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Winter Ice. Tight Margins and a Ticking Clock: Can All Ships Clear the Seaway Before Jan. 5?
Relentless ice exposes winter limits
With unyielding thick ice in the South Shore Canal/Côte-Sainte-Catherine corridor this past week, winter is once again exposing how narrow the operating margins are on the St. Lawrence Seaway. During the regular navigation season locks rely on Hands-Free Mooring (HFM) systems that use vacuum pads to secure vessels. In winter HFM often cannot be used due to ice accretion on the ship’s hull. This prevents a proper seal with the HFM units. Ships must therefore revert to traditional line handling. This in turn, often slows lock operations – before ice conditions are even factored in.
When ship size meets winter reality.
The larger issue is vessel size versus lock dimensions. Seaway locks are 24.4m (80’) wide and 233.5m (766’) long. Many modern vessels are built extremely close to that maximum beam. Ships like Frontenac are 22.86m wide (75’) while vessels such as Baie Comeau are just under 24m wide (78’). In open water, that clearance is manageable. In winter ice conditions, it becomes a serious operational challenge.
How ice reduces usable lock space.
As a ship enters a lock in icy conditions, it physically pushes ice into the chamber. That ice collects between the lock walls and the ship’s hull. This effectively narrows the usable width of the lock. When there isn’t enough clearance left for the vessel to enter the lock chamber due to ice buildup, the ship must back out and start the process over again. In that case, an ice lockage may be required.
What an “ice lockage” really means.
An ice lockage is used specifically to clear ice. The lock is cycled to flush ice out of the chamber or to clear ice buildup on the opposite side before the vessel can attempt entry again. In the best-case scenario, a ship may require a single ice lockage per lock cycle and perhaps more depending on the severity of the ice. If ice continues to form or enter the locks the effective useable width can narrow to below 24.4m (80’), making passage even more difficult—or temporarily impossible.
The downside of SeawayMax ships in winter
Modern SeawayMax vessels are affected the most. When lakers of yesteryear were closer to 22,86m (75’) or narrower, ice accumulation in the locks was far less of an issue. There was more wiggle room along the sides of the ship for ice chunks and slush to be pushed and flushed through during a lockage. With today’s maximum-beam vessels, that buffer space is all but eliminated. Even small accumulations can stop a transit.
Why delays spread so quickly as January 5 approaches.
The result is unavoidable delays. Each ice lockage occupies a chamber and waiting ships must wait some more. Traffic can back up very quickly. With the Seaway scheduled to close January 5th, the calendar is now as much a factor as the ice itself. Whether all vessels—including longer runs between Montreal and ports like Hamilton—can complete their voyages before that date will depend on how quickly ice conditions improve or whether operating timelines are adjusted.
[Janey Anderson – Ship Junkies – Lakes, Locks & Rivers (LL&R)]
