Practically in the wake of the Prentiss Brown and St. Mary’s Challenger, the first grain shipment of 2025 arrived on June 4. The grain was delivered by the Saginaw, which is one our most regular visitors to the harbour these days.
The Saginaw carries a variety of cargoes on the Great Lakes, but when coming to Owen Sound, it’s always bringing one thing: grain. The grain is loaded in Thunder Bay, deposited in Owen Sound, and then shipped out by truck. The most common destination is the mill in Hanover.
The Saginaw is a traditionally built laker. It has two superstructures, with the pilothouse being found at the bow. The ship was launched in 1953, making it 72 years old this year. However, it has a feature that was uncommon for ships built in that decade: self-unloading gear. Most lakers built in the 1950s relied on shoreside equipment to unload their cargo. The Saginaw (or the John J. Boland, as it was originally named), was one of only a few built with the ability to unload itself.
