IMMEDIATE RELEASE               October 8, 2001

The Dutch-flag vessel Vancouverborg brought about 5,580 metric tons of evaporated salt for offloading at Cutler-Magner Company's Superior Dock on her maiden voyage to the Port of Duluth-Superior on October 8.

Commanded by Captain Koos Randsdorp, Heemstede, Netherlands, the new ship entered the Great Lakes Seaway System Wednesday (October 3), then traveled directly to the Cutler-Magner facility.

Upon removal of the salt, which is used for industrial and agricultural purposes, the vessel will shift to Duluth's General Mills elevator for about 8,700 metric tons of sugar beet pellets destined for La Coruna, Spain. The Vancouverborg is scheduled to depart Thursday (October 11) pending weather conditions. Local agent for the vessel is Guthrie-Hubner, Inc.

Delivered in June from Shipyards Bodewes Volharding Foxhol (Volharding Group), the Vancouverborg and her sister ship Virginiaborg-also launched in June and scheduled to enter the Great Lakes next week-are among 30 vessels in the 9,000-ton range that are part of a Wagenborg Shipping, Delfzijl, Netherlands, newbuilding program.

The company recently expanded its service into the Western Hemisphere, the Middle East and Asia with the new ships. Currently 27 of the vessels are in service, half of which trade in the Great Lakes. The Port of Duluth-Superior ranks as the second most called upon U.S. port (behind Philadelphia) by Wagenborg vessels with 18 visits in 2000.

"Wagenborg vessels currently move about 250,000 tons of cargo to and from the Lakes annually," said Jaap Teekman, director of Wagenborg's chartering department. "When the newbuilding program tops out at 30 ships, that total is projected to increase commensurately to 300,000 tons a year."

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CONTACT: Lisa Marciniak, Port Promotion Manager, Phone 218-727-8525

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