BBC Chartering’s LakerMax vessel BBC Genoa has become the first vessel within its class to complete the full Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Seaway transit, calling at the port of Duluth-Superior, USA.
The LakerMax vessels feature dual cranes with a tandem lift capacity of 500 tonnes and are among the widest and tallest vessels to navigate the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Seaway system. Their triple-deck construction helps maximise cargo capacity and flexibility.
Triple calling
On her transit to Duluth-Superior, BBC Genoa delivered several project cargo pieces from South Korea and China to the Duluth Cargo Connect multimodal logistics hub. The heaviest piece weighed roughly 63.5 tonnes and measured 121 ft (37 m) long. The cargo is destined for use in the energy sector in western Canada and will travel the final overland leg via Duluth’s purpose-built heavy haul road routes.
“Whilst operating globally, these vessels have been purpose-built to combine maximum lifting capability, cargo flexibility and environmental efficiency within the unique constraints of the Seaway System,” said Tim Kopfensteinerceo of BBC Chartering (USA). “Reaching the westernmost port demonstrates not only the vessel’s design strengths, but also our ongoing commitment to delivering complex project cargo solutions reliably and sustainably into the heart of North America.”
Nine days after BBC Genoa called, BBC Chartering’s newest LakerMax vessel, BBC Kolding, called at Duluth Cargo Connect as part of its maiden voyage – also carrying project cargo from China. Another LakerMax ship, BBC Singapore, also docked in Duluth with project cargo from Vietnam.
“More than half of Duluth-Superior’s cargo categories showed year-over-year gains through the opening months of the 2026 navigation season, with breakbulk and project cargo volume up 9 percent year over year through June,” said Kevin Beardsleyexecutive director, Duluth Seaway Port Authority. “Having three LakerMax arrivals within weeks of each other… reflects both the benefits of our Seaway System and the tailored service that makes our port advantageous for moving heavy and oversized cargo deep into the continent.”
