‘Burns Harbor’ Gets Stuck At Superior Dock

Experts are still uncertain what caused the lake freighter to get stuck, but with a little help its headed out of the Twin Ports

DULUTH, Minn. — This was the scene for much of the weekend: two ships, side by side at BNSF Railway Dock 5 in Superior. On the left, the Burns Harbor. It arrived a week ago. The ship was fueled up and loaded with iron ore pellets, but remained at the dock. It wasn’t until the ship on the right, the H Lee White, came to its aid that the Burns Harbor was able to depart.

According to the Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Unit in Duluth, what caused the ship to become stuck is currently unknown. Lieutenant Joseph McGinnis, Waterways Management Branch Chief, says it could be due to low water this season, sediment build-up, or the load was simply too much.

On Saturday, the Burns Harbor unloaded a portion of its cargo onto the H Lee White. McGinnis says they ‘did everything right’ by offloading cargo and adjusting the ship’s stability.

According to Marine Traffic, a database that provides real-time info on ships, the Burns Harbor left the dock just before midnight Saturday. It anchored outside of Park Point for eight hours, before finally leaving the Twin Ports. McGinnis added the ship was inspected and had no notable damage.

As of right now, McGinnis says there is no reason for concern. Only one other ship was delayed, the Algoma Discovery, which arrived on Thursday and is now expected to depart Sunday.

McGinnis says a surveyor will investigate the cause later this week. He added it could take another week for a final report. Until then, what kept the Burns Harbor docked is a mystery.