DULUTH — Under cloudy skies with temperatures in the 40s, the James R. Barker departed Duluth-Superior on Thursday morning.

The large laker left at 9:51 a.m. with a load of iron ore and is headed to Toledo, Ohio, with an estimated arrival of 4 a.m. Sunday, according to marinetraffic.com.

While traveling toward the Aerial Lift Bridge, the ship’s crew had a daytime view of Bayfront Festival Park and the Bentleyville decorations. The 2025 Bentleyville season is scheduled to begin Saturday, Nov. 22.

Built in 1976 by the American Ship Building Company at Lorain, Ohio, the James R. Barker is 1,004 feet in length, 105 feet in width, 50 feet in depth and has a carrying capacity of 63,300 gross tons. The ship is part of the Interlake Steamship Company’s fleet.

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