Roger Blough tow leaves Sturgeon Bay

12:50 p.m. UPDATE: Meredith Ashton and Candace Elise towed the Roger Blough from Bayship late Tuesday morning. The destination had not been entered on AIS.

ORIGINAL POST: Two Ashton Marine tugs (Meredith Ashton and Candace Elise) were at Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay Tuesday morning waiting to tow the fire-damaged Roger Blough away. Bayship has rigged heavy towing chains to the bow and stern, there is also a portable generator mounted on the deck. Her destination appears to be Conneaut, OH.

Jim Conlon

Lakes Limestone Trade Down 3.7 Percent in September

CLEVELAND – Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.5 million tons in September, a decrease of 3.7 percent compared to a year ago.  Limestone cargos were below the month’s 5-year average by 2.7 percent.

Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 2.9 million tons, a decrease of 5.4 percent from 2021.  Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 675,023 tons, a decrease of 1.3 percent.

Year-to-date the limestone trade stands at 21.1 million tons, a near match compared to a year ago.  Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 16.7 million tons, an increase of less than 1 percent.  Shipments from Ontario quarries total 4.4 million tons, a decrease 3.4 percent.

Lake Superior News

Short-sea shipping could increase jobs in Cleveland

CLEVELAND – You may have already heard the warnings to start your holiday shopping early this year.

The effects of the pandemic, supply chain issues and now congestion at coastal ports could leave that “must have” holiday gadget or toy stranded miles away from area store shelves.

Now ports are rethinking how cargo should be transported.

The ship “Huron Spirit” is docked to offload Canadian-made steel in Cleveland. This is an example of short-sea shipping, the movement of cargo between ports, without traveling on the oceans. It is a concept that isn’t new.

“Particularly on our instance here on the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway system it is becoming much more popular and prevalent for a lot of cargo owners not only around here but the Midwest in general,” said David Gutheil, the Chief Commercial Officer for the Port of Cleveland.

Coastal port congestion is sparking interest in short-sea shipping on the Great Lakes, here and in Canada. The Great Lakes Commission, an international agency that sets policies for the lakes, encouraged the practice this summer.

“We are basically trying to develop a solution that already exists and increase the knowledge in the supply chain industry that they have an option like this to use,” remarked Gutheil.

Gutheil says increasing shipping between Great Lake ports will speed up transportation time, as goods are off-loaded closer to their final destination.

“Unfortunately, it has taken a pandemic and some congestion that is going on in some coastal ports because of global supply chain issues to make people realize that this is a viable solution,” said Gutheil.

Another change the Port of Cleveland made was to create a container business in 2014. This allows a greater influx of finished goods, to arrive in Cleveland. That’s where the port can see immediate growth using short-sea shipping.

“We have the capacity to handle more than 50 thousand containers annually. Here at the space, we are operating right now at the port,” stated Gutheil.

Gutheil can see “overseas ships” stopping first in Canada, then smaller ships coming to Cleveland. He believes an increase in waterway traffic has potential environmental benefits.

“More maritime shipping means less pollution because it means less truck and less rail movements,” said Gutheil. “The movement of cargo on the water is seven times more fuel efficient than movement by trucks. It reduces fuel emissions, and it is greener in general.”

Over 20,000 jobs and $3.5 billion in economic activity annually are tied to the Port of Cleveland. Short-sea shipping could push those numbers even higher.

“We want to help folks around here not only move their cargo more efficiently but gain higher paying jobs through the movement of cargo and if we can assist in that process, we’re happy to do so,” stated Gutheil.

WKYC

Lake Ontario water levels lower than average this fall

Lake Ontario currently has lower water levels than the past two years, but officials say there is no need to worry.

Lake Ontario’s levels are currently just below the historical average, and just about a foot lower than at this time last year. Bryce Carmichael, a hydraulic engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board, said that even though the International Joint Commission, which oversees the maintenance of Lake Ontario, there is not much man can do to combat the changes.

“There is no feasible way that manmade structures can control a body of water the size of Lake Ontario,” Carmichael said. “It’s just up to Mother Nature primarily. We have a little bit of influence at certain times of the season that can be used to benefit users, but the primary driver is really natural factors.”

Despite the levels being lower than recent years, they are still above any record lows, Carmichael said that this is normal.

“This is not unprecedented,” Carmichael said. “We would expect these levels to come about seasonally, periodically, definitely not every year. But as we move through the next decade or so, it could happen again. In a year we could have record highs or record lows.”

In a recent attempt to help recreational boaters, water levels in Lake St. Lawrence, near Massena, were temporarily lowered from Oct. 7 to Oct. 10. Carmichael said that while the IJC cannot always prioritize recreational boaters, some interests can work together to create change.

“So, in the consideration of low water impacts, there is a operation that can be made that can increase water levels in specific parts of the system to help navigation, sometimes that does help recreational boating as well,” Carmichael said. “But, they are not always step-by-step in tandem.”

The temporary water level raising will have no significant impact on the surrounding environment. The IJC will continue to monitor water levels along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

WRVO

See media gallery below

Canadian Coast Guard Takes Delivery of Final AHTS Icebreaker

The Canadian Coast Guard has taken delivery of its third converted commercial icebreaker, the CCGS Vincent Massey.

Vincent Massey is the former offshore vessel Tor Viking / Tor Viking II, a 2,600 dwt icebreaking anchor handler built in Norway in 2000. After 18 years of commercial service, she was purchased by the Canadian government as an “interim” icebreaker for the Canadian Coast Guard. She was converted and redelivered by Davie Shipyard.

Vincent Massey was originally designed to the DNV ICE 10 notation, but her hull and propulsion have been upgraded to meet PC 4, a common standard for medium icebreaking duty. She is rated for breaking three feet of ice continuously at three knots. Other refit work included increasing the crew accommodation capacity, adding a heavy lift crane, removing her towing winch, and increasing her endurance.

CCGS Vincent Massey and her two sister ships, CCGS Jean Goodwill and CCGS Captain Molly Kool, were purchased in 2018 to keep icebreaking services running in Atlantic Canada, the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes. Their entry into service allows the Canadian Coast Guard’s older icebreakers to rotate through a life-extension and maintenance program; though designated as “interim” icebreakers, the converted AHTS are expected to serve for the next 15-20 years.

The final acquisition cost for the three vessels came to about US$660 million, up from a planned US$445 million. Canada doubled down on this procurement model last year, buying a used light icebreaker out of the Caspian Sea offshore sector for US$33 million.

Tor Viking may be best remembered for a rescue she carried out off Cold Bay, Alaska in 2015. She responded to a sailing yacht in distress in 20-foot seas, and when she came alongside, the survivor jumped over the vessel’s rail head-first – with his cat tucked safely in his jacket (below).

The Maritime Executive

Sault Ste. Marie enters agreement to find dock space for cruise ships

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Sault Ste. Marie City Commission has entered an agreement with local docks to host cruise ships coming through the Soo while the Carbide Dock project is still underway.

Every year, dozens of cruise ships pass through the Soo Locks, bringing tourists directly into downtown. In the past year, the city has hosted more than 40 cruise ship visits. City officials wish to welcome even more of these ships as they have a positive impact on the downtown business community, but there is no viable city-owned dock to host the ships since the Carbide Dock was deemed unsafe for public use in 2016.

A Great Lakes Cruising Coalition report that the commission has cited in the past states that the average cruise ship carries between 140 to 210 passengers, who are likely to spend $75 to $150 in an average visit. Their spending helps support downtown businesses and restaurants.

Since the Carbide Dock reconstruction project began in 2017, the city has had to find other docks to host cruise ships. With the city expected to see an increase in cruise ship activity in the next year, the city commission decided that a more permanent solution was needed while the dock project is still underway.

“In a couple of years when the Carbide Dock is done, we won’t have these expenses anymore because we’ll be using our own property,” said city manager Brian Chapman at the commission meeting on Oct. 17. Le Sault de Sainte Marie Historical Sites, Inc. and Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours have entered into an agreement with the city to host these cruise ships at their docks going forward.

During its meeting on Sept. 19, the Sault Ste. Marie City Commission approved two more grant applications for the ongoing Carbide Dock project. In 2017, the commission approved the dock rehabilitation project. The project will make all parts of the dock usable, as currently the portions of the dock closest to the water are in too much disrepair.

The project 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 storm water management facilities, and a critical connection from the Easterday Avenue truck route to the riverfront.

The city has been applying for grants ever since approving the project. In 2018, the city commission estimated the city would need at least $20 million in total to complete the entire project.

Sault News

Great Lakes shipping cargo down 5.63% this year

Great Lakes shipping is down 5.63% so far this year, but a strong September brought the total closer to its 2021 level.

Total cargo on the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway totaled 23.36 million tons through the end of September, down from 24.75 million through the same period last year, according to the Great Lakes Seaway Partnership. Transits rose 2.98% to 2,664, up from 2,587 through the same period last year.

In September, the United States traded with 15 countries around the world via the St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes port system, which includes the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor and the Port of Chicago. That’s down from 23 in August, according to the Great Lakes Seaway Partnership.

U.S. grain shipments remain robust. Ships moved 689,000 tons of U.S. grains on the Great Lakes through the end of September, a 41.24% increase over the same period in 2021.

“September’s tonnage report reaffirms that the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System is a reliable shipping corridor enabling U.S. growers and producers to feed the world,” said Jeff Scharf, acting deputy administrator of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. “With a busy few months remaining in the 2022 season, we’re confident that our Great Lakes ports are ready to finish the year strong.”

Shipments of coke were up 16.95%, potash 261.5%, scrap metal 11.3% and petroleum products 42.5% through the end of September.

Port Milwaukee took shipments of steel and yacht components last month.

“Port Milwaukee is realizing new maritime commerce opportunities with an increase of high-value breakbulk and project cargoes traveling through our terminals,” said Port Milwaukee Director Adam Tindall-Schlicht. “From The DeLong Co., Inc. assembling a new ship loader for agricultural exports, to the delivery of curved steel plates, brewery tanks, and superyacht pieces, Port Milwaukee stands ready to welcome and transport cargo of all kinds in supporting regional economic activity that moves the Great Lakes supply chain forward.”

A strong September narrowed the year-to-date gap from 8.9% through the end of August to just 5.6% through the end of last month. Among items helping close the gap were wind turbines from several countries, including Germany, Spain, Vietnam and China.

Soon the Great Lakes will start to ice over and become impassable for maritime commerce.

“It was good to see a nice jump in grain shipments last month,” said Bruce Burrows, president and CEO of the Chamber of Marine Commerce. “We are optimistic that the positive numbers for September are an indication that it will be a strong fourth quarter and robust finish to the 2022 shipping season.”

NWI Times

Record 52 cruise ships docked in Detroit this year

If you spent any time along the Detroit River this summer, you probably noticed an increase in the number of cruise ships. Now, we know this summer was a record-breaking cruising season along the Great Lakes.

According to Cruise the Great Lakes and the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, there were 52 cruise ships that visited Detroit in 2022, more than double the last cruising season in 2019.

The organizations said the cruise passengers had a $125 million economic impact on Detroit with nearly 150,000 passenger visits to Great Lakes ports.

As of this year, there were nine different ships that cruise the Great Lakes, and that number is expected to increase to 11 next year with the addition of the Viking Polaris and Hanseatic Inspiration.

In 2023, it’s expected that the increase will continue with an expected 170,000 cruise ship passengers to regional ports with a total economic impact of $180 million.

Some of the Great Lakes cruise voyages include a Montreal to Detroit route, which goes through Lake Ontario and Lake Erie with stops in Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Cleveland and Detroit.

WXYZ

World Ship Society report of casualties, demolitions

Vessels with a Great Lakes / Seaway connection reported as a casualty or sold for demolition. Taken from October 2022 issue of Marine News – Journal of the World Ship Society.

Casualty: HOLIDAY ISLAND (7041431 / 1971) – Canadian flagged passenger ferry caught fire in the engine room on 22/7/2022 while arriving at Wood Islands, Prince Edward Island, Canada and was intentionally grounded.  Passengers and crew were safely rescued and vessel was refloated on 24/7/2022 and berthed.  The engine is badly damaged.

Demolitions: none to report

Report prepared by Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp

Fall storm brings high winds and snow, sending vessels to anchor

Port of Cleveland takes vital step forward in transformational lakefront project

CLEVELAND, OH – The Port of Cleveland’s board of directors took a vital step forward this week in embarking on a $300 million, multi-decade and ‘transformational’ project that would dramatically redefine the eastern shoreline of Lake Erie. Officials awarded a $3.75 million contract to a global engineering firm on Thursday, officially kicking off the extensive design and permitting process needed to bring the so-called CHEERS project to life.

The board selected Arup Engineering to head up the design and permitting services that will serve as the all-important foundation for the project to move forward. The Cleveland Harbor Eastern Embayment Resilience Strategy (CHEERS) project will soften the hardened, sculpted edges of Cleveland’s eastern lakefront near East 55th St. Marina, Gordon Park and the Lakefront Nature Preserve. By utilizing dredge material from the Cuyahoga River, the project calls for a more naturalized eastern shoreline, providing outdoor amenities for park-goers and habitats for wildlife. Additionally, a sheltered embayment will allow visitors to have direct access to the water, which would buttress a manmade ‘isle’ north of the nature preserve.

“We’re excited to be moving forward into the design phase of this transformational and vital project that will benefit Northeast Ohio communities for generations to come,” said Will Friedman, the president and CEO of the Port of Cleveland.

In addition to the recreational benefits, the project aims to better connect east-side residents to the lake in a manner similar to Edgewater Park and the west side. Although the project will likely be completed in phases over the course of three decades, the broader goals of the initiative include reconnecting communities to the region’s greatest natural resource, improving public health, bolstering the regional economy and tourism efforts and benefitting the environment.

Tracy Johnson, an avid fisherman that spends much of his free time fishing near the East 55th Street marina, said the project is exactly what the east side needs.

“I think it’s a great idea. Not only will people be able to come out and they put the island out there and you can picnic or relax,” Johnson said. “And, of course, the fishing. The further out in the water you get, the more fish you can catch. You got Edgewater on the west side. We need something out here also.”

Six entities guide the CHEERS project: the Port of Cleveland, the Cleveland Metroparks, the City of Cleveland, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and the Black Environmental Leaders Association.

News 5 Cleveland

How a fleet of robots could help solve the Great Lakes plastic pollution problem

In the murky waters of Lake Ontario just off the Toronto harbor, a stream of trash inches toward a round, tubular-looking device floating in the water. A piece of white styrofoam bumps up against the device’s lip. Then, in one fluid motion, it tumbles over the edge. With tendrils of marine plants circling the waste, it looks like the styrofoam could have entered a portal to an undersea world. Instead, the device is a gateway to a less mystical — yet vital — destination: the garbage dump.

“It’s basically like a floating trash can,” says Chelsea Rochman, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Toronto, who has worked with a team at the university to capture trash in Lake Ontario with bins like these since 2019. Powered from shore, the device, called a Seabin, uses a motor to create a vortex that gently pulls in floating waste from a 160-foot radius and then stores the trash in an attached basket.

Read the full story here: https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/14/23401381/great-lakes-plastic-pollution-cleanup-tech-robots

The Verge

“Boo on the Boat:” Halloween Tradition Returns at National Museum

TOLEDO, OHIO – Beginning on Friday, October 28 through Sunday, October 30, the National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) invites visitors to trick-or-treat aboard two of Toledo’s most haunted historic vessels—the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and the Museum Tug Ohio.

“Boo on the Boat has become a National Museum of the Great Lakes’ tradition that is both fun and educational,” shares Ellen Kennedy, the museum’s Director of Education and Visitor Experience. “The event will take place over multiple days just prior to Halloween—providing flexibility to fit trick-or-treating into your schedule on a weekday or weekend.”

Young goblins and ghouls can trick-or-treat in costume from the museum vessels’ pilothouses to the galleys and everywhere in between while on a scavenger hunt for goodies. Treats will be distributed using pre-portioned, sealed bags at stations to help youth explore Great Lakes history in a fun and age-appropriate way. Children with food allergies will have access to non-food treats in alignment with the Teal Pumpkin Project.

National Museum of the Great Lakes members can enjoy Boo on the Boat activities for free and non-members can join in the fun simply by purchasing general museum and ship combo admission. Non-museum guests may consider additional savings and access to the museum year-round by purchasing a membership. All children must be accompanied to the event by an adult. To learn more and reserve your tickets visit nmgl.org/events/.

WHAT: Boo on the Boat
WHEN: Friday, October 28 – Sunday, October 30. 10am-4pm (Friday – Saturday) and 12am-4pm (Sunday)
WHERE: National Museum of the Great Lakes, 1701 Front St., Toledo, OH 43605
ADMISSION: $17.00 Adults (18-64); $16.00 Seniors (65+); $14.00 Youth (6-17) FREE – Children 5 and under; GLHS/NMGL Members. Family Memberships are $54

*Price includes trick-or-treating and admission to the museum and boats

Michigan Maritime Museum welcomes visitors after $3.6 million rebuild

SOUTH HAVEN, MICH. – History and boating enthusiasts can now visit one of South Haven’s most beloved attractions year-round. The Michigan Maritime Museum reopened its campus in August after a nearly year-long rebuild. A grand opening of the new $3.6 million Maritime Heritage Center took place on Sept. 30.

The brand-new, 17,000-square-foot building is located at the site of the old museum at 260 Dyckman Ave., right next to the drawbridge. The two-story building features exhibit spaces, a large atrium, a classroom, and learning center, plus conference rooms and offices for museum staff.

“This represents a really big step up for us as an organization and what we can do,” Eric Harmsen, administration and curatorial specialist, said.

The museum’s first exhibition since reopening offers guests a glimpse back into the early 1900s during the era of passenger steamships on Lake Michigan. “Full Steam Ahead: The Golden Age of Great Lakes Passenger Steamships,” highlights the City of South Haven, a passenger steamship that linked South Haven to Chicago.

“A lot of people are just really surprised by the number and size of ships that were here in South Haven and other cities on the Great Lakes,” Harmsen said. “Right here on the Black River there were passenger steamships coming and going during the summers for several decades in the early 1900s.”

The new expanded campus also allows for some of the museum’s acquisitions previously in storage to be put on full display. “Now we have the space and the facilities to make an exhibit out of the antique and small boats in our collection,” Harmsen said.

While the museum campus will be open year-round, its on-water experiences have mainly concluded for the season. Lindy Lou river cruises will still be available for a few more weeks. This past weekend, museum staff, and volunteers started the process of down rigging their most popular vessel, Friends Good Will. Sails, rigging and other equipment is stripped from the replica 1810 top sail sloop to be inspected, repaired and stored for the season. The ship’s mast will also be removed within the next few weeks for inspection and repair, a process which happens every 5 years.

The Michigan Maritime Museum’s October hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with last admission at 3 p.m. Adult admission costs $12 during the summer, and $10 during the winter.

News Channel 3

Roerborg wind turbine blade cargo sets record

DULUTH, MN – At 260 feet in length, the wind turbine blades Duluth Cargo Connect moved by truck from the saltwater vessel Roerborg to its facilities this week were the longest ever transported through the Port of Duluth-Superior.

Duluth Cargo Connect

Wisconsin Maritime Museum launches new series

The Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, Wis. has launched a new speaker series to be held on the first Thursday of each month. The series is entitled “Think and Drink” series and will present talks on maritime-related topics from local experts and visiting scholars.

The in-person events will be held at the Maritime Museum and each will feature a signature cocktail and a selection of wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages for purchase. Admission is free.

Upcoming programs in the series include:

Nov. 3, 2022 – 6:30 p.m. – “Fire on the Water: Revisiting the Shipwrecks Phoenix and Niagara” – Archeologist Kevin Cullen, the Maritime Museum’s chief curator, will share new insights into two pre-Civil War vessels that burned on Lake Michigan while carrying immigrants to the upper Great Lakes. He will also discuss museum plans to conserve, display and interpret thousands of never-before-seen artifacts from these and other shipwrecks in Wisconsin waters.

Dec. 1, 2022 – 6:30 p.m. – “Endurance22 Expedition: Finding Ernest Shackelton’s Endurance” – Sheboygan native Timothy Jacob will recount Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 1914-1917 Antarctic expedition and share his experience as a member of the 2022 research team that discovered Shackelton’s lost ship, Endurance.

For more information on the program series, go to wisconsinmaritime.org or call 920-684-0218.

Carl D. Bradley 64th Anniversary Bell Toll and Special Event

ROGERS CITY, MI – The 64th Anniversary Bell Toll marking the sinking of the Great Lakes limestone carrier Carl D. Bradley will be held Saturday, November 19 at the Rogers City Theater, 257 N. Third St., Rogers City, MI at 1 p.m.

The movie ”The Men Long Forgotten –The Sinking of the Carl D. Bradley,” produced by Andrew Stempki, will debut at this event.

William Quigg, who was handling the response to the sinking from the U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center in Cleveland, will be on hand to speak about the events of that fateful day in 1958. This event is open to the public. Free of charge. Doors open at noon.

Great Lakes Lore Museum

Discovering the three largest shipwrecks in the St. Lawrence River

Of all the rivers in the world, the St. Lawrence River is undeniably one of the most challenging for mariners.

This water highway is at some spots as narrow as a large river and, at others, as wide as a small sea. It has played a vital role over the last three centuries as an important artery for trade, communication, transportation and settlement. And since 1959, the year the St. Lawrence Seaway was inaugurated, it has been a gateway to the heart of the continent.

The first European explorers who sailed the St. Lawrence discovered it was not easy to master: it was long, but never calm. After crossing the Gulf, mariners would face many difficulties navigating up the river to Québec City, including narrow, sinuous channels, shallow waters, shoal deposits and strong tides. Currents are sometimes unpredictable, there can be very dense fog, and, of course, the river is impossible to navigate in winter. No one ventured on its waters from the end of November to the beginning of May.

Qualified maritime pilots are a must on the capricious and indomitable St. Lawrence, which has the reputation of being one of the most difficult rivers to navigate in the world. The risk of collisions, groundings and shipwrecks is high, which led to tightened navigation safety regulations, particularly in response to the accidents involving large ships that occurred in the 1960s.

It is estimated that there are several thousand wrecks below the surface of the river.

As a doctoral student in geographic sciences at Laval University and president of the Technical Wreck Divers of Québec (PETQ), I propose introducing you to the three most important shipwrecks in terms of size that took place in the river. Our diving activities push the very limits of exploration. Notably, we use diving techniques adapted to the particularly restrictive underwater context of the St. Lawrence, with its strong currents, often reduced visibility and cold, black water, among other hazards.

Our expeditions allow us to share the passion of diving by exposing the results of our research and discoveries, while making the public aware of the history and hidden relics that are just a few steps from the shore of the river.

SS Bulk Carrier Leecliffe Hall (1961-1964)

At 222.5 metres long and 23 metres wide, the Leecliffe Hall ranks first among the largest wrecks in the St. Lawrence River.

Built by the Scottish shipyard Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd. — the same yard as the RMS Empress of Ireland — and launched in Port Glasgow on May 18, 1961, this colossus was an impressive 18,071 gross registered tons (GRT). The ship’s length from stern to bow is the equivalent of two American football fields glued together.

On Sept. 5, 1964, in the middle of a foggy day, the ship, loaded with 24,500 tons of iron ore, collided with the Greek freighter MV Apollonia off Île aux Coudres, in Québec’s Charlevoix region. The ships remained stuck together and did not sink.

The crew members were evacuated, safe and sound. But some of them, a few hours later, voluntarily returned to the ship, which was drifting alone, to attempt a rescue in extremis. While the men were in the midst of trying to regain control of the ship, the hull suddenly broke apart, resulting in the deaths of three brave sailors. The Apollonia escaped with a badly damaged bow, but was able to sail again.

On Sept. 9, 2017, a little less than two years after our divers first visited the wreck, a commemorative ceremony was held at the Charlevoix Maritime Museum. In the presence of the widow of one of the missing sailors and some descendants of the other two victims, the ship’s bell and the builder’s plate, which had been recovered the previous year by our team and declared to the Receiver of Wreckage (a federal official whose key role is to act as the custodian of a wreck in the absence of the rightful owners, were handed over to the museum in an effort to maintain the collective memory of Charlevoix’s subaquatic heritage.

Read the rest at this link: https://theconversation.com/discovering-the-three-largest-shipwrecks-in-the-st-lawrence-river-191979

The Conversation

Cruise ship industry basking in banner year for Great Lakes

The cruise industry is experiencing a banner year after one of the busiest seasons, it’s ever had in the Great Lakes.

“This was the strongest year on record, in the last twenty years that I’ve been involved with cruise ships on the Great Lakes,” Bruce O’Hare, president of Lakeshore Excursions, told CTV News.

“It probably grew by about 30 to 40 per cent, lots of demand, more importantly lot of new ships coming into the Great Lakes, it made a heck of a difference.”

Nine cruise ships made their way past the St. Lawrence Seaway, servicing the region this year.

Ferrying passengers from all over the United States and some, from as far away as France, the idea was to create memories and showcase a feature that many might take for granted.

“Great Lakes cruising is very different, first the ships are smaller, they have to fit through the Welland Canal,” said O’Hare.

“These ships are typically 200 to 400 passengers, they don’t have any casinos, they’re very limited in terms of shopping. The destination is really the draw.”

Ports of call in the region, Parry Sound, Little Current and Sault Ste. Marie also reported an uptick in visits from these tourists. This year, Killarney saw its first passenger ship stop in more than 80 years with the Viking Octantis. Tourism officials say getting Viking on board was a big win for the industry.

Cruise ships returned to Little Current in 1997, it’s long been seen as the gateway to Manitoulin Island. Marine traffic has become a staple of its economy.

“Cruise opens up a whole new opportunity to bring new people into the region, we sometimes refer to them as floating bank vaults, they show up and they leave nothing behind but money and they take away memories so it’s a pretty big deal for the local economy,” said O’Hare.

“For overseas visitors it (Great Lakes cruising) has an incredible appeal, we have five inland oceans, they’re so large they’re equivalent to oceans, we have renaissance cities, we have marvellous, wilderness, nature-based environments,” said Stephen Burnett, of the Great Lakes Cruise Association.

Burnett says he’s been talking with five other cruise lines about starting operations in the region. Three more ships are expected next summer. He figures the number of boats sailing through the region could grow from nine to 18 in the coming years.

“It is a more intimate cruise experience, it’s been called boutique cruising if you like and it’s the type of cruising where the guests get to know each other and more importantly, they get to know the crew,” he said.

Visitors to Manitoulin Island are treated to an Indigenous experience, once arriving, thanks to a partnership with Wikwemikong Tourism. Craig Fox is one of the guides they meet on the island.

“It’s important to share who we are as Anishinabek people and to follow along in what we’ve been trying to say for years, about the beauty of this island and who we are as Anishinabek people. That’s one thing I really want to hit home with these tours that we have and let them know exactly where they are on Turtle Island,” said Fox.

Once a ship arrived in Little Current, passengers are shuttled to other sites on the island, in Wiikwemkoong or at the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation in M’Chigeeng.

Fox expects the addition of more cruise ships will only be a benefit to the island economy in the years to come.

“One of the things I always talk about is how things are passed down from generation to generation,” Fox explained. ”The importance of our oral culture and things being taught face-to-face. We give them a tour of the museum, there’s a healing lodge as well where we give them a talk about our traditional medicines.”

“Most of the ships have wonderful lectures on board, guest lectures from the Great Lakes and the experience is a far more in-depth, perhaps even a cerebral experience,” Burnett told CTV News.

“They learn about our province, the U.S States and the difference between Canadian and American politics, the difference between our health systems, a huge amount to learn.”

“I think guests coming off a Great Lakes cruise return home with an amazing sense of accomplishment, they’ve learned a great deal about the area,” he added.

Northern Ontario CTV

U. S. Steel celebrates advancement in metallics strategy with DR-grade pellet capability at Keetac

United States Steel Corporation leadership and employees were joined by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, other elected officials, and key partners to celebrate the Company’s investment in direct reduced (DR)-grade pellet capabilities at its Minnesota Ore Operations Keetac plant today. The investment marks a step forward in U. S. Steel’s metallics strategy by supplying the increasingly tight DR-grade pellet market and provides the company with the flexibility to feed a potential future direct reduced iron (DRI) or hot briquetted iron (HBI) facility. DRI and HBI are important electric arc furnace metallics inputs.

Read the full story here: https://investors.ussteel.com/news/news-details/2022/U.-S.-Steel-Celebrates-Advancement-in-Metallics-Strategy-with-DR-Grade-Pellet-Capability-at-Keetac/default.aspx

U.S. Steel

Denis Sullivan Sets Sail … for Boston

The sale by Discovery World Museum of Wisconsin’s flagship schooner to an organization in Boston, Massachusetts leaves many local supporters “heartbroken” and leaves questions about the deal unanswered.

Planning for the Denis Sullivan, a replica 19th century three-master schooner and the only one of its kind on the water in the world, began in 1991. Construction got underway in 1998 as part of the state’s sesquicentennial celebration and the ship was finally launched in 2000 after innumerable hours of work by an estimated 1000 volunteers. Since then, the Sullivan has been used by Discovery World for its educational and environmental programs. However, a two-year period of inactivity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic left it without a captain or crew and in need of significant maintenance.

In April, Discovery World officials said the museum would not be able to operate the ship in 2022 and that it was re-evaluating if it could financially support the annual cost of about $250,000 necessary to keep the Sullivan in operating condition going forward.

Read the full article here: https://shepherdexpress.com/news/community-news/denis-sullivan-sets-sail-for-boston/?fbclid=IwAR3NsolRe1ABQorz8Z7R09ZShRerLLlaH5xLy645dh8L62_c5DCE-JW-Qt0

Shepherd Express

Museum sub USS Cobia seeks matching funds for drydocking

The National Park Service, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, recently awarded us a $500,000 federal grant to help us fund the dry docking of USS Cobia. The USS Cobia Dry Dock Project was one of only three projects in Wisconsin to be awarded a grant, and one out of only 80 projects nationwide.

This critical restoration project involves towing the submarine to Sturgeon Bay for dry docking at Fincantieri Shipyard for hull inspection and repair. The museum last drydocked USS COBIA in 1996. It is projected that the submarine will only be away from its home berth for four to six weeks in early fall 2025, returning to Manitowoc in October 2025.

The Wisconsin Maritime Museum has already begun raising the matching funds required for the grant’s fulfillment. The cost for this preservation project is estimated at $1.5 million. You can be a part of keeping USS COBIA afloat for future generations. Click here to make an online donation: https://bit.ly/3T5ppr9

Wisconsin Maritime Museum