Vlieborg - Dutch Saltie Feeds the Horses

Here is the Duluth saltwater ship Vlieborg seen arriving in Superior, Wisconsin early on the evening of April 21, 2023. She was arriving to load beet pulp pellets at the Gavilon grain dock in Superior. She would depart four days later, exiting through the Duluth side of the harbor, bound for a European port to deliver her cargo. Beet pulp pellets are made from the leftovers after beets are extracted for their sugar content. The pellets are commonly used as feed for horses and cattle.

This was the second saltwater ship (or "saltie") to visit the Twin Ports during the 2023 shipping season. I am admittedly a fan of the Wagenborg ships, as they are often streamlined and have a distinctive inverted bow design. Interestingly, if you watch the shot that starts at 0:15 in the video, you can visibly see the Vlieborg gentle rocking from side to side. You might expect to see this rocking motion in heavier seas, but it is a little more surprising to see on flat, calm water. Perhaps the wind was hitting her side, which set up the rocking motion.

The 468-foot Vlieborg was built in 2012 and sails for Royal Wagenborg which is based out of Delfzijl in the Netherlands. She is a general cargo ship with a Finnish/Swedish Ice Class 1A ranking. She has two hatches which open into two cargo holds, allowing her to carry up to 7,400 tons of cargo or 504,000 cubic feet of grain. Her cargo holds have an electrical ventilation and dehumidifier system designed for carrying grain, which helps prevent spoilage over long trips. She is powered by one MAK 9M25C diesel engine which drives a single, variable pitch, CPP Berg Pitch Nozzle propeller.

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