Great Lakes Boat Blog

Tug-barge Meredith Ashton/Robert F. Deegan arrive in Ludington

April 9, 2026

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LUDINGTON — The articulated tug-barge combination of the Meredith Ashton and the Robert F. Deegan arrived at the Port of Ludington Thursday evening, docking at the Occidental Chemical Corp. (OxyChem) facility on Pere Marquette Lake. The Meredith Ashton, a 95-foot-long, 32-foot-wide tug owned by Ashton Marine Co. of North Muskegon, was built in 1999 by Thoma-Sea…

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EPA vessel spends the night in Ludington

April 7, 2026

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LUDINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency research vessel Lake Guardian departed the Port of Ludington this morning, continuing its annual spring monitoring of the Great Lakes. The vessel arrived in Ludington Monday evening. According to the app Marine Traffic its destination is Detroit. However, the vessel appears to have taken a westerly course across Lake…

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PM 41 begins 85th season; began March 12, 1941 as City of Midland

March 19, 2026

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LUDINGTON — The articulated tug-barge (ATB) Undaunted/Pere Marquette 41 set sail for the first time this season Thursday evening out of its home port of Ludington, beginning the 85th season on the Great Lakes for the barge that was once the SS City of Midland 41 carferry. The vessel is owned and operated by Interlake Logistics…

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Freighters that visit Ludington, Manistee ports sold

March 4, 2026

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief ST. CATHARINES, Ontario, Canada — A fleet of ships, including three that make visits to local ports, have been sold. Algoma Central Corporation recently acquired Mainstay Maritime, Inc.’s three Canadian operating companies and associated fleet of six Canadian-flagged vessels. Mainstay, formerly Rand Logistics, Inc., operates one of the largest Jones Act-compliant fleets serving the Great Lakes,…

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Nov. 1966 storm killed 28 crew members of the Daniel J. Morrell; grounded the City of Midland

November 29, 2025

Great Lakes History Log is presented by Filer Credit Union with offices in Manistee, Ludington, East Lake, and Bear Lake and the Mason County Historical Society, which operates the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, Historic White Pine Village and the Rose Hawley Archives in downtown Ludington. By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief On Tuesday, Nov. 29, 1966, a storm struck the Great…

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