6/2005: Our friends at GLT move the Boblo-Boat Steamer Ste. Claire from Lorain to Windsor with Columbus as agents.

	5/2006: Columbus was proud to join Wagenborg Shipping North America on their 10th Anniversary of service to the Lakes.  Wagenborg operates a modern fleet of over 160 multi-size vessels, focusing on North-Western Europe, the Mediterranean and Trans-Atlantic routes.

6/2008: Columbus celebrates 40 years in business.  We were proud to recognize our Executive team of Bob & Paula Gierszal for 40 years of service.  Columbus was founded in 1968 at the Port of Erie, PA.  Thanks to our valued customers for your continued support of our Agency.

9/2008: Tug Harry Brautigam departs Cleveland for Honduras with Columbus as agents. The tug was built by Cleveland's Great Lakes Shipyard, the second of several 'HandySize' class tug projects underway at the Great Lakes Group.

11/2008: Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Freedom stops in Cleveland and Buffalo with Columbus as agents.  The fastest ship ever to transit the Lakes, the Freedom was built by Marinette Marine Shipyard in Wisconsin.

4/2009: Polsteam vessel MV Iryda honored at the Port of Cleveland as first ship of the 2009 season. Joined by Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, the vessel docked April 4 1030 hrs with Columbus as agents.

7/2009: Busy week for the Jumbo Shipping vessel MV Fairload.  Discharging transformers at the Seaway Terminal in Pt Huron, and first salty arrival at the Port of Erie with Columbus as agents.

United States Great Lakes Shipping Association elects Thomas Gierszal President

USGLSA: The United States Great Lakes Shipping Association, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, announced today that at the recently held Association Annual Meeting, Mr. Thomas Gierszal was named President, succeeding Dennis “Doc” Mahoney.  USGLSA is a trade association consisting of vessel agents which serve the marine industry at ports around the Great Lakes.

Born in Erie, Pa., Mr. Gierszal is a co-owner and Vice President of Operations of Columbus Shipping and Trading Agency, Inc., with offices in Westlake, Ohio.  He has been associated with Columbus for 16 years.  He earned a BA in business at Mercyhurst College, Erie, Pa., where he also was a member of Kappa Gamma Pi, National Catholic Honor Society.  

Columbus Shipping is a family operated company which has been in business for over 40 years, with beginnings first as Codan Corp, stevedores at the Port of Erie, Pa and is now run by the second generation of the family including Mr. Gierszal.  Mr. Gierszal is a member of the Board of Directors of the Propeller Club – Port of Cleveland and an active sponsor and spokesperson for international trade and shipping in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway System.

“We are pleased and honored that Tom would assume this important leadership position for our Association,” said Doc Mahoney, retiring President, who also remains on the USGLSA Board.

4/2010: Port of Cleveland CEO Peter Raskind presents MV Iryda Master Andrzej Kazmierski the award for first ship of the season at Cleveland.  The vessel docked April 4 at Federal Marine Terminal with Columbus as agents.

MARNIELINK: Port of Detroit’s Shipping Season Opens
Port of Detroit welcomed the arrival of the ocean going vessel, Fairload. The ship's arrival begins the Port of Detroit's 2010 shipping season.

"We are hopeful about this year's Great Lakes shipping season," said Steven Olinek, deputy director of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority (DWCPA) "Indicators show that shipping on the St. Lawrence Seaway is improving. This can positively impact the region's economy."

The Fairload, a Netherlands flagged vessel, set sail on April 1, 2010 from Aviles, Spain. The ship, 314 ft long with a 60-ft beam, sailed under the command of Captain D. Kobelev. Rotterdam, Netherlands is its home port. Olinek will present the coveted J.L. Hudson Trophy to Columbus Shipping & Trading Agency, Inc., the ship's agent.

Toledo Port: PORT AUTHORITY WELCOMES FIRST OVERSEAS FREIGHTER OF THE SEASON
The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority welcomes the first overseas freighter of the season with a traditional celebration that kicks off the 2010-shipping season for our region. The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority and Midwest Terminals of Toledo will present the Captain and crew of the M/V Kumano with welcoming gifts during the on-board ceremony. The M/V Kumano bears fertilizer from Norway and its arrival regionally signifies the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway System. The freighter will arrive in the Port of Toledo on Fri., April 16 and will be docked at Midwest Terminals of Toledo with Columbus as agents.

8/2010: PALLTIMES: SIGNIFICANT SHIPMENT
The Port of Oswego Tuesday successfully off-loaded its largest single delivery in the port's history, according to Port Authority Director Jonathan Daniels.  "At nearly 800,000 pounds, the transformer is the largest single pick ever accomplished at the Port of Oswego," Daniels said.  The Beluga Recognition, of St. John's, Antigua, hoists a replacement main generator step-up transformer at the East Terminal with Columbus as agents.

9/2010: Columbus Shipping was proud to join our friends at Polsteam USA and Polish Steamship Company, Szczecin to celebrate the maiden voyage of the Company's newest vessel, MV Miedwie at Cleveland.  The Miedwie is the first of 8 newbuilds for Polsteam, all Great Lakes fitted handy sized vessels.

10/2010: WTAM: Two million pound shipment.  Heavy load for the Port of Cleveland
The Port of Cleveland exports a two million pound machine on Sunday. The machine is designed to cut 3 inch thick by 86 inch wide steel, and was made by the Butech Bliss Company in Salem. Company vice president Anthony Nackino credits low shipping costs from the port of Cleveland for helping beat bids posted by overseas competitors.  “We’re very proud and excited about winning this job in a very high stakes bidding contest for one of the biggest machines of this type ever built,” says Nackino. “We were able to put together a competitive cost structure, which included all-water transportation from the Port of Cleveland that helped us to beat the European companies.”

It took over a year to construct the huge mill shear, using $9 million worth of materials from Ohio, and other parts of the U.S. The 2 million pound monstrosity is being shipped from the Port of Cleveland to the ArcelorMittal plant in Bremen, Germany.  Will Friedman, CEO of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority says “this shipment really drives home that industrial goods manufactured in Ohio are competitive globally and that the Port of Cleveland helps these firms drive down transport cost. We are very focused helping exporters reach global markets.”

The work is being coordinated by Federal Marine Terminals and will be handled by the International Longshoreman’s Association with Columbus as agents.

4/2011 AP News: Steel is unloaded from the Isolda at the Port of Cleveland on the shores of Lake Erie Wednesday, April 13 in Cleveland. The port officially opened it's international shipping season as the Isolda delivered 10,000 tons of steel coils from the Netherlands with Columbus as agents.

4/2011 ABC13: Toledo, OH (WTVG) -- It's a big day for the port of Toledo
The first overseas ship of the year is here and that's good news for the local economy. The Daniella is the first overseas freighter of the year to dock here in Toledo and it brings with it good news for the local economy. The arrival of the Daniella also marks the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway for our region. The Seaway links the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, which allows freighters from overseas like the Daniella to carry cargo in and out of the lakes.

Shipping is big business for the region. It creates hundreds of jobs and has an economic impact of hundreds of millions every year.

The captain and crew of the Daniella were given gifts from the Port Authority and Midwest Terminals, including Mud Hens jerseys. The Daniella unloaded equipment for the BP/Husky refinery expansion project in Oregon with Columbus as agents.

The Daniella left Toledo Monday afternoon continuing on its international voyage. The crew is now heading to Hamilton, Ontario.

The port authority's Paul Toth says, "We've got longshoreman that will be moving cargo and we can have 3-4-5 ships in port at the same time and then there are truckers moving the cargo in and out of the port. It's really about commerce and jobs."

6/2011 Congressman LaTourette visits Port of Cleveland: Columbus was proud to host US Congressman Steve LaTaourette (R) OH and staff onboard Polsteam's MV Miedwie at Cleveland June 7.  The Congressman is a strong supporter of Great Lakes Maritime, primary sponsor of HR 1533 promoting short sea shipping and co-sponsor of HR 104 HMT Trust Fund legislation in the house.

6/2011 Senator Portman visits MV Isolda: Columbus was proud to host US Senator Rob Portman (R) OH and staff on the Polsteam vessel ISOLDA at Cleveland June 16.  Joined by Will Freidman and Dave Gutheil from the Port, Stephen Wilkes from Tata Steel, and Ron Rasmus from Great Lakes Towing, enjoyed an excellent opportunity to share ideas on maritime commerce in the State of Ohio.

12/2011 Plain Dealer: Presses from the former Chrysler plant in Twinsburg are headed to China  CLEVELAND, Ohio--The giant presses that once stamped out hoods and door panels at Chrysler's Twinsburg plant are finding new homes -- and one of them is China.

The Gisele Scan, a 469-foot cargo ship docked at the Port of Cleveland, is taking on massive press sections and parts-filled containers for delivery to the Port of Xingang with Columbus as agents.

It's been slow going because of the weather and the need to carefully position the bulk cargo on board for a safe voyage, said David Gutheil, vice president for maritime and logistics at the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority.

The ship will sail eastward, Gutheil said, crossing the Atlantic Ocean and heading through the Suez Canal.

It makes sense that a Chinese company might scoop up some of the presses, said Paul Schroeder, assistant visiting professor of political science at Case Western Reserve University and an expert on China. The Chinese are often on the lookout for equipment deals when plants close in the United States, he said.

Plus, business is booming there.

"The auto industry in China is probably the strongest industry right now of any other in the country," Schroeder said. "And it's growing." And unlike much of what's made in China, the cars assembled there are primarily for the domestic market.

Some presses from the Twinsburg plant, closed during Chrysler's bankruptcy in 2009, were purchased by Cosma International, an operating unit of international auto parts supplier Magna International of Canada, according to Magna spokesman Scott Worden.
Worden would not disclose where that equipment is being sent.

Auction house Maynards Industries of Southfield, Mich., bought the plant equipment and re-sold it.