June 26, 20231 yr On 6/23/2023 at 10:31 PM, cadmen said: I think this is one of those underrated business opportunities. 10,000 visitors (and growing) is nothing to sneeze at. Getting some of them into your little shop or restaurant could be the difference between staying open or closing. I know we have various tourism organizations promoting downtown but l wonder how much they actually work with local businesses to help them grab some of those customers? I'm sure they talk with the cruise operators but if they don't already they need to reach out to downtown business owners too and help connect the dots. 10,000 visitors over an entire cruise season, with scheduled outings and meals provided on the boat. Don't get me wrong, it's cool to have them, and someone will make some money off them. But for the majority of businesses even just within Downtown it will be a drop in the bucket. For businesses right next to the terminal it could be a little shot in the arm, though. I can tell you when I took my Alaska cruise that once you walked more than 3-4 blocks from the cruise terminal its like there's no ship at all in terms of pedestrian traffic- and that was with multiple ships much larger than what we're getting in dock at the same time. Might have been 5-10,000 cruiser passengers in a port at a time, in a much smaller town.
June 26, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, X said: 10,000 visitors over an entire cruise season, with scheduled outings and meals provided on the boat. Don't get me wrong, it's cool to have them, and someone will make some money off them. But for the majority of businesses even just within Downtown it will be a drop in the bucket. For businesses right next to the terminal it could be a little shot in the arm, though. I can tell you when I took my Alaska cruise that once you walked more than 3-4 blocks from the cruise terminal its like there's no ship at all in terms of pedestrian traffic- and that was with multiple ships much larger than what we're getting in dock at the same time. Might have been 5-10,000 cruiser passengers in a port at a time, in a much smaller town. Ya. I mean the real win is a handful of people who may have never come here possibly planning a trip to come back or they tell their friends and it snowballs from there.
June 26, 20231 yr Not that it's going to happen but l think if the cruise ships had a dock in the Flats plus immigration, passengers could just walk off a boat and be right in the heart of the Flats scene, boardwalk and all. As it is they disembark onto sort of a void. Nothing there except maybe some kind of transport to some destination. Would really be cool if they could leave immigration and have bars and restaurants waiting. If that was the setup l think the passengers and Flats establishments would be much happier. Oh well.
September 26, 20231 yr An interesting comment in the story that was not elaborated on in any way caught my eye---the bolding is mine: "This summer marked the arrival of three new cruise lines that added Cleveland to their list of stops, including Viking with their massive six-story, 665-foot Polaris that first arrived in June. When we saw it Labor Day weekend, it was one of two cruise ships in town that day, and this past weekend, for the first time, it was one of actually three here at once on Saturday, followed Sunday by a cruise ship from Germany." Was this is a one-off or is there a cruise trip now one can take from Germany that crosses the Atlantic and stops in Cleveland? Anyone have more information about this little detail? Here's the full story: https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/clevelands-busy-summer-as-a-growing-stop-for-great-lakes-cruise-ships-continues-into-the-fall
September 26, 20231 yr 18 minutes ago, DinaB said: Was this is a one-off or is there a cruise trip now one can take from Germany that crosses the Atlantic and stops in Cleveland? Anyone have more information about this little detail? Here's the full story: https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/clevelands-busy-summer-as-a-growing-stop-for-great-lakes-cruise-ships-continues-into-the-fall The Great Lakes cruise ships all go somewhere else in the winter, so you CAN get a ride on their in-and-out voyages. These usually involve the east coast of the US. My wife and I took an October end-of-the-season American Queen cruise from Montreal to Boston via Canadian Maritimes ports. The cargo ships, especially Polsteam Line, do offer Cleveland-European trips; but they are more Spartan than the cruise lines and their schedules are not exact. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
September 26, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, Dougal said: The Great Lakes cruise ships all go somewhere else in the winter, so you CAN get a ride on their in-and-out voyages. These usually involve the east coast of the US. My wife and I took an October end-of-the-season American Queen cruise from Montreal to Boston via Canadian Maritimes ports. The cargo ships, especially Polsteam Line, do offer Cleveland-European trips; but they are more Spartan than the cruise lines and their schedules are not exact. That's good to know, thanks. Upon further digging, the German cruises were not end of year trips but scheduled cruises: https://thepointsguy.com/news/cleveland-cruise-boom-tauck-viking/ "In one of the quirkiest ship arrivals that Cleveland has seen in some time, a German cruise ship full of Germans is scheduled to make a rare appearance in the city later this month and again in October. The 394-passenger Hamburg is operated by the German cruise brand Plantours and is known for taking German travelers to far-flung places around the world."
September 26, 20231 yr Here’s the YouTube link: https://youtu.be/b_ScvkrVNEU Edited September 26, 20231 yr by MuRrAy HiLL
September 27, 20231 yr 11 minutes ago, urb-a-saurus said: Tauck tour, today. Passengers were being picked up by charter buses. ex Great catch
September 29, 20231 yr Last Saturday driving on 90 l saw a massive ship that appeared to be off of Burke. I knew Great Lakes cruising was picking up but the size if these ships is pretty amazing. If the lakefront ever gets built out like we hope just imagine visitors debarking right onto a functioning recreational area with museums, restaurants and a park. Welcome to Cleveland!
October 2, 20231 yr Boaty McBoatface spotted in Cleveland harbor. https://x.com/adayintheslife/status/1708879755683025341?s=61&t=8m6OVkUD6kdclFnJD1n_Lg When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
October 26, 20231 yr Port of Cleveland urges U.S., Canada to help bring quick end to St. Lawrence Seaway strike Crain's Staff October 25th 2023 "The Port of Cleveland has sent letters to government officials in the U.S. and Canada urging them to help bring a quick resolution to a strike by hundreds of Canadian workers that has halted work along the St. Lawrence Seaway, a major maritime trade route between Montreal and the Great Lakes. “This shutdown is a matter of grave concern for us and numerous local businesses, given its substantial economic ramifications,” wrote Will Friedman, president and CEO of the port, in letters to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and to Canada’s ministersof labor and transportation. In the letter to Buttigieg, he added, “Immediate intervention is imperative to avert an escalating economic catastrophe.” The Seaway facilitates the movement of about 550,000 metric tons of cargo to and from the port." https://www.crainscleveland.com/politics-policy/port-cleveland-wants-governments-help-end-st-lawrence-seaway-strike
October 26, 20231 yr A friend of mine was making an appearance at her downtown office and reports that a littoral combat ship was in port. Probably refueling going to or coming from Duluth, where they are built. Edited October 26, 20231 yr by E Rocc
October 26, 20231 yr 1 minute ago, E Rocc said: A friend of mine was making an appearance at her downtown office and reports that a littorial combat ship was in port. Probably refueling going to or coming from Duluth, where they are built. I have a friend of mine who's now an officer in the Navy... I'm sure this is unrelated, but he's heard that a few NEO ports are being considered as a designated naval repair port. I can't really speak to the military rationale, but apparently the consideration is due to the 1) relative safety of the waters, 2) ease of access, and 3) costs of East coast ports
October 26, 20231 yr 19 minutes ago, YABO713 said: I have a friend of mine who's now an officer in the Navy... I'm sure this is unrelated, but he's heard that a few NEO ports are being considered as a designated naval repair port. I can't really speak to the military rationale, but apparently the consideration is due to the 1) relative safety of the waters, 2) ease of access, and 3) costs of East coast ports Wasn't Lorain making a play at this?
October 26, 20231 yr It’s the USS Marinette https://news.usni.org/2023/10/25/uss-marinette-stuck-in-lake-erie-as-st-lawrence-seaway-workers-strike Built in Marinette, WI
October 26, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, E Rocc said: A friend of mine was making an appearance at her downtown office and reports that a littoral combat ship was in port. Probably refueling going to or coming from Duluth, where they are built. Confirmed. Looked to be a small guided missle frigate or destroyer docked just to the west of Browns stadium. I saw it on Sunday I believe.
October 26, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, Luke_S said: Wasn't Lorain making a play at this? There was an off-the-wall idea of overhauling nuclear submarines in Lorain that went nowhere; but I believe the USN is still looking at the potential value of doing component overhauls at Great Lakes facilities. Great Lakes Towing in Cleveland, for example, is very well qualified. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
October 27, 20231 yr In short, alot of the DOD contracted shipyards shutdown under the BRAC closings in the 90s/00s. The end result is a deficient number of shipyards to maintain/new build/repair ships for not just the Navy, but the Coast Guard, ARMY, and Military Sealift Command. Much of the routine ship maintenance needed just to keep current ships operational is delayed by years due to this shortfall, let alone any new builds and unforeseen maintenance. It truly is a matter of National Security, especially with the ever increasing threat of the south china seas. The Lorain idea came from a former Navy Officer who knows this as well. While the Subs was a long shot due to our shallow lake, he knows its probably what currently has the most congressional funding lined up and was trying to get a piece of the pie. Regardless, the need is drastic and the Pentagon is in big push for reopening the old “mom and pop” ship yards with contract awards, so I can see somr form of shipbuilding returning to the Great Lakes in the near term
October 27, 20231 yr Not sure if anything will come of it but even a small facility would be great. It would add diversity to our port, a few bucks to the local economy and just some additional life. I would love to see it happen.
October 27, 20231 yr Where would this go though? And how many ships would we be talking? I don't disagree that this would be a good diversification for the port, and CLE economy more generally, but we are currently in the process of reclaiming the lakefront for public use and I imagine Naval repair docks would have a pretty large footprint.
October 27, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, Luke_S said: Where would this go though? And how many ships would we be talking? I don't disagree that this would be a good diversification for the port, and CLE economy more generally, but we are currently in the process of reclaiming the lakefront for public use and I imagine Naval repair docks would have a pretty large footprint. Despite the physical possibility, I don't think Cleveland or the Lakes will get USN ships to overhaul. The Navy will remember the Marinette being trapped in Cleveland and the Little Rock trapped in Montreal. But components (big hunks of machinery like winches, generators, pumps, etc.) and easily-transportable boats are a good possibility. Lots of that workload wouldn't have to be on the waterfront. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
October 27, 20231 yr 10 minutes ago, Dougal said: Despite the physical possibility, I don't think Cleveland or the Lakes will get USN ships to overhaul. The Navy will remember the Marinette being trapped in Cleveland and the Little Rock trapped in Montreal. But components (big hunks of machinery like winches, generators, pumps, etc.) and easily-transportable boats are a good possibility. Lots of that workload wouldn't have to be on the waterfront. But we are talking about long-term overhauls, not in-service, active-duty missions where a ship may have to be called away at a moment's notice. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 27, 20231 yr 55 minutes ago, KJP said: But we are talking about long-term overhauls, not in-service, active-duty missions where a ship may have to be called away at a moment's notice. Even so, if someone can disable the locks, your ship will be a prisoner for years. I don't think the USN wants that risk. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
October 27, 20231 yr Years? "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 27, 20231 yr 55 minutes ago, KJP said: Years? 🤷♂️ Well, more than one year if a few of the gates were warped by an explosion. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
October 30, 20231 yr Looks like the seaway has reopened. Canadian workers reach deal to end strike that shut down Great Lakes shipping artery By The Associated Press Published October 30, 2023 "MINNEAPOLIS — A deal was reached Sunday to end a week-long strike that had shut down a major shipping artery in the Great Lakes, halting the flow of grain and other goods from the U.S. and Canada. Around 360 workers in Ontario and Quebec with Unifor, Canada's largest private-sector union, walked out Oct. 22 in a dispute over wages with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. Seaway Management said ships will start moving again when employees return to work at 7 a.m. Monday." https://www.ideastream.org/2023-10-30/canadian-workers-reach-deal-to-end-strike-that-shut-down-great-lakes-shipping-artery Edited October 30, 20231 yr by Luke_S
October 30, 20231 yr Alright, so l'm not an expert on shipping plus I'm a CLE homer but one of my favorite things about our location is the lake and having access to the world's oceans through the Seaway. I love the recent increase in lake cruising. Adding container shipping is also great but the best thing would be increasing the size of the locks so the entire Great Lakes could be open to larger "salties" thereby enabling our ports to tap into a greater share of that trade. Imagine seeing the port really alive with larger ships, sailors visiting and spending money. A thriving port is something Columbus doesn't have and would be a feather in our cap.
December 11, 20231 yr Based on the beating that the Prospect and especially Huron bridges take from trucks going above Tower City Center, how about a new centralized location for a bulk/aggregates shipping terminal that combines lake shipping, highway and rail located somewhere away from the central business district to spare the CBD, Tower City and the CMHA Riverview Estates from heavy trucks? How above reviving the idea of a new port island in Lake Erie? "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 11, 20231 yr 1 hour ago, KJP said: Based on the beating that the Prospect and especially Huron bridges take from trucks going above Tower City Center, how about a new centralized location for a bulk/aggregates shipping terminal that combines lake shipping, highway and rail located somewhere away from the central business district to spare the CBD, Tower City and the CMHA Riverview Estates from heavy trucks? How above reviving the idea of a new port island in Lake Erie? I've always favored getting rid of Burke, and turning the eastern end of Burke into that port facility.
February 10, 20241 yr A press release rewrite Port of Cleveland OKs $32M in site upgrades By Ken Prendergast / February 10, 2024 Cleveland’s international water port took a significant stride this week toward the future as its board approved the allocation of $32.1 million in federal and state grants to help rehabilitate and modernize a key warehouse and upgrade electrical infrastructure at its General Cargo Terminal. This strategic move will ensure ongoing efficiency of port facilities and prepare the port for upcoming electrification efforts. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2024/02/10/port-of-cleveland-oks-32m-in-site-upgrades/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 11, 20241 yr ^ "A press release rewrite" And a much better job. I have to say I did like the photo of the oleo oil tanker discharging into ALL THOSE RAIL CARS. I had no idea that much liquid cargo was involved. https://media.bizj.us/view/img/12687464/clevelandportaerial*900xx5782-3259-0-595.jpg Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
February 12, 20241 yr Thank you for the article on the Port. I understand that compared to the major coastal ports we are small potatoes but expanding shipping options here as well as the entire Great Lakes is an underrated componant of the Midwest economy. One of the things that puts a smile on my face is seeing a couple of salties docked at the same time. Our Port is something that set's us apart from that juggernaught building in Columbus.
April 6, 20241 yr Are there any UO members that are knowledgeable on the maritime industry? I've noticed over the last week multiple ships anchored off the Port of Cleveland, which is something I've never noticed in the past. For instance yesterday there were two ships about a mile off the mouth of the river. American Courage was one of them, and is still out there. Any idea why they are parking out there for so long? Are they waiting their turn to get up the river?
April 6, 20241 yr American Courage was due to be in port at the Cleveland Bulk Terminal on April 3. Perhaps because of construction work there (including the removal of the Huletts), the ship handling capacity has been limited? https://www.portofcleveland.com/maritime-logistics/tools/vessel-arrival-schedule/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 6, 20241 yr 2 minutes ago, KJP said: American Courage was due to be in port at the Cleveland Bulk Terminal on April 3. Perhaps because of construction work there (including the removal of the Huletts), the ship handling capacity has been limited? https://www.portofcleveland.com/maritime-logistics/tools/vessel-arrival-schedule/ Yeah it looks like she was due there several times over the past few days. I think she does ferry runs from Lorain or something? But if parked off the harbor the last two days the schedule must be really backed up. PS--thanks for that port schedule site--didn't know it existed!
May 27, 20241 yr Cruise season has started! From the Facebook Cleveland Streets group: When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
May 27, 20241 yr Welcome to Cleveland, cruise ship capital of Ohio. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 7, 20241 yr Limestone shipments are soaring on the Great Lakes as infrastructure spending surges DAN SHINGLER June 07, 2024 Quote [Limestone] from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and other points north goes into nearly all of the cement and some other products that make the roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructure and construction projects the nation depends on. The Cleveland-based Lake Carriers’ Association reported that shipments across the Great Lakes were up by more than a third, 33.9%, for the month of May compared with the like month a year ago. Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.9 million tons in May, the association reported Thursday, June 6. That figure was above the month’s five-year average for the month by 6 percentage points. https://www.crainscleveland.com/manufacturing/infrastructure-spending-boosts-great-lakes-limestone-shipments
June 13, 20241 yr Lots of projects in here for Cleveland, Mayfield Heights, etc Port finances Cleveland, Mayfield apartments & more By Ken Prendergast / June 13, 2024 Two major, multi-family residential projects, one in Cleveland and the other in Mayfield Heights, got their financing packages approved today by the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority. About $47 million in revenue bonds were approved for the two projects which represent a combined investment of $65 million. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2024/06/13/port-finances-cleveland-mayfield-apartments-more/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 15, 2024Jul 15 Cleveland Port’s bulk terminal gets $5M for rehab By Ken Prendergast / July 15, 2024 Last month, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority awarded nearly $1 million for design work to reconstruct the iron ore conveyor system at the Cleveland Bulk Terminal on Whiskey Island. This month, the Port of Cleveland got a big chunk of the funding necessary to carry out the reconstruction work over the next two years. MORE: https://neo-trans.blog/2024/07/15/cleveland-ports-bulk-terminal-gets-5m-for-rehab/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 21, 2024Aug 21 https://www.cleveland.com/travel/2024/08/cruise-stops-in-cleveland-will-double-in-2025-with-return-of-victory-ships.html
October 7, 2024Oct 7 Look what is parked today north of Browns' stadium. I admit I did a double take. There were also a military looking ship and two "Federal" freighters.
October 7, 2024Oct 7 1 hour ago, urb-a-saurus said: Look what is parked today north of Browns' stadium. I admit I did a double take. There were also a military looking ship and two "Federal" freighters. Beautiful sight! If only our lakefront was more exciting at that dock. off to Niagara Falls tomorrow: https://www.cruisemapper.com/ships/Viking-Octantis-1805
October 8, 2024Oct 8 On 10/7/2024 at 12:08 PM, urb-a-saurus said: Look what is parked today north of Browns' stadium. I admit I did a double take. There were also a military looking ship and two "Federal" freighters. Here is the answer on the military-looking ship: CLEVELAND, Ohio – This city on the lake has become a regular port of call for the U.S. Navy. Its most recent visitor, the USS Nantucket, sailed into Cleveland Harbor Monday morning and is expected to remain dockside until Friday. https://www.cleveland.com/news/2024/10/why-is-a-navy-combat-ship-docked-at-the-port-of-cleveland.html?utm_campaign=clevelanddotcom_sf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawFyOfNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHWmNueEQFf5MzpvRlSxG2_7_YhBxO9NRyXe9YCpUGeV7mcXw2WsNO00PNQ_aem_MYRA_U0CwGhN-2qm6nHGRA
October 8, 2024Oct 8 23 hours ago, Willo said: Beautiful sight! If only our lakefront was more exciting at that dock. off to Niagara Falls tomorrow: https://www.cruisemapper.com/ships/Viking-Octantis-1805 LOL, maybe they could repurpose part of the Burke (BKL) terminal as a cruise/ferry terminal. The infrastructure is there. Is the channel deep enough?
October 8, 2024Oct 8 42 minutes ago, urb-a-saurus said: LOL, maybe they could repurpose part of the Burke (BKL) terminal as a cruise/ferry terminal. The infrastructure is there. Is the channel deep enough? It's likely deep enough but would require significant investment. What would require minimal investment and would make the Port of Cleveland memorable for passengers is to use my idea of rafting off the Mather as our cruise ship terminal. The only investment would be some pilings and handicap access through the Mather's hull. And the European operators of these cruises are very familiar with this as they do it with their river cruises daily. As a part of the port fee, every cruise ship passenger would get a ticket to tour the entire Mather museum as well. This experience would certainly make it a one-of-a-kind on the great lakes, or anywhere else.
October 8, 2024Oct 8 2 hours ago, Cleburger said: Here is the answer on the military-looking ship: CLEVELAND, Ohio – This city on the lake has become a regular port of call for the U.S. Navy. Its most recent visitor, the USS Nantucket, sailed into Cleveland Harbor Monday morning and is expected to remain dockside until Friday. https://www.cleveland.com/news/2024/10/why-is-a-navy-combat-ship-docked-at-the-port-of-cleveland.html?utm_campaign=clevelanddotcom_sf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawFyOfNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHWmNueEQFf5MzpvRlSxG2_7_YhBxO9NRyXe9YCpUGeV7mcXw2WsNO00PNQ_aem_MYRA_U0CwGhN-2qm6nHGRA I thought it was generally known at this point that Marinette in Wisconsin is building a lot of smaller ships for the Navy.
October 8, 2024Oct 8 2 hours ago, E Rocc said: I thought it was generally known at this point that Marinette in Wisconsin is building a lot of smaller ships for the Navy. I believe it's been brought up on this very site a few times during the discussion about the proposed Lorain submarine repair facility?
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