First oceangoing ship of the season expected to arrive Tuesday

DULUTH, MN. (Northern News Now) - The season’s first oceangoing vessel is almost to Duluth’s Port.

According to the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, the celebrated First Ship of 2023 is expected to arrive late Tuesday afternoon under Duluth’s Aerial Lift Bridge.

The Marshall Islands-flagged “Federal Dart” is carrying a load of cement from Turkey.

The ship is scheduled to enter the Port of Duluth-Superior and proceed to the CRH/Ash Grove cement terminal on Rice’s Point in Duluth for unloading.

If the “Federal Dart” arrives before Thursday, it will set the record for the port’s earliest arriving oceangoing vessel.

The previous mark was set by another Fednav ship, the “Federal Hunter,” on March 30, 2013.

When the ship arrives, it will also determine the winner of the grand prize from Visit Duluth and Duluth Seaway Port Authority for its annual “First Ship Contest.”

You are able to track the ships progress across Lake Superior here.