MCP Boat Blog

Busy week of commercial shipping underway at Port of Ludington

July 23, 2026

This MCP Boat Blog is presented by Manistee Harbor Tours, operator of the Princess of Manistee, and the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, www.masoncountymihistory.org. Photos and story by Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LUDINGTON — Pere Marquette Lake is hosting an unusually busy week of commercial vessel traffic as three working vessels occupy the OxyChem terminal while a lake freighter is expected to arrive Friday…

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Port of Ludington Maritime Museum designer to present Muskegon shipwreck cruise

July 21, 2026

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief MUSKEGON — Maritime historian, shipwreck diver, museum exhibit designer and author Valerie van Heest, whose work through her Holland-based firm, Lafferty van Heest & Associates, has helped shape the visitor experience at all three Mason County Historical Society museums, will present a narrated shipwreck cruise aboard the Aquastar excursion boat later this month. Van Heest is…

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Ontario Venture makes first Ludington visit with aggregate cargo

July 20, 2026

This MCP Boat Blog is presented by Manistee Harbor Tours, operator of the Princess of Manistee, and the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, www.masoncountymihistory.org. Story and photos by Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LUDINGTON — One of the Great Lakes’ newest bulk carriers made its first known visit to Ludington Monday morning, delivering aggregate to the Great Lakes Materials terminal on Pere Marquette Lake, operated…

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Calumet makes stone deliveries to Ludington, Manistee

July 14, 2026

This MCP Boat Blog is presented by Manistee Harbor Tours, operator of the Princess of Manistee, and the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, www.masoncountymihistory.org. By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief LUDINGTON — The MV Calumet arrived in the Port of Ludington about 9 a.m. today, delaying the S.S. Badger’s scheduled 9 a.m. departure to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, by about 30 minutes. Just before 9 a.m.,…

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USS Silversides begins historic voyage to dry dock for preservation

July 13, 2026

This MCP Boat Blog is presented by Aquastar Cruises, aquastarcruises.com, and the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, www.masoncountymihistory.org. By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief MUSKEGON — Today was one of those epic moments that history buffs and boat nerds simply had to experience. My daughter, Sloane, and I joined my friend Shane and his daughter aboard the Aquastar excursion vessel at the…

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Eats & Drinks

Eats & Drinks