42nd Annual First Ship Contest
Birds chirping. Snow thawing. Groundhogs emerging. There are many signs of spring across the country. In Duluth, it’s when the season’s first oceangoing vessel, known as a “saltie,” enters the city’s harbor. Begone ice! The ships are coming in.
To celebrate the occasion, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and Visit Duluth are partnering for the 42nd Annual First Ship Contest. Correctly guess when the season’s first saltie sails into our seaport and you could win an epic prize package of Duluth goods and experiences. The second-place winner will also receive a prize package. See contest rules for complete packages and details.
Prize package highlights include:
- Bentleyville USA gift package valued at $150
- Duluth Huskies baseball hat valued at $25
- 2 Glensheen Mansion Classic Tour passes valued at $60
- 2 tickets for the Northshore Scenic Railroad valued at $50
- $50 gift certificate for Grandma’s Saloon & Grill
- One-night stay at Canal Park Lodge valued at $150
Runner up highlights include:
- Duluth Seaway Port Authority gift package valued at $75
- Duluth Harbor Monsters gift package valued at $50
- Duluth Huskies bobblehead valued at $15
- 2 passes to the Great Lakes Aquarium valued at $60
- Visit Duluth gift package valued at $50
- A $50 restaurant gift certificate
- One-night stay at South Pier Inn valued at $130
What’s Your Guess?
The Barbro G was the first saltie to reach Duluth in 2024, arriving April 1 at 11:44 a.m. The winner of last year’s contest was one of 7,610 entries in the contest. All online entries must be received by March 16th, 2025 at 11:59 PM CST. Complete the form below and submit your guess for your chance to win!
The submission window for this year’s contest has ended.
Please check back in February of 2026.
2025 First Ship Contest Winners
This year’s first saltie made quite the entrance! The Federal Nagara, sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands, arrived in Duluth at 6:05:22 a.m. on Monday, April 14, 2025, delivering massive sugarbeet manufacturing equipment from Germany. At 200 meters long and weighing in with cargo as heavy as 60,000 pounds per piece, this Fednav carrier’s arrival marked the official start of the 2025 shipping season.
Kristi Osheim took home first place in this year’s First Ship contest, with an astounding guess of 6:06 a.m. — just 38 seconds off the ship’s arrival time! The runner-up was Joe Latimer, who also submitted one of the 8,000 entries received this year.
The Federal Nagara was welcomed with fanfare at the annual First Ship Ceremony, hosted at Duluth’s Clure Public Marine Terminal. This year’s event was particularly meaningful as it marked the final First Ship ceremony for Deb DeLuca, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, who is set to retire in May after making history as the Port’s first female director.
From German machinery to North Dakota’s Red River Valley — and right back again as livestock feed — this ship’s journey is a great reminder that even cargo has a round-trip story. Congratulations to our winners, and thank you to everyone who joined the fun this year!
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