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Keep building
Carver Companies towboat Erin Elizabeth brought hopper barges down the North River in the final days of August, traveling from Coeymans to the harbor. They passed West New York where new construction continues seemingly without end.
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As old as Stonehenge?
Coral Coast, Dann Marine’s 55-year-old 3,000 HP tug, brought a light cement transporter barge up the North River in the final week of August, heading back to the cement plant in Coeymans after discharging at the terminal in Bayonne. The cylindrical 34-story building at the top of the Bergen Hill in the background is the Stonehenge Building of North Bergen. Just slightly older than the tug, Stonehenge was built in 1967 when the shoreline below was still industrial buildings and rail yards. A week later, as of Wednesday morning, Coral is on the way back to Coeymans once again having departed the Flushing Bay cement terminal at sunrise.
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Under new management
The tug Mary Kay came up the North River last week, passing Palisades Hospital in North Bergen, heading for Albany and arriving from Norfolk. The tug still wears Moran maroon colors but with no “M” and, according to tugboatinformation .com this 1975 vintage former Turecamo/Moran tug once known as the Mary M. Coppedge was acquired by New York State Marine Highway this year so perhaps heading for her new base.
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Holiday weekend
The tug Henry Girls of Henry Marine Service Inc. left the Gateway cofferdam worksite Friday afternoon ahead of the holiday weekend, heading for base on Staten Island. Happy Labor Day to all!
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Leaving town
Saint Emilion with A87 on the wire heading for the Delaware River on August 23 Southbound tugs on the North River with barges on the wire are usually heading out of town, and that was the case for Hudson River regular Saint Emilion with the barge A87 last weekend, and, a few days later, Genesis Vision with GM 8001. The Saint was heading for a terminal on the Delaware River (South River to the old Dutch) and I believe returned a few days later with a cargo loaded there for Albany. Vision was I believe heading for Boston and the barge may perhaps have been partly loaded.
Genesis Vision with GM 8001 on the wire heading for Boston on August 28 This morning (Sunday), the Saint is back on the North River Albany-bound in the notch as we more typically see her. They passed Poling & Cutler colleagues aboard Kimberly Poling returning from up there and heading for the Kills as well as the anchored B. Franklin Reinauer and a flotilla of Canada geese. Vision is off Fire Island, returning to the harbor from Boston.
Saint Emilion and A87 back on the North River on August 31 
The Saint prepares to pass B. Franklin Reinauer at anchor and Kimberly Poling on one whistle. -
Load it up, move it out
Heavy lift cargo vessel BBC Rushmore came up the North River Thursday bound for the Port of Albany. She will either be delivering some project cargo there or possibly loading GE equipment for export.
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Looking for a New England
The Janice Ann Reinauer/RTC 103 ATB was southbound on the North River Wednesday evening, with the barge loaded and bound for Providence. We usually assume New England-bound tank barge cargos loaded in Albany are ethanol brought from the Midwest by rail as that is the main liquid fuel cargo which moves south on the river rather than north. However, other products are also possible—we don’t know for sure. As of Friday morning, Janice Ann is moored at fuel pier in East Providence.
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Getting scrap
Shelter Island, a 650-foot Hong Kong-flagged bulk ship, came up the North River early Wednesday heading for Albany after first calling at the bulk wharf at Port Newark. Her voyage began in Chile and she may have delivered salt in Newark or perhaps loaded scrap metal there (or both?). In Albany she has docked at Sims Metal and will likely be loading scrap metal there for export.
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Fuel delivery with a helper
The Vane Brothers tug Red Hook arrived at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal Wednesday morning with a bunkering barge for refueling Norwegian Aqua. Metropolitan Marine’s Pegasus was on hand to assist. Aqua arrived well-before sunrise, returning from Bermuda, and is set to leave later in the day for the same destination.
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More weight
Norfolk Tug’s George Holland passed Weehawken with a light hopper barge on the hip last week, heading to Clinton Point to collect a stone cargo. They were approaching the point where the channel is squeezed by the Gateway Tunnel coffer dam, coordinating with the pilot of an outbound cruise ship on the other side. As of today Tuesday morning, George is again on the way up to Clinton Point having completed a delivery at the Tilcon dock on the Hempstead Bay side of Port Washington the day before.
Observations on the Hudson River as it passes through New York City. The section of the Hudson which passes through New York is historically known as the North River, called this by the Dutch to distinguish it from the Delaware River, which they knew as the South River. This stretch of the Hudson is still often referred to as the North River by local mariners today. All photos copyright Daniel Katzive unless otherwise attributed. For more frequent updates, please follow northriverblog on Facebook or Instagram.
North River Notes 