IMMEDIATE RELEASE             January 10, 2003

Duluth, Minn., U.S.A.—The Port of Duluth-Superior's last outbound cargo vessel of the season occurred earlier than anticipated due to inclement weather.

Oglebay Norton Marine Services Company's Oglebay Norton departed under the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge at 3:55 a.m. today (January 10), while high winds and waves on Lake Superior caused American Steamship Company's American Republic-originally scheduled to become the Port's last outbound vessel January 13-to cancel her call.

The Oglebay Norton departed Duluth's Missabe & Iron Range Railway (DM&IR) taconite facility with about 56,960 metric tons of iron ore pellets destined for Toledo, Ohio. The American Republic, also scheduled to visit the DM&IR but now sheltered in White Fish Bay in eastern Lake Superior, will instead proceed to Cleveland, Ohio, for winter berthing.

The Port's final outbound cargo vessel last season was Bethlehem Steel Corporation's Stewart J. Cort on January 8.

With the Soo Locks closing at midnight January 15, the Port's last vessel movement of the 2002 season is scheduled the next day (January 16) with the arrival of Great Lakes Fleet, Inc.'s, Presque Isle. She will load 24,000 to 27,000 metric tons of iron ore
pellets in Two Harbors before arriving in Duluth Jan. 16 for winter berthing at Duluth's Clure Public Marine Terminal. That will bring the total number of vessels wintering in the Port to 15. The Soo Locks will open again on March 25.

The Marshall Islands-flag Lake Ontario brought the Port's 2002 St. Lawrence Seaway navigation season to a close with a December 17 departure from Duluth's AGP Grain Limited with about 10,000 metric tons of wheat and 15,000 tons of soybeans for Antwerp, Belgium.

The St. Lawrence Seaway system officially closed for the season at midnight on December 26. Its 2003 opening is scheduled for March 25.

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