In the midst of global trade war, first saltie of the season arrives at Port of Duluth-Superior

DULUTH – The first ocean-going vessel of the shipping season emerged from the fog, passed through rolling waves in the canal and beneath the Aerial Lift Bridge Monday morning, marking this region’s “annual triumph over winter,” as the port’s spokesman described it.

Federal Nagara, with Captain R.C. Sanjeewa and a crew of 23, left from Germany’s Port of Bremen in late March with a load of machinery routed for the Red River Valley to be used in the sugar beet refining process. In turn, beet pulp pellets, high-protein animal feed, are shipped from here to places around the world.

Federal Nagara crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the St. Lawrence Seaway and made a stop in Quebec before navigating through the Great Lakes. It was greeted by just a handful of ship-watchers, who stood in the cold rain to record the ship’s passage.

“The first ocean-going vessel of the season reinforces the importance of global trade to the Port of Duluth Superior — indeed that global trade is very much a part of our life’s blood," Port Authority executive director Deb DeLuca said during a ceremony to mark the arrival.

Anything that affects global trade affects the local port, DeLuca said. President Donald Trump’s imposed and stalled tariffs and fees have made it hard for port officials to know what’s ahead for this shipping season and beyond.

“We’ve been actively advocating for our port and our region, and we’ve seen some positive indications,” DeLuca said in an email.

Last week, Trump revised a proposal that owners of Chinese shipping companies and Chinese-made ships would pay fees to dock in the United States — lessening the amount of the fees for larger companies and eliminating fees for small companies, according to the New York Times.

This, DeLuca said, is an improvement over the initial proposal for Great Lakes ports.

This port sees about 800 vessels a year and 35 million short tons of maritime cargo annually, 55% of it iron ore. Other cargo includes coal, limestone and grain.

On the Iron Range, Cleveland-Cliffs — which is the largest producer of flat-rolled steel — has announced plans to temporarily idle Hibbing Taconite Co. and Minorca Mine in Virginia. The plant pellets are used in manufacturing automobiles, and tariffs have caused uncertainty in that global industry Cleveland Cliffs expects 600 steelworkers to be affected.

By late Monday morning, Federal Nagara at the Clure Public Marine Terminal, where Sanjeewa was loaded down with Twin Ports themed gifts — a dark roast from Duluth Coffee Company, a Duluth flag, a bag from Duluth Pack and a Duluth Superior Port Authority winter hat, which he immediately put on his head.

The captain, navigating into the local port for the first time, said he had no idea he was in for such fanfare.

It’s a tradition here to recognize the first oceangoing vessel of the season, which includes an annual contest to guess the date and time of the arrival. This year there were more than 4,000 entries and the winner was just 38 seconds off the Federal Naraga’s official arrival time of 6:05:22 a.m.

The saltie Federal Yoshino arrived in Duluth April 8, but it had only traveled in from Thunder Bay. The true first oceangoing vessel must travel through the whole seaway system. Last year’s season for salties ran until Federal Biscay left Dec. 29, 2024 with a load of duram wheat and headed for north Africa.

Federal Nagara edged out three other ships bound for the Port of Duluth-Superior this week, the Eeborg, Asian Spirit and Barbro G, which was first saltie when it arrived here April 1, 2024. The earliest arrive on record was the Federal Dart in 2023; The latest: Diana on May 7, 2014, according to the port authority.

Sign up for the Minnesota Star Tribune’s North Report, covering Duluth and northeastern Minnesota.