Cargo Ship on Lake Superior, Duluth, Minnesota

Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes by surface area and the world's largest freshwater lake by that measure, covering roughly 31,700 square miles. Duluth sits at its westernmost point, where the Duluth-Superior Harbor forms one of the busiest inland ports in the country, handling iron ore, coal, and grain shipped out through the St. Lawrence Seaway. Lake freighters like the one crossing the harbor here can run over 1,000 feet long, built specifically for the shallow drafts and long hauls of Great Lakes shipping. The port has operated since the 1870s, when Duluth's rise as a shipping hub was tied to the iron ranges of northern Minnesota.

Photo taken in October 2023.