1,051,000 tons shipped all foreign

2017: 3,500,000 tons received, 161,000 tons shipped all domestically

2018: 3,300,000 tons received, 56,000 tons shipped all domestically



So it looks like 2016 was the first year with really heavy exports, with roughly 25% of the ore received being exported.

[Pazzo]

You are correct, Jon Paul! As the photo below shows, the Speer is discharging onto a hopper at the head of the conveyor. That conveyor sends the taconite "up the hill" to a storage yard which then feeds the rail loader. The trans-loads are all being deposited on the dock, roughly 1200 feet back for ease of reloading to the Canadian bound vessels.
I'm sorry, though, I do not have a percentage of the received distribution. I could make a rough guess, from what I have observed, that it's probably 60% going up the hill for rail loads and 40% getting dropped on the dock for trans. When the season started, it was about the same ratio, but flopped the other way.

[Jon Paul]

I am curious to know what percentage of ore that is being delivered to Conneaut is being shipped out on trains to Pennsylvania and what percentage is being stored for transhipment to QC. Also, are the pellets unloaded in the P&C hopper the ones going to Penn and pellets for transhipment being unloaded directly onto the storage pile?

[garbear]

Is any of the ore trans loaded onto trains
I remember the hoppers after dumping coal would be loaded with ore

The ore that goes to Pennsylvania goes by train from Conneaut.

[Syd bc]

Is any of the ore trans loaded onto trains
I remember the hoppers after dumping coal would be loaded with ore

[garbear]

Pazzo, thanks for all the great videos and info. Ralph H. Watson in 1979 Conneaut was our last unloading port of the season before we went to Hallett #5 in Duluth for lay-up. Also, my final trip after 9 yrs.
Always loved Conneaut. Would go to the top of the hill for a haircut and would walk downtown and back.

[Pazzo]

Here is an aerial video of the H. Lee White getting into place to receive a load in Conneaut. It provides a decent view of the active dock spaces available there. Hopefully, this provides a decent profile to answer your questions.
https://youtu.be/AQ7QmK2nv2Q

[Pazzo]

This is Edgar B. Speer discharging into the Ohio and Conneaut hopper. There is a stock pile that sits a little ways back which front end loaders pick from and place on conveyors for loading the Canadian vessels.