IMMEDIATE RELEASE             January 14, 2005

Duluth, Minn., U.S.A.—The Port of Duluth-Superior’s last outbound cargo vessel of the season down bound through the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., is expected to depart today (January 14), while in-lake vessel traffic is scheduled to continue into next week.

Burns Harbor Inc.’s Stewart J. Cort is tentatively scheduled to depart at 10 p.m. from Superior’s Burlington Northern Santa Fe taconite facility with about 55,000 tons of iron ore destined for Burns Harbor, Ind. The vessel will exit the Port via its Superior piers. The Soo Locks officially close to vessel traffic at midnight on January 15, and will open again to spring vessel traffic March 25.

Interlake Steamship Company’s James R. Barker is expected to arrive January 16 at Superior’s Midwest Energy Resources company for about 58,000 tons of coal for Presque Isle, Mich. The Barker’s scheduled departure January 17 via the Duluth piers would mark the Port’s last outbound cargo for an in-lake destination. The Barker is scheduled to return to Duluth January 19 for winter berthing. Key Lakes Inc./GLF’s John G. Munson is also scheduled to arrive January 19 for wintering here, and the arrival of these two vessels would mark the Port of Duluth-Superior’s last vessel movements of the season. A total of 11 vessels are expected to winter in the Port.

The Port’s final outbound cargo vessel last year was Lower Lakes Towing, Ltd.’s Saginaw, which departed January 21 from Superior’s Burlington Northern Santa Fe taconite facility with about 16,000 metric tons of iron ore pellets destined for Nanticoke, Ont. Last season there was a one-time extension of the Soo Locks closing date to January 25.

The Port’s last ocean vessel this season, the Gibraltar-flagged Ostkap, departed December 17 from Duluth’s AGP Grain Limited with about 6,800 metric tons of wheat destined for Northern Europe. The Montreal Lake Ontario section of the St. Lawrence Seaway System saw its last vessel traffic December 30, and the Welland Canal section of the System closed December 31. The St. Lawrence Seaway System’s 2005 season reopening is scheduled for late March.

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

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