Around the Docks
The latest news on the commercial side of the harbor and river from FOSLR board member Ted Smith.
Duluth Harbor Basin Sunset. Cropped image. Credit: Tony Webster from San Francisco, California. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Duluth_Harbor_Basin_Sunset_(24534369283).jpg
Beans: The Duluth Seaway Port Authority (DSPA) shipped their first containers by vessel. The 200 containers are headed to destinations in Europe and carry kidney beans for Chippewa Valley Bean. Container shipping out of the Twin Ports in the past has primarily been via rail. Given the current supply chain issues at West Coast ports, the economics and delivery times for containerized shipping to and from Great Lakes ports is favorable.
Grain: General Mills elevator “A” sold to Hansen-Mueller (currently operating elevator “M” in Superior). The new owners intend to have it up and running prior to harvest. General Mills consolidated their dock and storage facilities several years ago, closing elevator “A” which is the farthest north grain elevator on Rice’s Point. General Mills is currently operating Elevator “X” in Superior, the first dock east of Midwest Coal Terminal.
Storage: The DSPA is expanding its warehouse capacity by adding a 55,000 square foot warehouse on the property.
Repair: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers vessel yard dock is being repaired. This dock is located in Duluth, near the Areal Lift Bridge on Park Point.
Restoration: When the harbor is dredged this year the dredged materials will be used to cap the 40th Ave. West ponds in Duluth after the contaminated sediment is removed. Work on the 40th Ave. West ponds is expected to be completed this fall. Excess dredge material will be placed in the Erie Pier reuse facility. There are no beach nourishment projects slated this year.
The cleanup activities at the former U.S. Steel plant in Morgan Park continues. The project is now in Phase 3. Dredging and capping activities continue, and revegetation will begin late this year and into next year. Updates on the former U.S. Steel cleanup are available on the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the St. Louis River Alliance websites.