Pictures of the arrival:
/ duluthshipphotography
The First Duluth arrival for the Cort this season. Take a look at the "back house" as she goes by, the giant # 1 signifies it being the First Thousand Footer on the lakes! Their Maiden Voyage was on May 01,1972. Ironically, this ship took away the "Queen" title from the Roger Blough. The Blough was supposed to be out on the lakes before the Cort, the fire incident on the Blough changed those plans.
About this Visit.
They arrived Duluth May 17, 2024 at 16:30, cruising into town at 5.4 kts. Coming in light for their first sail of the season after a long winter layup. They arrived to fuel at the Cenovus dock. AT 17:07 they pulled up to the Cenovus dock and began fueling. 18:59 they were finished loading fuel and departed the dock, heading cross channel to the BNSF dock. They arrived at BN-5 at 20:46, began their first load of Iron Ore for the season. May 18 at 19:18 they finished loading and departed the dock. They departed via the Superior Entry at 19:50, heading to Burns Harbor Indiana to deliver.
Info from duluth-shipsplaces.fandom.com...
During the late 1960’s, Litton Industries constructed a new modern shipyard at Erie, Pennsylvania, to construct ships that took full advantage of the new Poe Lock under construction at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Litton officials approached Marine Consultants & Designers of Cleveland to develop a ship design for the highly automated shipyard. Litton signed a contract with Bethlehem Steel Corporation in 1968 to construct a 1,000′ ship for them, ordering MC&D to slightly alter their prepared design for the new ship.
The bow accommodations section and stern engine room section were constructed as one hull at Litton Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, beginning in 1968. Ingalls’ Hull #1173, nicknamed “Stubby”, was built only to a 75′ width to be able to pass through the locks in the St. Lawrence Seaway. The remaining ballast tanks that would bring her to her full width of 105′ would be added at the shipyard in Erie. “Stubby” arrived at Litton’s Erie Marine in June of 1970. The cargo section of the ship was already constructed at the Erie shipyard. The bow and stern sections were moved into the drydock where they were cut apart, and welded to their respective ends of the cargo section. The additional ballast tanks were added to the bow and stern sections, and the Stewart J. Cort was launched in early 1971. Sea Trials were conducted over the summer of 1971, but due to issues with the unloading system and bow thrusters, she did not enter service until 1972.
The Stewart J. Cort sailed out of Erie on her maiden voyage on May 1, 1972, headed for Taconite Harbor, Minnesota. She quickly settled into her new trade route of carrying ore from Taconite Harbor and Superior, Wisconsin to Bethlehem’s Burns Harbor mill. Since the Cort is equipped with a shuttle-type unloading boom, she is restricted to unloading in Burns Harbor.
The Stewart J. Cort has run into some trouble in her time on the lakes. She collided with the saltwater vessel Joanna at Sault Ste. Marie. Both vessel only sustained minor damage. The Cort sat out for the 1983 season at Erie, Pennsylvania, due to lack of demand. She returned to service in 1984. The Stewart J. Cort and the Edgar B. Speer broke loose from their moorings on December 2, 1985, while in layup at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
The Stewart J. Cort loaded 56,251 tons of ore pellets in a whopping 3 hours and 35 minutes on July 18, 1987 at Superior, Wisconsin. This was in part thanks to her speedy ballast pumps.
The Stewart J. Cort grounded at the Burlington Northern ore dock at Superior, Wisconsin on December 30, 1993, suffering bottom damage. She also struck a pier at the Soo Locks on April 24, 1995.
The Cort was sold to an investment group in late 2000, being leased back to Bethlehem Steel. Bethlehem was struggling financially at this point in time, declaring bankruptcy on October 15, 2001. Their assets were sold to the International Steel Group in late 2003. International Steel took over operation of the Cort and her remaining fleetmate Burns Harbor as well.
In October 2002, the Stewart J. Cort was loaded with the incorrect load of taconite at Superior, Wisconsin, requiring her to unload at Indiana Harbor, a location that cannot accomodate the Cort‘s unloading system. To solve this problem, the Cort unloaded into the holds of the Sam Laud, which in turn unloaded onto the dock.
After International Steel was sold foreign in late 2004, operation and management of the Stewart J. Cort was taken over by the Interlake Steamship Company. She has remained on her primary trade route throughout all of these changes. The Cort spent the 2009 season in layup at Milwaukee due to the economic downturn. She returned to service in 2010, and continues in her shuttle of taconite pellets from Superior, Wisconsin to Burns Harbor, Indiana