The Paul R. Tregurtha was last laker of season into Duluth (Duluth Shipping News)
The Duluth-Superior shipping season is officially over — this year earlier than usual despite an unusually warm December. The Seaway Port Authority’s Adele Yorde (uh-DEL YOR-dee) blames foreign steel dumping, which forced drops in pellet production and layoffs on the Iron Range. Yorde says it would really have been the year to “make hay,” but it didn’t happen because of economic conditions. She says it’s unfortunate because the last two winters were ice-laden, with ships not “breaking out” of their winter ports until April in some cases.