Great Lakes water levels continue to drop: Lake Superior lost 1 trillion gallons last month

We are in the seasonal decline of the Great Lakes water levels. Two lakes have fallen so much they are approaching the average water level.

There is a seasonality to the Great Lakes water levels. If the weather conditions are near normal, Great Lakes water levels are usually at their highest around July. The water levels decline from August through March, and then rise from March to July.

The loss of water in December is therefore to be expected.

Lake Superior declined 2 inches from November 30, 2022 to December 30, 2022. This is a fairly typical amount of water decline for December. It represents what sounds like a bunch of water: one inch of water on Lake Superior equally 550 billion gallons of water. About 1 trillion gallons of water left Lake Superior either through outflow into Lakes Michigan and Huron, or evaporation. In winter, the precipitation amounts decline in the colder air. A loss of water level basically comes down to more water flowing out and evaporating than falling as precipitation. Also, the precipitation is mostly snow in December, which doesn’t make it as water into Lake Superior until the spring snowmelt.

Lakes Michigan and Huron are one big lake when it comes to determining lake water levels. Lakes Michigan and Huron also declined 2 inches in December. Again, while this is a big number with gallons of water, it is an average water loss for December. Those two lakes now have 1.6 trillion gallons less water than they did on November 30. Much of the world would rejoice to have a trillion gallons of fresh water. It’s a drop in the bucket for us here in Michigan.

Read the full story here:https://www.mlive.com/weather/2023/01/great-lakes-water-levels-continue-to-drop-lake-superior-lost-1-trillion-gallons-last-month.html?fbclid=IwAR1QIozAxnnaKvWTLvVU9sq_zw59zW7hSyzasn-HnglnKFPP-eT-hltP3Xo

MLive

New Tall Ship will be coming to Grand Traverse Bay to sail the Great Lakes

There will be a new tall ship sailing the Great Lakes this year, and it will soon be heading to its new home in Northern Michigan.

The Inland Seas Education Association made the big announcement to its supporters, they’ve acquired a new vessel. The schooner “Alliance” will be joining the fleet on West Grand Traverse Bay. “It’s a perfect fit for an addition to our fleet, and it’s going to allow us to reach more people throughout the Great Lakes and offer our programs at different ports throughout the Great Lakes,” says ISEA Associate Director Juliana Lisuk.

It’s not a replacement, but an addition to the Schooner “Inland Seas” already in use. “Over the past few years, our programs have been expanding to be over our capacity of what we can offer with a single schooner.  So we’ve kind of been thinking about expanding our fleet for a while and keeping our eye out for the perfect ship. And this ship Alliance became available this past fall,” Lisuk says.

The three masts of the “Alliance” top out at 105-feet tall. The group says they’ll be able to expand their educational offerings.

“We take students and the general public out onto the Great Lakes to teach them about Great Lakes ecology and create a connection with why our Great Lakes are so important and so beautiful. So we’ll be using it to offer our science programing, both for schools around the Great Lakes, public programs in partnership with universities and colleges,” Lisuk says. “One of our goals is that this will allow us to have a bigger presence here in our local community. When we’ve had one ship, when it’s gone, we don’t have a boat here to provide programing for people. And so this will allow us to both be reaching other ports across the Great Lakes, as well as providing more program in the Grand Traverse region.”

The Alliance will be moving from its current home in Virginia to northern Michigan this June.

“This spring, alliance will be making a grand journey home to her new home in the Great Lakes. And we’ll be going through the whole St. Lawrence Seaway and through Lake Ontario and Lake Erie and Lake Huron. And coming back to Suttons Bay by the end of June,” Lisuk says.

Inland Seas has already hired another captain for the vessel and plans to make additional hires for the summer season as they add programs and opportunities.

“We will be expanding our staff to be able to have capacity to run programs on two ships. So we’ve hired a second full time captain and we’ll be hiring a mate and a deckhand and another educator to help us be able to have more programs happening at the same time,” Lisuk adds. “Overnight programing, public sails and some of our other partners with universities, we’re hoping to do those programs on the ship this summer. We’ll be testing out different needs and figuring out what needs to be adjusted for a new boat. And then next summer (2024) we hope to have her fully working for the whole season, but we will be using her in July and August and September (2023).”

9 & 10 news

Boatnerd winter lay-up list now active

Please send us your lay-up information

With vessels now heading for winter lay-up, please send any information – including date of arrival and dock, if known – about your port to news@boatnerd.net.

Michigan maritime: Ports set to grow economy throughout the state

MONROE, Mich. – A new law that gives the state’s 32 ports tools to expand and grow the maritime economy started out as a community project for a handful of University of Michigan students.

U-M students first worked with the Port of Monroe in 2012 and over the next decade would make the case for investing in ports around the state to increase container and industrial shipments, which is expected to lead to job creation.

The Maritime and Port Facility Assistance Grant Program Act, which Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed in July, sets up an office in the Michigan Department of Transportation to oversee the grants. It puts the Great Lakes state ports in line for federal grant dollars that neighboring states have enjoyed for years.

The Port of Monroe, Michigan’s only Lake Erie port, received $5 million in state funding this summer, which helped it to leverage an $11 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation in November. The funding will help it build a container cargo scanning facility and a riverfront wharf for vessel transfer of wind energy cargos and other improvements.

Read more at this link: https://impact.govrel.umich.edu/ports-grow-michigan-economy/?fbclid=IwAR0sTD8Pn9NnERlJ3idToM3COYvCD-td_xqbRO2sb—A2A_YgmTk75YkrQ

Investigation ongoing into capsized barge in Conneaut harbor

CONNEAUT, Oh. – An investigation is ongoing into the barge that capsized in Conneaut harbor on Dec. 23.

Coast Guard spokesperson William Kelley said the Coast Guard was notified at 2:07 p.m. on Dec. 23 that a barge carrying an excavator and tug boat and had broken loose from its mooring at the Pittsburgh and Conneaut dock. The barge capsized and floated down Conneaut Creek, he said.

“The barge was recovered, the tug has not yet been recovered,” Kelley said. “They’re still trying to find it, whether it’s sunken, or free-floating somewhere in Lake Erie.” Both the tug and the barge had fuel onboard, but no spills have been reported as of yet, he said.

The owner of the barge is responsible for taking ownership of the barge and the tug, once the tug has been found, Kelley said.

“The Marine Safety Unit, Cleveland, they would investigate this as a reportable marine casualty, and perform a causal analysis and determine exactly what happened,” Kelley said. Investigations typically take a few weeks to a month, depending on the case, he said. The results of those investigations are typically not released to the public.

Any boater who sees the tug is encouraged to inform the Coast Guard immediately.

Kelley said the Coast Guard cannot say one way or the other whether the tug sank or has floated out into Lake Erie. That investigation is in process.

Canadian National, parent company of the Pittsburgh and Conneaut Dock company, declined to comment for this story.

Ashtabula Star Beacon

Line 5 study: Ice makes oil spills harder to detect, easier to contain

LANSING, Mich. – What happens if oil spills under ice in freshwater? That question is particularly relevant in the Straits of Mackinac, where the 645-mile long Line 5 pipeline crosses from the Upper Peninsula to the Lower on its way to Sarnia, Ontario, Canada.

“People imagine that the risk is greater with a spill under ice, but there’s actually a lot of cases in which it might be helped by ice,” said Douglas Bessette, the lead author of a 2021 study in the Journal of Great Lakes Research that examined that problem.

There hasn’t been much attention paid to oil’s behavior in icy, freshwater conditions, so the study explored that, said Bessette.

It also surveyed the public to gauge their perception of risks posed by a petroleum pipeline that crosses under the Straits of Mackinac — a major shipping channel — located between Michigan’s Upper and Lower peninsulas.

The ice can contain the oil, making for an easier cleanup — but it’s harder to detect, the researchers said.

The study was prompted when a freighter’s anchor struck and dented the pipeline in 2018.

It’s operated by Enbridge, a Canadian natural gas company, and most of the petroleum products it moves are just cutting through the state on their way to Canada, said Stephen Hamilton, a professor of ecosystem ecology and biogeochemistry at Michigan State University.

About 30% of the oil Line 5 carries goes to Michigan, Ryan Duffy, an Enbridge communications and media relations strategist, wrote in an email. By 2063, there’s a 1 in 60 chance of the pipeline failing, the study said.

Over half of the Michigan residents surveyed for the study reported that they were extremely concerned about an oil spill at the straits. Most preferred that the almost 70-year-old pipeline be shut down. Michigan aims to be carbon neutral by 2050, and environmentalists say the pipeline isn’t aligned with that goal.

Read more at this Sault News link: https://www.sooeveningnews.com/story/news/environment/2023/01/05/ice-makes-oil-spills-harder-to-detect-easier-to-contain/69774405007/?utm_source=sooeveningnews-DailyBriefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=hero&utm_content=NSLT-MICHIGAN-SAULTSAINTMARIE-NLETTER65

Sault awards Carbide dock, Easterday Avenue project bids after several years

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Sault Ste. Marie City Commission has awarded construction bids for the Carbide dock and Easterday Avenue construction projects after several years.

At the Jan. 3 meeting, commissioners officially awarded the bids to Roen Salvage Company, a Wisconsin firm, in the amount of $21,793,000 to complete the Carbide dock, and Bacco Construction Company, a Michigan firm, in the amount of $10,676,514.55, for the truck route.

In 2017, the commission approved the dock rehabilitation project and Easterday truck route project. The projects will make all parts of the dock usable, as currently the portions of the dock closest to the water are in disrepair.

The projects will replace approximately 1,100 linear feet of the existing condemned dock structure to create a working waterfront. There will also be several updates to the dock, including secure storage areas, improved stormwater management facilities, and a critical connection from the Easterday Avenue truck route to the riverfront.

The Carbide dock and Easterday Avenue projects have been worked on for several years by the city, and over the years the price of the work has increased drastically.

“I hope everyone has a smile on their face as this passes after seven years of consideration,” said Mayor Don Gerrie at the city commission meeting on Jan. 3. “This project has outlived multiple city engineers and city managers.”

For the past several years, the city commission has worked to bring in new grants, and cut costs where it is possible so the project could be bid out.

“We’re only expecting construction costs to continue to increase,” said city manager Brian Chapman at the commission meeting on Jan. 3. “This gives us the ability to lock in the prices so we won’t have to rebid later,”

In 2019, the city was awarded a $20.7 million USDOT BUILD grant for both projects, but the lowest bid for completing the project was $37.5 million, meaning the city had to come up with at least $14.5 million before the projects could begin.

In fall 2022, the project was rebid again. This time the low bid was $32.2 million, leaving a funding gap of $9.3 million. These bids were approved with a phased approach because costs were only expected to increase, and officials said the project is too important to delay any longer.

The city has stated that an extra $14.4 million in funding for these bids will become available through grants and other funding sources by the end of March 2023.

Sault News

Obituary:  Kenneth Donald Michelson

Kenneth Donald Michelson of East China Township, Mich., passed away peacefully at the Medi-Lodge of St. Clair on January 3 at the age of 89.

Ken’s primary interest was the ships of the Great Lakes and their steam whistles. He was truly an expert of the ships built in the twentieth century, with his favorites being the older coal-fired bulk freighters. He maintained meticulous, accurate records on their design and engineering. He was a long-time member of several maritime historical societies on the Great Lakes. Other interests were steam whistles, theatre pipe organs, family genealogy, collecting books, photographs and sound recordings.

Born on February 21, 1933 in Detroit, Michigan to Earl George Michelson and Elaine Julia (Dewey) Michelson, he was raised in Detroit and later in Marine City. From an early age, Ken had had the fine gift of drawing and lettering and used these skills to illustrate the world around him. Upon graduation from Marine City High School in 1950, he attended Port Huron Junior College (now St. Clair County Community College). In 1953, he joined the United States Army and was deployed in Korea in 1954 and 1955 as an artillery spotting and communications specialist on the front lines.

Upon his honorable discharge in 1956, Ken began a career as an architectural draftsman working for at least three prominent firms in Detroit, Marysville and Port Huron over the next 37 years. His work on the drafting board can be seen in numerous area public buildings, churches and schools.

Ken never married, remaining a bachelor his entire life. However, he remained close to his immediate family. He was always willing to share his knowledge and interests to the younger members of the family. Upon his retirement in 1992, Ken devoted his time to his home and hobbies.

He is survived by his brother Daniel, his nephew David (Diane) Michelson of New Baltimore, nieces Barbara (Gary) Schaible of Chesterfield, Virginia and Nancy (John) Bresnahan of Macomb, MI, great nephew Daniel (Jennifer) Michelson of Traverse City, MI, and great nieces Dorian (Adam) Axiak of Plymouth, MI, Emily (Ryan) Trapp of Richmond, VA, Julie (Brian) Wright of Midlothian, VA., great-great nephews Andrew Michelson, Adrian Axiak, and Matthew Wright, and great-great niece Nora Michelson.

He is pre-deceased by his parents Earl and Elaine Michelson, and brothers Earl and Robert Michelson.

A private graveside service with be held on Saturday January 7, 2023 at 11:00 am at Rosehill Cemetery on Puttygut Road in East China Township. Arrangements are being handled through Young Colonial Chapel Funeral Home of St. Clair, Michigan. To leave a message of comfort visit www.youngcolonial.com

Multiple agencies working to maintain tug Michigan sinking at Port of Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE, Wisc. – Multiple agencies are working to maintain a tug boat that is sinking in the Port of Milwaukee.

The U.S. Coast Guard said tug Michigan started to sink in the Port of Milwaukee on Monday this week. The Coast Guard said watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan were notified by the National Response Center that the boat was sinking in 26 feet of water.

Crews from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Port Milwaukee, and The U.S. Coast Guard have been working diligently to offload water from the vessel in hopes it will become buoyant again on its own.

The Coast Guard said the boat is carrying 40,000 gallons of oil and fuel on board. As of Wednesday, the Coast Guard said there is no pollution and they have deployed safety measures for containment.

“It has deployed booms, it deployed absorbents to make sure that if there is some pollution it is being contained,” Coast Guard LTJG Phillip Gurtler said. “That has been in the forefront of our minds as we have been de-watering and conducting salvage.”

The next steps are to continue offloading water and then send a dive team down to check for damage to the boat. Once the team surveys the damage, they will have a better idea on how long it might take to repair.

Spectrum News

View a video at this link: https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2023/01/04/multiple-agencies-working-to-maintain-tow-boat-sinking-in-port-of-milwaukee#

Tug Michigan sinks 26 feet at Port of Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE, WI – The towing vessel Michigan sank in the waters of the Port of Milwaukee in the Kinnickinnic River on Monday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard said in a statement that around 11:30 a.m., the 112′ tug and barge began taking on water at its mooring. The boat eventually sank 26 feet into the water.

The agency confirmed the vessel was “not actively polluting.” The boat can hold a maximum of 40,000 gallons of oil and fuel. Crews deployed 100 feet of hard boom with absorption material to prevent any leaking. Capt. Seth Parker, the commander of Sector Lake Michigan, said in the statement that the Coast Guard’s focus is on the sinking’s impact on the environment and “potential waterway impacts.”

The owner of the boat is U.S. Venture, and the tug is paired with the tank barge Great Lakes. They have contracted a marine salvage company to remove the sunken vessel.

View photos here: https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/tug-boat-sinks-26-feet-into-port-of-milwaukee?fbclid=IwAR1hpvFx31N7TVps74XDBZcFR4sqGvw_ckfX2zaGg6cX-PK4y4nwyoGaDIg

Onego Traveller sinks in the Bahamas: Visited the Great Lakes in 2022

Onego Traveller, a general cargo ship registered in Antigua and Barbuda that was built in 2002, reportedly began taking on water in the ballast water tank area near Hole in the Wall, located in South Abaco, in the Bahamas, on Thursday.

The vessel was carrying 12 crew members onboard along with other cargo such as steel products and heavy fuel and marine gas oil before it sank. The crew members were evacuated from the ship.

The vessel last visited the Great Lakes in May 22. According to Know Your Ships, the vessel is owned by Reederei Drevin Gmbh & Co., Cuxhaven, Germany and chartered to Onego Shipping.

In a statement released Friday, the Ministry of Transport and Housing confirmed that a meeting with members of the National Oil Spill Contingency Advisory Committee (NOSCAC) was held to discuss the way forward.

The meeting was chaired by the ministry’s acting Permanent Secretary Gaynell Rolle who spoke with representatives from the Department of Environmental Health Services, the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection, the Bahamas Maritime Authority and the Port Department.

“The ministry has been advised that there is no extensive pressure on the fuel holding tanks. However, Ferix and heavy fuel oil have been observed on the water’s surface. Ferix is a slightly corrosive chemical used for water treatment and fertiliser,” according to the statement.

“The public is being advised that measures are being taken to address the incident, which includes the deployment of ocean booms and efforts to seal leaking fuel vents by divers. A skimmer boat is enroute to the site.”

Read more and see a video at this link: http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jan/01/onego-traveller-clean-crews-assist-oil-remediation/?fbclid=IwAR1lQj_uW-x0RxLRSoU5V8EUd4KXfouBeqAucoJk4Ms360Qqz1zioQjpv5E

MSC Donata first saltie of the year at Montreal

Congratulations to this year winner of the Gold-Headed Cane. Singh Ranjit Kumar, captain of the Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s MSC Donata, was first ocean-going vessel to cross the Port of Montreal downstream limits at Sorel, Sunday at 00:05.

Port of Montreal

Port Huron Marine / Rail Mart scheduled for Jan. 28 canceled

From the organizers: We regret to announce that we are canceling the Marine / Rail Mart scheduled for Saturday January 28th in Port Huron, Mi. A combination of circumstances and lack of vendors has brought us to this decision. Thank you to those that did contact us. We will be in touch individually. Our Summer Marine Mart in Port Huron on Saturday June 10th will proceed as planned.

Happy New Year from Boatnerd

Boatnerd wishes all our readers a very happy and successful 2022. Thank you for your support.

Thank you to our reporters!

A big three long and two short goes out to all who send news to this page or contribute to the Port Reports, among them Joshua Hebeisen, Jack Hurt, Scott Bjorklund, Gordy Garris, Todd Shorkey, Arthur Pickering, Rene Beauchamp, Ron Beaupre, Rod Burdick, Bruce Douglas, Stephen Sostaric, Bill Kloss, Barry Andersen, Ron Walsh, MKE Marine Reports, Brian R Wroblewski, Tyler Fairfield, Port of Monroe, Bill Van Appledorn, Capt. Mike Nicholls, Fred A. Tijan, Jeremy Whitman, Gary A. Putney, Brendan Falkowski, Marc Dease, Tom Brewer, Graham Grattan, Sam Hankinson, Matt Miner, Denny Dushane, Ken Borg, Bill Bird, Al Miller, Steve Horton, Roger LeLievre and anyone else we’ve inadvertently left off this list, including those who wish to remain anonymous. It is the contributions of all these volunteers, and many others, that make Boatnerd possible.

We are always seeking contributions to this page from readers around the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. If you see news in your area or want to offer your observations of vessel arrivals and departures, please send to news@boatnerd.net. If you spot an interesting shipping-related story in your local news, please take a moment to forward a link so that we may share it with our audience. Thank you!

Only 2 more salties left in Seaway

December 31, at around 7:30 a.m., there were only two ocean-going ships left in the Seaway, the Strandja and the Tufty, which will be the last of the two to leave today. The last downbound vessel of the year would be the laker G3 Marquis for Port Cartier and the last upbound the laker Kaministiqua for Sarnia today. No ship to report for tomorrow January 1st to my knowledge.

Rene Beauchamp

Great Lakes pilotage groups defend proposed rate increases

U.S. Coast Guard has proposed a 5.78 percent increase for Great Lakes pilotage rates for the 2023 shipping season.

The new rate structure would raise shipping costs by about $4.5 million over 2022, or about 14 percent, according to a Coast Guard estimate.

Shipping industry representatives expressed concern over the steady rise in rates over the past decade. They describe Great Lakes pilots “among the wealthiest two percent of Americans” whose pay eclipses that of nearly all other mariners, including captains of Great Lakes freighters.

The three Great Lakes pilotage groups are the St. Lawrence Seaway Pilots Association, the Lakes Pilots Association, and the Western Great Lakes Pilots Association. In a joint statement, they highlight the pay increase as a cost-of-living adjustment during a period of steep inflation.

The Coast Guard’s 2023 rate proposal contemplates 55 Great Lakes pilots in 2023 and seven apprentice pilots. That is a modest increase over the 2022 season when there were 51 pilots and nine apprentices. Those pilots would earn about $422,336 per pilot on average, which is about $23,000 more than 2022.

That salary range remains lower than many other U.S. pilotage groups, where salaries often exceed $500,000.

The Great Lakes Pilotage Act of 1960 gave the Coast Guard the authority to set rates for oceangoing vessels on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway. The Lakes are divided into six districts including St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, navigable waters from Southeast Shoal to Port Huron, Michigan; Lake Erie, St. Mary’s River and Lakes Huron, Michigan and Superior.

Each district is divided into “designated” areas, where pilots must direct navigation at all times, and “undesignated” areas, which are open bodies where pilots must be on board and available to direct navigation. Pilotage rates in designated areas can be significantly higher than those in undesignated areas.

Foreign-flagged ships are required by law to employ pilots while transiting the Great Lakes. U.S. and Canada-flagged freighters that only transit in Great Lakes waters may also use pilots at various times but are not required by law to do so. Carriers that use the pilots pay for their services. That revenue covers operating expenses, pays salaries for registered pilots and apprentices, and helps maintain infrastructure, among other things.

Roughly 285 foreign-flagged ships transit the Great Lakes each year, the Coast Guard said. That estimate is down slightly from the projected 293 ships said to use the system during the 2022 rate-setting process.

Congress addressed pilot staffing on the Great Lakes with an overhaul of the ratemaking methodology starting in 2015. For 2023, the Coast Guard is proposing increases in hourly that vary based on where the service is provided. The service used an existing 10-step process for setting pilotage rates.

The American Great Lakes Ports Association, the Shipping Federation of Canada and the U.S. Great Lakes Shipping Association submitted joint comments to the Coast Guard raising concerns about the proposed rates.

“The cost keeps going up exponentially,” Steven Fisher, executive director of the American Great Lakes Ports Association told Professional Mariner. “There have been double digit percentage increases every year for most of the last eight years. The service has gotten very expensive.”

Broadly speaking, industry groups believe the Coast Guard has done a poor job of keeping the economic health of the shipping system in mind when setting costs. “If the cost of service makes shipping less competitive on the Great Lakes, everybody loses, including the pilots. The cost the shipowner pays for pilots, fuel, labor, and crew, anything the ship needs to operate, it all gets passed to the customer,” he said.

None of the three pilotage groups operating on the Great Lakes responded to an inquiry from Professional Mariner. However, their joint comment to the Coast Guard said industry groups have mischaracterized the proposal.

The three groups also urged the Coast Guard to consider adding more pilots to serve the Great Lakes. The joint statement said there were nine cruise ships on the Lakes in 2022 carrying 25 percent more passengers than 2019, the last full year before the Covid-19 pandemic. Those cruise vessels are adding to the workload of the existing pilots.

“Quite simply,” the pilots argued, “there are many more vessels and more pilots need to be authorized to move them.”

The Coast Guard will decide pilotage rates in the coming months. They will take effect for the 2023 shipping season, which will begin around April 1. The Coast Guard declined to comment on the proposal.

Professional Mariner

Welland Canal closing date extended to Jan. 9

See gallery below for the Welland Canal extension notice

Winter Lay-Up List Now Active

The annual winter lay-up list is now active. Click on the Extra Tonnage tab on the top of the main page or view it here: https://www.boatnerd.com/category/extra-tonnage/

Please send information about lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net

U.S., Canadian coast guards free freighter stuck in ice on Detroit River

Amherstburg, ON –A freighter is once again making its way up the Detroit River after becoming temporarily stuck in the ice on Wednesday. The ship became stuck near the southern tip of Boblo Island, but the Canadian and U.S. coast guards were on hand to help free the ship and send it on its way at about 11 a.m.

The ship had been stuck overnight, waiting for the coast guard vessels to resume operations Thursday morning and free it. The incident also prevented three other vessels, which were behind the stuck ship, from moving along the river until the ship was freed.

“We’ve launched Operation Coal Shovel, which is a joint, bi-national operation with the Canadians and the Americans to ensure maritime commerce runs smoothly as the ice builds up,” said Ensign Adeeb Ahmad of the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit. “Usually, we start this operation in mid-January … but due to the winter storm and the ice buildup, we started on Monday.”

“What we’re doing now is, we’re just monitoring the area and we’re ice breaking, and any ships that need our help getting free from the ice, we’re there to assist.”

Isabelle Pelchat, ice breaking superintendent for the Canadian Coast Guard’s Central Region, said the recent storm led to the quick formation of ice in the western basin of Lake Erie, and the Livingstone Channel of the Detroit River. “We’ve been assisting shipping for a few days now,” Pelchat said. “We’ve escorted, jointly with the U.S. Coast Guard … over 30 ships already.”

She said the recent winter storm is behind the treacherous conditions on the water. “It had an effect that we hadn’t seen before at this time of the year,” Pelchat said. “The combined cold weather and the show just created that ice formation, and it was spread very quickly.”

“In the Livingstone Channel, it went up to two feet, the ice, so that was something that is really unusual,” she said. “We’re expecting that the warm weather that is starting now, and will continue for the rest of the week, will ease conditions and make it much easier.”

Jeff Brown, who’s lived in the area for two years, said there’s been a “traffic jam” of ships on the Detroit River in recent days, with the coast guard helping several ships move along the river, through the ice. “The storm that came through just around Christmas there, I witnessed this lake freeze over within 24 hours,” he said. “Freeze over probably about 1,000 feet out, almost to the shipping channel.”

Salties waiting to get through Seaway dwindles to just a few

Future of truck ferry uncertain once the Gordie Howe International Bridge opens

Windsor, ON – When the Gordie Howe International Bridge opens in 2025, it will allow trucks hauling hazardous materials, leaving a question mark around the Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry. Currently, trucks carrying hazardous goods have to use the truck ferry when going between Windsor and Detroit.

While company president Gregg Ward is supportive of the bridge, he says since the bridge will handle the goods he now carries, the future of his ferry service is uncertain.

“We haven’t received anything in writing. We haven’t had any meetings with the government, municipal, Ontario or federally. The border is something you want to have as many options as possible,” said Ward.

Windsor West MP Brian Masse, who is also the NDP’s border critic, agrees the ferry service should be kept. Masse has written Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino asking that the ferry service be kept as a redundancy for security reasons.

“When we’ve had other disruptions at the border, the auto industry for just-in-time delivery, and other serviceable goods they’ve gone across the truck ferry when we’ve actually had that need,” said Masse. “It [the ferry service] also has a perfect record .. so I really believe that keeping it around for a couple of years after at least would be the wisest thing we can do,” he said.

Ward said once the ferry service is gone it will be nearly impossible to bring it back, so keeping it as a redundancy would keep the options open for the future. “So that should be a very thoughtful process to think, do we want to end or do we want to keep that redundancy in the system,” said Ward, who has been operating the service since 1990.

Ward would not say how many trucks the service handles per year for security reasons but did say it runs Monday through Friday carrying mostly flammable and corrosive goods. Ward said the service could still be used to carry over-sized goods such as wind turbine towers which it currently handles.

“How those get across if we’re not here I’m not sure,” said Ward, adding he would still need to carry some hazardous goods as well to make the operation viable.

Masse has also not given up on the possibility of using the dock located at the end of Maplewood Drive near Morterm Terminal for a passenger ferry service.

“Having someone who can navigate the channel like Gregg Ward is a blessing. It’s a learned skill so we don’t want to lose that capacity,” said Masse, adding that Detroit is investing heavily on trails and other amenities on the riverfront which could attract visitors.

“We don’t know what the future could be but the future without the ferry would be less chances of expanding our opportunities versus getting rid of it,” said Masse.

Read more and view images at this CBC News link: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/gordie-howe-international-bridge-gregg-ward-detroit-windsor-truck-ferry-border-hazmat-1.6689254

THURSDAY UPDATE: As December 29 at 09:30, were 9 ships left to transit. Since Wednesday, the following vessels exited the Seaway: Federal Alster, Federal Dart, Federal Dee and Taagborg

.Salties scramble to meet Seaway closing date

Montreal, QC – As of Wednesday morning, there were at least 13 ocean-going vessels left to pass through the St-Lambert Lock by January 1, the new official date of the closure of the St. Lawrence Seaway. They are Federal Alster, Federal Bering, Federal Dart, Federal Dee, Federal Hudson, Federal Kushiro, Federal Seto, Isadora, Jamno, Scot Bremen, Strandja, Taagborg and Tufty.

It seems (though unconfirmed) that the Thunder Bay, which arrived Tuesday night at Côte Ste-Catherine, will spend the winter there.

Rene Beauchamp

Coast Guard’s Operation Coal Shovel aims to keep vessels moving on lower lakes

On December 26, the U.S. Coast Guard commenced its annual Operation Coal Shovel, a domestic ice-breaking operation with an area of responsibility spanning from southern Lake Huron to Lake St. Clair, to the St. Clair/Detroit River system, and into Lake Erie and Lake Ontario including the St. Lawrence Seaway.

USCG

What’s it like being on an icebreaker? ‘It will shake your fillings loose’

365 days a year, the Great Lakes are a gateway for commerce and travel, a feat that wouldn’t be possible without the U.S. Coast Guard’s fleet of icebreakers.

That work is accomplished through Operation Taconite, the only domestic icebreaking mission in the United States. Set forth by an executive order issued in 1936, the operation encompasses all the Great Lakes, St. Marys River, the Straits of Mackinac and Georgian Bay. The goal is to protect the environment, safeguard island communities and meet the reasonable demands of commerce.

Assisting ships, rescue missions and track-making are all in the job description for icebreakers. The crew and vessels put in roughly 5,000 employment hours from December to April.

Ride along on a coast guard icebreaker in this 9 & 10 News report: https://www.9and10news.com/2022/12/27/everything-to-know-about-great-lakes-icebreakers/?fbclid=IwAR3kMtcMWmI05xOkli4ba-WtxSRX-9-_Xye4jsz1xGI0MiC4JC5pS2MMCkso

Obituary: Nicholas Zilincik

Nicholas T. Zilincik “Nick” of Livonia, Michigan passed away December 23, 2022 at the age of 25. Beloved son of Todd and Christa Zilincik. Loving brother of Katherine “Katie” Zilincik. Cherished grandson of Marie & Abraham Keisoglou and Jerry & Sandy Zilincik. Dear great-grandson of Shirley Palmer and Eleanor Scott. Dearest nephew of Nicole Allen, Laura Blair, Scott (Janar) Zilincik, and Jerome (Javier) Zilincik. Nick is also survived by many cousins and friends.

Nick was a 2015 graduate of Stevenson High School in Livonia, Michigan. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Maritime Technology at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy located at Traverse City, Michigan in May 2020. He successfully passed the U.S. Coast Guard examinations and was licensed as a 3rd Mate of unlimited tonnage upon oceans and as a first class pilot of unlimited tonnage vessels upon Great Lakes waterways. He was employed as a 2nd mate on the Great Lakes with Van Enkevort Tug and Barge, Inc. (VTB) on the ship Laura L. VanEnkevort.

Visitation will be Monday, January 2, 2022 from 3-8 pm at Neely-Turowski Funeral Home, 30200 Five Mile Rd., Livonia, Michigan 48154. Instate 10 am on Tuesday, January 3, 2022 until time of service 11 am at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, 14175 Farmington Rd., Livonia, Michigan 48154. Interment will take place at Parkview Memorial Cemetery, Livonia, Michigan. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are requested to be made to Great Lakes Maritime Academy (GLMA Program) in honor of his memory or the Livonia Save Our Youth Coalition.

Ice Becoming a Factor On Great Lakes, Seaway

As winter gears up, so is the accompanying ice season, although warming temperatures later this week could stall ice build up, at least for a while.

On Monday night, ice in the Amherstburg Channel stopped the upbound barge Menominee/tug Olive L. Moore. The CCG Samuel Risley, as well as two U.S. Coast Guard cutters, freed her Tuesday and several downbound vessels were able to continue their trips. Among those were the tanker Algoma Hansa, headed eventually to Halifax, where she will be sold, and Federal Kushiro, the last saltie of the season from the upper lakes.

Ice cover has been growing quickly in Duluth-Superior, thanks to a run of sub-zero weather, though vessels are still moving there without much difficulty thanks to tug and icebreaker assistance.

Tuesday morning, Soo Traffic reported refrozen brash and plate ice was about 4 inches thick at Johnson Point at the upper end of Neebish Island, and 2-4 inches of the same from there to Nine Mile Point. Again, traffic was moving without icebreaker assistance.

Aerial footage shows ice formations covering Lake Michigan, including ice pancakes, a phenomenon only seen if temperatures drop to well below freezing for several days. View a CNN video at this link: https://www.cnn.com/videos/weather/2022/12/27/ice-formations-lake-michigan-contd-lon-orig-na.cnn

Winter storm Elliot had a huge impact on the Lake Michigan shoreline, both seen and unseen. It added more than just feet of ice to the piers and channels, but also drastically changed the topography of the lake bed. Wilfred Sykes attempted to enter Grand Haven early Tuesday morning but was unable to, likely due to shoaling from the storms of the past weekend. After about an hour of working at it, they headed north to Muskegon, where they encountered more ice but were able to dock and unload.

Vessels in the Welland Canal and St. Lawrence Seaway locks are also encountering late December ice. Heavy ice at Port Colborne is causing problems, with tug Vac trying to flush ice between each lockage though Lock 8. The process is leading to about an hour between downbound transits.

CGC Bristol Bay was on her way down to the upper Seaway paired with barge CGB-12001 to decommission buoys for the winter. The new tug Seaway Guardian was on buoy duty with Amy Lynn D but had issues. She will be heading to Heddle Shipyards in Hamilton for repairs,

The saltie Greenwing, stopped since 5 am Tuesday morning a little above the port of Côte Ste-Catherine, left around 9 a.m. Meanwhile, the tug Laprairie is assisting to clear the lock at Côte Ste-Catherine.

From news and social media reports

Grain Exports from Duluth-Superior Headed For Lowest or Second-lowest Year Since 1890

DULUTH, MN – Grain shipments through the Port of Duluth-Superior are lagging.

Through November, 510,547 metric tons of grain had moved through the port on ships so far this season, setting it up to be the lowest or second-lowest season since 1890, according to historical tonnage figures dating back more than 150 years.

Exports of grain by ship have declined for decades, down from a high of 9.2 million metric tons in 1978. Soybeans now go by rail to the West Coast, for example, and the geographic area where grains were harvested before being sent to the port for transport has shrunk, among other factors. But a unique set of circumstances have caused the 2022 decline.

Daniel Rust, associate professor of transportation and logistics management at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, said fewer ocean-going ships coming into the port means less grain leaving the port.

“It’s oftentimes the case that grain outbound is a backhaul. There will be some other commodity coming in like wind energy components, (or) something else — that’s the reason for the vessel to come all the way to Duluth-Superior — and then they don’t want to go out empty. So they pick up a load of grain and head back to the ocean,” Rust said in an interview with the News Tribune.

Both 2019 and 2020 set records for the amount of wind energy components moved through the port, and each year saw 85 total salties arrive (in 2020, 30 of those were for wind parts). But the number of salties arriving fell during the last two years, with 50 salties arriving in 2021 and 54 arriving through November of this year, according to port statistics.

“So with the combination of fewer wind energy components coming in and the rates being high, the owners/operators of vessels say, ‘Why should I come in empty all the way to Duluth-Superior to pick up grain when I can make more money elsewhere?’ I think that’s the bottom line,” Rust said. “A lot of grain here to be exported, but it’s not going out by ship.”

Instead, grain is largely going out by rail, Rust said. Unlike shipping’s tonnage reports, the amount of grain moved by rail is not public.

At the CHS, Inc. grain elevator in Superior, fewer salties were filled with grain this year. Justin Cauley, senior director of transportation at CHS, said the war in Ukraine has disrupted demand. The country is one of the top exporters of grains like wheat, corn and barley.

Cauley said European demand for corn and beans shifted from the Black Sea to the Great Lakes, driving “much more” vessel demand in the Chicago and Toledo ports. If salties are discharging in lakes Michigan, Erie or Huron, then they are less likely to continue to Duluth and Superior, the western-most port on the Great Lakes, to fill up with grain.

Read more and view images at this Duluth News Tribune link: https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/grain-exports-from-port-of-duluth-superior-on-pace-for-lowest-or-second-lowest-year-since-1890?fbclid=IwAR39WIyiuXsX4OagrA0lP59sf5HXBVvwP0NXItwlF_7luXEO9-mvcyoFyJc

New Lock at the Soo Reauthorized at $3.219 Billion

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District New Lock at the Soo Project in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan is reauthorized in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2022 on Dec 23, 2022. The project reauthorization amount is $3.219 billion.

An authorization sets how much money agencies and programs can receive, and how they should spend the money. This authorization makes it possible for the project to maintain efficient funding eligibility. Due to recent cost increases, the project cost was estimated to exceed the previously authorized spending limit.

“With continued funding, the remaining construction work, valued at $794.5 million could be awarded over the next three years allowing the project to stay on schedule and be completed in 2030.” Deputy District Engineer Kevin McDaniels said.

Since the project’s authorization in America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, the authorized cost changed from $922 million to $3.219 billion. Over the last four years, the project cost has been impacted by labor shortages, supply chain disruptions and material cost increases.

The Corps of Engineers sought consideration of an increased authorized project cost in WRDA 2022 by transmitting the approved Post Authorization Change Report to the House and Senate Authorizations Committees on June 8, 2022. The project received strong bipartisan support while going through both the House and Senate.

A 2015 Department of Homeland Security study estimates a six-month Poe Lock closure would temporarily reduce the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) by $1.1 trillion, resulting in the loss of 11 million jobs. This Great Lakes Navigation System critical node is essential to U.S. manufacturing and National Security according to the study.

For more information about the New Lock at the Soo project, visit our website: https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/About/Highlighted-Projects/New_Soo_Lock/

Seaway Closing Date Extended Slightly Due To Weather

MONTREAL, QC – As a result of severe environmental conditions impacting navigation, the closing date for the Montreal-Lake Ontario Section has been extended from 12:00 (noon) December 31, 2022 to 12:00 (noon) January 1, 2023.

Mariners are advised that the cut-off date for acceptance of vessel transits under special agreement have been extended as follows:
• Any ship calling in downbound at Cape Vincent before 23:59 hours December 30, 2022, may be accepted to transit the Montreal to Lake Ontario section, under special agreement, operating conditions permitting.|
• Any ship calling in upbound at CIP2 before 04:00 hours December 31, 2022, may be accepted to transit the Montreal to Lake Ontario section, under special agreement, operating conditions permitting.
• Any ship leaving a port within the Montreal-Lake Ontario Section, before 06:00 December 31, 2022 may be accepted to transit the Montreal to Lake Ontario section, under special agreement, operating conditions permitting.

Obituary: John Spooner

John Spooner, age 91, a long-time docent at the William G. Mather museum ship in Cleveland, passed December 7, 2022. Born in 1931 in Rocky River, he was resident of Berea for 56 years. John was a teacher for 35 years, an avid sailor and camp counselor (lovingly known as Capt. John), and served as an interpreter with the US Army in Germany. He was a member of the Christ United Church and a Paul Harris member of Berea Rotary. A memorial service will be at a later time. In memory, a gift to the organization that relates you to John, would be appreciated.