Another freighter hits bottom in Muskegon

[News]

Shoaling that has apparently been worsening in Muskegon's outer harbor denied passage to yet another lake freighter Tuesday night.

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[GLF]

MUSKEGON -- Shoaling that has apparently been worsening in Muskegon's outer harbor denied passage to yet another lake freighter Tuesday night.

The 620-foot Manistee hit bottom outside the Muskegon pierheads at about 10 p.m., becoming the fourth cargo ship to do so since the 1,000-foot Indiana Harbor became mired at the same spot for four hours last Aug. 22.

The Manistee, loaded with about 13,000 tons of salt, was bound for the Verplank Co. dock on Muskegon Lake.

Nathan Gates, Verplank's sales and logistics manager, said the ship freed itself and departed Muskegon for Milwaukee at around midnight. It was expected to unload some salt there and try again to reach Verplank early Friday.

Gates said the same ship carried a shipment to Muskegon nearly two weeks ago and departed without incident.

"My suspicion is that once a shoal starts it continues to get worse as we get certain weather patterns," Gates said.

The grounding of the Indiana Harbor was followed by that of another 1,000-footer, the American Integrity, on Sept. 10. It wiggled free after about an hour, then offloaded coal to another ship before proceeding to the B.C. Cobb electrical generating plant at the east end of Muskegon Lake.

Then, on Nov. 13, a smaller ship, the 630-foot Earl W went aground in the same area with about 19,000 tons of limestone.

Muskegon's harbor is scheduled for dredging this spring. However, the current low lake levels are causing problems for shippers all around the Great Lakes, according to the Lake Carriers Association. Shippers have had to lighten loads, resulting in increased costs.

Last month, another 620-foot ship, the Mississagi, ran aground at the entrance of the Grand Haven channel with a load of limestone. It was forced to drop some of that cargo at Muskegon before returning to Grand Haven.