CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Saint Lawrence Seaway opened for the new shipping season a little more than two weeks ago, but vestiges of a harsh winter linger.
Ice chunks have slowed traffic on the Seaway and created backups at the locks, delaying the Fortunagracht on itsmuch-anticipated sail into Cleveland.
The containerized Dutch freighter, nearing the end of a 4,000-mile sail from Antwerp, Belgium, was for a while expected to sail into Cleveland Harbor early Friday evening. It's now expected at about 4 a.m. Saturday.
"It lost maybe half a day because of ice on the Seaway," said David Gutheil, the port's vice president for maritime and logistics.
The 12,500-ton vessel passed through the Welland Canal from Lake Ontario this morning and was steaming across Lake Erie Friday afternoon. You can follow its progress at marinetracker.com.
Mindful that many would like to see the Fortunagracht, the lead ship in the Cleveland-Europe Express, the port is creating a viewing opportunity Saturday. It will open the West Ninth Street gate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., allowing people to walk down the ramp into the port for a better view of the ship as it unloads.
The gate is at the water end of West Ninth Street in the Warehouse District, just above the East Bank of the Flats in downtown Cleveland.