SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – Seaspan Shipyards has announced the award of Algoma Steel Inc. and Stigterstaal Canada as the primary steel plate suppliers for up to six multi-purpose icebreakers (MPI) for the Canadian Coast Guard. The new agreement, valued at about $182 million, establishes the supply of up to 24,000 metric tons of Canadian-made structural steel — 4,000 metric tons of steel plate per vessel — to support Seaspan’s construction of the CCG’s MPI vessels under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy. This agreement is the result of strong collaboration between Seaspan, Algoma and Stigterstaal, building upon the companies’ strategic partnership established in 2025 to further strengthen Canada’s domestic steel and marine manufacturing industries.

Today’s announcement reflects the companies’ shared commitment to strengthening Canada’s defence industrial base and building resilient domestic supply chains capable of supporting Canada’s long-term sovereign shipbuilding and Arctic security objectives.

As part of the largest order of polar-class steel in the mill’s history — which includes Seaspan’s flagship heavy polar icebreaker, the future CCGS Imnaryuaq — Algoma will produce structural steel for the MPI program, one of the biggest shipbuilding initiatives ever undertaken for the Canadian Coast Guard with up to 16 vessels on Seaspan’s orderbook.

Leveraging Stigterstaal’s expertise in marine steel processing and distribution, and Algoma’s strong reputation for producing high-quality sustainable Canadian steel, the two companies are creating certainty and long-term value for Canada’s marine and defence industries.

Designed in Canada by Seaspan’s world-class icebreaker design team, the Canadian Coast Guard’s multi-purpose icebreakers will operate year-round in Canada’s most demanding Arctic and offshore environments. Measuring approximately 100 metres in length with a displacement of nearly 9,000 tonnes, the ships will accommodate a crew of 50 personnel and feature advanced diesel-electric propulsion with Polar Class 4 (PC4) icebreaking capability. The vessels will provide the Canadian Coast Guard with enhanced icebreaking, search and rescue, environmental response and maritime sovereignty capabilities while supporting Canada’s presence in the North. All MPIs will be built in Canada at Seaspan Shipyards in British Columbia, ensuring the future of Canadian maritime defence is built by Canadian workers with Canadian steel.

This partnership with Algoma and Stigterstaal aligns with Seaspan’s broader efforts to increase the use of Canadian-made materials in shipbuilding under the NSS and foster collaboration across the country’s industrial base. Through the NSS, Seaspan is delivering tangible industrial and regional benefits to the marine industry across Canada boasting a supply chain that includes more than 880 Canadian companies resulting in more than $3 billion in contracts.

Seaspan has built a highly skilled workforce in Canada with the skillset needed to weld steel thick enough to go through Arctic ice. Using Canadian materials, Seaspan is sharpening Canada’s strength at sea equipping the Canadian Coast Guard with the next generation of polar icebreakers to keep Canada’s coastlines protected.

Soo Today

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CLEVELAND – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes increased 11.4 percent from last year to a total of 4.9 million tons.  Shipments were 1.5 percent above the month’s 5-year average. Year-to-date, the iron ore trade stands at 37.1 million tons, an increase of 3.5 percent compared to October 2025. Through October, iron ore loadings are 5.2 percent below their 5-year average.

Lake Carriers’ Association

CLEVELAND — U.S. shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes decreased 7.8 percent from 2025 to 2.95 million tons.  Limestone cargos were below the month’s 5-year average by 17.3 percent. Year-to-date, the limestone trade stands at 18.8 million tons, a decrease of 17.7 percent compared to last year and 22.4 percent below the month’s 5-year average.

Lake Carriers’ Association

TWO HARBORS, MN – An investigation is underway after a detached building that’s used as a gift shop for the Two Harbors Lighthouse went up in flames Monday evening. As of Tuesday morning, local authorities have yet to release information on the blaze, which likely broke out around 5:30 p.m. Officials with the Lake County Historical Society, which controls the lakeside property, told Northern News Now that no one was injured, but the damage to the building is significant.

“We were literally watching a piece of Lake County’s history go up in those flames,” Lake County Historical Society Vice President David Johnson said in an interview with the station.

It’s believed that the fire started in the breezeway between the gift shop and a connected structure, both of which are separate from the historic lighthouse. The Lake County Historical Society shared this statement: “We are incredibly grateful to the firefighters and first responders who have responded and are working to address the situation. Their time, dedication, and efforts are greatly appreciated.”

Bring Me The News

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – Nearly 196,000 people visited the Soo Locks Visitor Center the six months it was open from May 1 to Oct. 31. The center is located inside the Soo Locks Canal Park off Portage Avenue. While this number is down about 39,000 from last year, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chief Park Ranger Michelle Briggs says the six-month season was still a success. Brigg’s staff of five park rangers were kept busy providing many services.

“Rangers administered the water safety pledge to 1,735 people as of Sept. 30. People who took the pledge, who promised to be safe around the water, received water safety goody bags. Rangers also provided more than twenty talks for scheduled tour groups and for all visitors during lulls between ships.

In addition, Rangers also lead activities for nine school groups on field trips to the Soo Locks which included water safety themed activities for younger children and shipping related activities for older elementary school children,” Briggs stated.

Through September, Briggs also stated volunteers at the Visitor Center contributed more than 700 hours of their time helping with special events, working on the flower beds and answering visitor questions in the observation platform. Many took advantage of the remarkable mild autumn weather Saturday and witnessed several freighters pass through the Soo Locks, but also had the opportunity one last time to experience the extensive amount of information inside the Visitor Center.

Park Rangers made themselves available to answer questions throughout the day with visitors able to check out many exhibits. Ed Cook, who is in his third year as a park ranger, was working the final day Saturday. Cook is a life-long Sault Ste. Marie resident and has always loved the freighters.

Before this current park ranger position, he owned a grocery store/meat market. While at that profession, he talked to a lot of people which prepared him to converse with the tens of thousands of visitors each year.

“I didn’t know as much as I thought I knew when I got a job here because there’s so much more to the Soo Locks than I ever realized. It’s amazing how often people tell me they came here with no expectations, it was just something to knock off their bucket list and when they come here and experience it, how it excited they are to learn about it and how amazed they are about how important the Soo Locks are,” Cook said.

While the Soo Locks Visitor Center is closed until May 1, 2027, Soo Locks Canal Park remains open all year round.

SooLeader – Jim Lehocky

MUSKEGON, MI – After more than three months away from its home port, one of the most decorated American submarines of World War II has made its way back across Lake Michigan.

The USS Silversides (SS-236), a 312-foot Gato-class submarine that has been a landmark along the Muskegon Channel since 1987, departed Sturgeon Bay, Wis., Friday afternoon following a $3.5 million preservation project at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding. She arrived at Muskegon Saturday morning.

The journey marks the completion of the submarine’s first comprehensive dry dock preservation project since July 1954, a span of more than 72 years.

Unlike the wartime patrols that made it famous, Silversides is no longer capable of operating under its own power. The submarine was towed across Lake Michigan, much as it was when it departed Muskegon on July 13.

That departure was a memorable event for the hundreds of people who gathered along the Muskegon waterfront to watch the historic vessel leave its longtime berth.

A flotilla of recreational boats gathered along the Muskegon Channel as the submarine began its journey. The Muskegon County Sheriff’s Office provided an escort, complete with a ceremonial water salute, while boat horns sounded as Silversides slowly made its way into Lake Michigan.

The excursion vessel Aquastar, carrying more than 100 passengers, followed the convoy about two miles offshore, giving passengers an opportunity to watch as the submarine and its accompanying tugboats headed west toward Wisconsin.

It was an unusual sight on Lake Michigan: a World War II submarine underway more than eight decades after entering service.

The July voyage was handled by two tugboats operated by Basic Towing, Inc. of Escanaba: Nickelena and Erika Kobasic. The two tugs are handling its return as well.

By Rob Alway, Mason County Press

STURGEON BAY, WI – The World War II-era submarine USS Silversides, which has been  at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay for a major overhaul, left late Friday afternoon under tow headed back to her Muskegon home port. The submarine, which sank 23 enemy ships, underwent a $3.5 million preservation project to ensure its long-term stability. Doing tug work at the bow was Nickelena, built in 1973 for the US Navy, now works for Basic Marine Inc. At the stern was Erika Kobasic, built in 1939 for the US Coast Guard.

Rosann Hollinger

View a Facebook video here.

 

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LUDINGTON, MI – This unique opportunity for lighthouse lovers takes volunteers to premiere Lake Michigan destinations where they receive a free seven-night stay in exchange for sharing their love of the lights with visitors.

The nonprofit Lakeshore Keepers manages five lighthouses from Whitehall to Manistee, and they all need volunteer keepers from May to October.

Two of the lighthouses have onsite keepers residences – offering daily sunsets over the water and nightly stargazing – and two have lodging at Ludington State Park, where campsites are famously difficult to book. Volunteer applications are now open for 2027.

“Whether you’re a longtime lighthouse visitor or looking for a fun way to give back, we’d love to have you join us,” Lakeshore Keepers said in a recent newsletter. “Our volunteers welcome visitors, share lighthouse stories, support events, assist in gift shops, and more.”

Applicants can pick their preferred lighthouse and available weeks.

At Big Sable Point Lighthouse, volunteers stay onsite in the keepers’ dwelling at Ludington State Park; the iconic light with its 112-foot black-and-white tower stands on a sandy beach. Volunteers at the Ludington North Breakwater Light, at Stearns Park Beach in Ludington, also receive lodging at the state park. The White River Light Station in Whitehall is the other spot where volunteers stay in the lighthouse. For the Little Sable Point Lighthouse at Silver Lake State Park and Manistee North Pierhead Light at Fifth Avenue Beach, volunteers are stay at nearby homes. Photos and descriptions are provided in the video above.

Volunteers are scheduled to work six days a week for about eight hours per day and are responsible for welcoming guests, providing historical interpretation, selling tower climb tickets and gift shop merchandise, stocking merchandise, performing general household cleaning, and light grounds maintenance. Every volunteer receives video training prior to arrival and an on-site orientation.

In exchange, resident keepers receive a week or more of free lodging, free tower climbs at all Lakeshore Keepers’ lights during that season, and a discount on merchandise.

One caveat to becoming a volunteer resident keeper is that you must be a member. The membership tier that opens eligibility for the program costs $60 per year for one person or $100 for a couple. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and able to climb multiple stairs and walk a mile or more daily.

Read the story and view images here.
Complete information about the volunteer program is available

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