Duluth, Minnesota

Duluth Ship Canal

A huge red ship passing under the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge.

The stern of a huge red ship passing between 2 lighthouses at the entrance of the Duluth Ship Canal.

A Classic red and green tugboat in the dark, passing under the lit-up Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge.

The bow section of the huge red ship Mesabi Miner passing through a narrow canal.

Duluth Ship Canal View

The Duluth Ship Canal offers spectacular close-up views from the North and South piers as the ships come through the narrow inlet and traditionally exchange a salute with the aerial lift bridge. The Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center is located on the North Pier.

Duluth Reels

730’ American Mariner exchanges a salute with the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge on the Duluth Ship Canal, before heading off onto Lake Superior in the dark of night. Duluth, Minnesota, August 03, 2025.

1,000’ Walter J. McCarthy Jr. quiet midnight arrival in Duluth, Minnesota. The white light flashing off the side of the ship is from the lighthouse on the south pier. The siren sound came from the engine room of the ship. August 05, 2025.

The BIGGEST ship on the Great Lakes, Paul R. Tregurtha gives and gets a salute at the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. August 04, 2025.

A very LOUD salute from the historic 98 year old tugboat Missouri, followed by an even LOUDER response from the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. Duluth, Minnesota, August 07, 2025.

Duluth Videos

Iron Giant Mesabi Miner Departs Duluth with a Crowd-Pleasing Salute!

1,004' Mesabi Miner (Interlake Steamship Company) passes under the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge with a crowd-pleasing salute, as she departs with a load of iron ore pellets. August 04, 2025.

Historic Tugboat Wakes Up Duluth with a LOUD Salute!

A loud salute exchanged at 2:30am between tugboat Missouri of the Great Lakes Towing Company and the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. The 88' long Missouri was built in 1927 at American Shipbuilding, in Lorain, Ohio, for the Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company, of Rogers City, Michigan. August 04, 2025.

The BIGGEST Ship on the Great Lakes Arrives in Duluth at 2:30AM

The biggest freighter on the Great Lakes, the 1,013.5' (308.9 m) Paul R. Tregurtha of the Interlake Steamship Company displays a beautiful array of lights, while quietly passing under the aerial lift bridge and into Duluth Harbor at 2:30AM. The green light and the flashing white light are from the lighthouses at the entrance of the Duluth Ship Canal reflecting off of the ship. August 04, 2025.

Historic U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sundew cruising into Duluth Harbor. This decommissioned 180' Iris Class C, Seagoing Bouy Tender was built in 1944, at Marine Iron and Shipbuilding, in Duluth, Minnesota. USCGC Sundew (WLB-404) served the U.S. Coast Guard for 60 years, where notably in 1958 on the icy waters of Lake Michigan, she and her crew rescued from a raft, the 2 exhausted and hypothermic survivors of the Carl D. Bradley sinking. She was retired from the Coast Guard in 2004 and after 5 years as a museum ship in Duluth, she was sold to a private owner in 2009. Recorded August 06, 2025.

New ferry boat Niigaan Enaazhek departs Duluth, Minnesota for the voyage home to the Georgian Bay on Lake Huron. Built at Fraser Shipyards in Superior, Wisconsin, she will ferry passengers, autos and other items to Christian Island, part of the Beausoleil First Nation, in Ontario, Canada. August 05, 2025.

Historic U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sundew Cruising into Duluth Harbor

New ferry boat Niigaan Enaazhek departs Duluth, Minnesota for the voyage home to Lake Huron

University of Minnesota Large Lakes Observatory research vessel, Blue Heron departs from Duluth, exchanging a loud salute with the aerial lift bridge, as the friendly crew stands on deck waving to onlookers. August 04, 2025.

1,000' Walter J. McCarthy Jr. exchanges a salute with the lift bridge, while departing Duluth, Minnesota. This huge lake freighter was built in 1977, at Bay Shipbuilding, in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. August 06, 2025.