BBC Chartering LakerMax vessels mark back-to-back milestones at Port of Duluth-Superior

The oceangoing vessel BBC Genoa became the first of BBC Chartering’s LakerMax class to complete a full transit of the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Seaway System, calling June 3 at the Port of Duluth-Superior, the System’s westernmost port and North America’s farthest-inland seaport.

Ranking among the widest, tallest and most capable heavy-lift vessels to navigate the Seaway System, LakerMax ships feature dual cranes with a combined tandem lift capacity of 500 metric tons. Distinctive triple-deck construction helps maximize cargo capacity and flexibility, while cutting per-ton emissions by 30 percent compared to previous Seaway-capable ships from BBC Chartering. BBC Genoa is one of 12 LakerMax vessels currently in service, with three more on order.

“The successful transit of BBC Genoa to Duluth-Superior marks an operational milestone for our LakerMax fleet,” said Tim Kopfensteiner, CEO of BBC Chartering (USA) in Houston. BBC Chartering is headquartered in Leer, Germany. “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. 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.”

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 70 short tons (63.5 metric tons) and measured 121 feet (37 meters) in length. The energy-sector cargo is destined for use in western Canada and will travel the final overland leg via Duluth’s purpose-built heavy haul road routes.

That June call preceded a second milestone: BBC Kolding, the newest LakerMax vessel, completing her maiden voyage with a July 12 call at the Duluth Cargo Connect facilities. Named after the Danish seaport city where BBC Chartering also maintains an office, BBC Kolding carried project cargo from China to Duluth. In between the BBC Genoa and BBC Kolding arrivals, 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 Beardsley, executive director, Duluth Seaway Port Authority. “Having three LakerMax arrivals within weeks of each other — including one completing the first full Seaway transit of its class and another finishing her maiden voyage — 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.”