Since taking a trip to the Soo Locks in Sault Ste Marie as a teenager, Michael Moran has been fascinated with commercial shipping vessels. Just one trip to the 150+ year old National Historic landmark instilled a passion in him that he would eventually use to educate and intrigue the people around him. His interest led to him joining the Coast Guard in 2005, where he was able to board commercial ships, become familiar with how they operate, and learn the tracking technology they use. A veteran of the Coast Guard since 2008, Michael used his GI Bill towards college to become an Emergency Department Technician and Unit Clerk, where he has been employed at Spectrum Health Lakeland since 2008.
On his off-days from the ER, you could see him driving back and forth across the Blossomland Bridge checking the harbor for activity, or sitting somewhere near the docks taking photographs. Eventually, Automatic Identification System technology, the same technology used by the Coast Guard, was released as a smartphone app. Being able to hold this technology in the palm of his hand allowed Michael to further his exploration into the shipping world. He would occasionally post his harbor findings on his personal Facebook page, accumulating quite a bit of feedback from friends and followers. By happenstance, Michael was present for Reith-Riley’s first vessel arrival after their purchase of Central Dock, and this sparked a friendship with their dock manager. Daily, he received shipping updates and made new contacts, which paved the way for the completion of his Transportation Worker Identification Credentials, allowing him unescorted access to maritime vessels and facilities.
630 foot freighter, “Calumet”, arriving at Rieth-Riley Construction’s Central Dock 7/31/2021
Photo by Michael Moran
The popularity of his social media posts inspired him to start the St. Joseph And Benton Harbor Shipping News Facebook group in October of 2020, and it has since grown to over 3,200 members. By the 2021 shipping season, Michael was in contact with three local docks, and frequently spoke with captains and crews of various vessels. He started the ever-popular Donut Delivery tradition, where he personally takes dozens of treats to the crew onboard whichever vessel is docked in our area. He also gained local media attention when he assisted in the partial crew change aboard the Manitowoc freighter, with the help of Blue Water Boat Rentals, as the river currents were extremely dangerous and forced them to anchor offshore for nearly one week. Every Monday morning, you can read his Weekly Harbor Report, a compilation of the previous and upcoming weeks’ harbor activity and information. You can also find a complete list of all arrivals and departures on the group page.
Michael Moran has become our local go-to guy for shipping news, and he offers many insights on how you can get involved. If you’re interested in just watching the ships, “You can get great views from both piers, from the Arboretum, and, if you are going to the inner harbor, go just past the Blossomland Bridge or the areas around the Inn at Harbor Shores,” Michael states. There are multiple apps that allow you to track the vessels, or you can visit websites like ais.boatnerd.com. If you are interested in joining the Coast Guard, he recommends contacting a recruiter, and checking out their website to find one closest to you. Michael adds, “If anyone has any questions about shipping, I invite them to check out our group on Facebook and to post them there. I personally don’t know all of the answers, but we have captains, crew members, and dock personnel who are proud of their respective jobs and who can fill in details.”
Michael Moran in front of Motor Vessel Mississagi, on her last-ever trip to our harbor before her retirement, 11/20/2020
Photo by Michael Moran
By Jocelyne Tuszynski, MOTM Contributor
