First Saltie of 2016 Due for Port of Duluth-Superior
The first saltie of the 2016 season, the Albanyborg, is underway and expected to sail into the Port of Duluth-Superior this weekend. ETA is approx. 5 p.m. Sunday, April 3. The ship will pass through the Duluth Ship Canal and beneath the Aerial Bridge before making its way to the Clure Public Marine Terminal to dock overnight.
The 472-foot Albanyborg, which flies the flag of The Netherlands, will be the first oceangoing vessel to arrive in the Twin Ports this year after transiting the full length of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system. It also was the first foreign-flag vessel to enter the Seaway after it opened on March 23. The multipurpose carrier, part of the Royal Wagenborg fleet, made one stop along the way to deliver a cargo of wind turbine components from Germany to Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada.
Built in 2010, the Albanyborg has 12 crew members onboard and is under the command of Captain Igor Bunenkov. Local vessel agent is Guthrie Hubner.
The vessel is scheduled to spend Monday docked at the Port Terminal while bulkheads are erected inside its cargo hold to prepare for loading grain, then proceed to the CHS terminal on the Superior side of the harbor to load 10,000 metric tons of spring wheat for Italy. If all goes according to schedule, departure is set for late Tuesday/early Wednesday.
An invitation-only First Ship Ceremony is being planned for Monday afternoon on the Clure Terminal for community leaders and representatives from the maritime industry to welcome the captain and crew. Invited guests include representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, Mayor’s office, Twin Ports Ministry to Seafarers, Duluth Seaway Port Authority and other civic leaders. Bob Gustafson from Visit Duluth will be on hand to announce the winner of the 2016 First Ship Contest. Over 2,100 entries were received in this year’s contest, cosponsored by Visit Duluth and the Port Authority.
