Coast Guard busy assisting ships in St. Clair River

Sarnia, ON – Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) ice breakers have been busy assisting ships in the St. Clair River this week. Spokesperson Lauren Solski said the bulk carrier CSL Assiniboine was being escorted by the Samuel Risley Tuesday.

“The ship became so closely surrounded by ice along the way that it was having difficulty moving,” said Solski. “The Samuel Risley freed the ship, and it is now moving up the St. Clair River.”

Solski said once that job, in the area of Walpole Island, was complete there were three other ships waiting for ice breaker assistance. “All three ships are moving down the St. Clair River in a convoy with the assistance of both USCGC Bristol Bay and CCGS Samuel Risley.” The tug/barge Samuel de Champlain/Innovation were also downbound on the St. Clair River Tuesday on a late season trip from Alpena to Detroit.

After a mild start to winter, the Canadian Coast Guard warned earlier this month that ice would form quickly in the river and lower Lake Huron area. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a flood advisory for areas along the St. Clair River from Marysville to Algonac in St. Clair County due to ice blockage reported Tuesday morning.

Sarnia News Today

Milwaukee-based Brookby Foundation gifts $1 million for new UWM research vessel

Milwaukee, WI – The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has received a $1 million gift from the Milwaukee-based Brookby Foundation to support its School of Freshwater Sciences’ new research vessel.

The new vessel, called the Maggi Sue, will replace UWM’s existing vessel, Neeskay, a 65-year-old converted Army T-boat that the school purchased more than 50 years ago. The new vessel will be the “most advanced research vessel ever built for the Great Lakes,” UWM said, with onboard technology featuring sensors that collect real-time data, interchangeable lab pods that can be swapped out based on the needs of the scientists, and a positioning system that will keep the vessel in place despite currents, wind and waves.

The Brookby Foundation, founded by Wendy and Paul Greeney, supports artistic and scientific literacy, with a special interest in endeavors that protect or improve the environment. Paul retired as a teacher and science department chair at the University School of Milwaukee in 2011.

“We believe in making a difference where we can,” Wendy and Paul Greeney said in a statement. “That is why we have chosen to make a gift that will advance research and help protect Lake Michigan and all of the Great Lakes. We have a deep appreciation for science, and it’s the responsibility of us all to make the world a better place. Support for the research vessel is how we’re choosing to do that.”

Milwaukee Biz Times

Lay-up reports needed

Now that the end of the shipping season has arrived, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

2022 Great Lakes ice cover expanding

Grand Haven, MI – Brave souls flocked to the accumulating shelf along Lake Michigan over the past couple weeks as frigid weather helped grow the Great Lakes ice cover.

Throughout January, ice across the basin expanded beyond early projections that suggested the winter of 2022 might feature near-record low ice coverage.

That’s changed. Now, maximum ice cover is expected to peak at 49 percent — a substantial jump from initial National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecast modeling at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) in Ann Arbor.

Across the Great Lakes, the average long-term annual maximum ice cover is 55 percent. If the projection holds true, this year’s accumulation of frozen freshwater will remain below average but near what’s expected from a typical winter.

Read move and view images on MLive: https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2022/01/ice-on-great-lakes-is-expanding-expected-to-peak-in-typical-range.html

Lay-up reports needed

Now that the end of the shipping season has arrived, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

Cargo ship collides with Coast Guard icebreaker near Quebec City

Quebec City, QC – A collision between a cargo ship and a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker temporarily halted maritime traffic Saturday afternoon in the St. Lawrence River, near the port of Quebec City.

The Federal Crimson bulk carrier collided with the stern of the CCGS Pierre Radisson icebreaker near Sainte-Foy, not far from the two bridges connecting Quebec City to the South Shore. It happened while the icebreaker was escorting the cargo vessel through the icy waters.

The hull of the icebreaker was damaged in the collision, but the vessel is not taking on water, according to Marie-Ève Caron, spokesperson for the Canadian Coast Guard.

No one was injured, she added. The coast guard ship is now anchored in St-Nicolas and will return to the Port of Quebec City for repairs. Pierre Radisson has in the past been called in to help break ice on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway.

Another Coast Guard icebreaker, the Des Groseilliers, will take over for the Pierre Radisson this afternoon, while a third icebreaker that had been called in as backup. The Martha L. Black will return to Trois-Rivières, according to Caron.

CBC

Traverse City shipmate remembered by Great Lakes community

Traverse City, MI – Traverse City local Richard Gray, 35, died Monday from a tragic accident aboard his 1,000 – foot freighter ship the Walter J. McCarthy, off the shore of Gary, Indiana. Many people across the Great Lakes state have reached out in support to his close family and friends.

Gray was a graduate of Great Lakes Maritime Academy. He also served as 1st Vice President of the International Shipmasters’ Association Grand Traverse Lodge #23.

“It was hard not to like Richard,” says Captain Mark Mather, ISMA Lodge #23 President and GLMA alum. “He had a sense of humor that not everyone got, but oh my gosh, he is famous for having the world’s worst puns and loving puns.”

Friends and colleagues say he was a part of many organizations. He is also said to have been a great man, devoted husband and father of three.

“An extremely dedicated father,” says Rebecca Hancock. “Loved those kids like his life depended on it and was one of the sweetest husbands you’d ever want to meet. He will be very much missed by everyone, but his legacy is evident in so many ways, his spirit will never be gone.”

Gray was part of getting a committee started called Membership and Outreach at the ISMA Lodge #23. Hancock says they thought it would be necessary to reach out to the younger people and that Gray was dedicated to Shipmasters’ and wanted to help the organization grow.

Hancock also says each year Gray would pay for a cadet’s subscription to a program called lapware, used to help cadets study for their license exams.

“Richard was also an adjunct instructor at the academy in his of times,” she says. “So, you can see that he truly cared about the future of not only individual people but the Great Lakes maritime industry in general.”

His friend and colleague Ryan Miller says the two met while at the GMLA in 2008. They were two of the “older” guys and bonded from that. They both went on to work for the same ship company. Gray was working for the American Steamship Co. when he died.

Read more and view the 9&10 News video report here: https://www.9and10news.com/2022/01/21/traverse-city-shipmate-dies-remembered-by-great-lakes-community/?fbclid=IwAR0r43vyROKm_kj0ocPClYeH1yz2VVjFiRF1AzCuOoajF4W5qeIN5C3mXO4

Lake Superior water levels drop by nearly 30 cm compared to a year ago

Lake Superior’s water level is 7 cm lower than average over the past century

Despite a wetter-than-average December, water levels on Lake Superior are nearly 30 centimetres lower than a year ago, according to an organization that monitors lake levels.

The International Lake Superior Board of Control said Lake Superior water levels in January are 28 centimetres below levels recorded a year ago, and seven centimetres lower than the long-term average between 1918 and 2020.

Shelley Psikla, who lives on the shore of the lake in northwestern Ontario, said the lake has been low for some time at her home in Shuniah. There was no place to put the boat at the dock, she said, adding there was no water.

“This summer, it was even worse,” Psikla said. “It just lowered and lowered. And as the fall approached, it is literally a sandbar.”

Psilka has lived on the lake for a decade, and said three years ago, the water level was so high “you had to step up into your boat from the dock.”

Last year, the water level had dropped by about 45 centimetres, she said.

“Obviously when you live on the waterfront, you want the water there, and you want to be able to participate in all of the wonderful water sports that are available to us,” Psikla said. “When you can’t put … your jet ski or your boat anything right at your own dock and in front of your home, it’s a big concern.”

The board said in a media release issued this week that Lake Superior water levels typically drop by as much as 10 centimetres in January.

The board said Lake Superior declined two centimetres in December, less than the average December drop of eight centimetres

Obituary: Capt. David Mathie

Capt. David Burton Mathie was born Sept. 4, 1958, in Detroit, to Betty and Burton Mathie. He passed away in his home on Jan. 11, 2022.

David is survived by his loving wife, Heather; and his four children, Ashleigh, Jacob (Gabby), Nicole (Corbin) and Monica; as well as his grandchildren, Lee and Addison. David also leaves behind his siblings, Karen Henry, Susan (John) Fisher, Michael (Melissa); and his mother-in-law Barbara Tibbetts; as well as many nieces and nephews. He is proceeded in death by his mother and father; and father- in-law, Harold Tibbetts.

Family was the most important thing to David. Dave and Heather were married for 40 years and relocated to Traverse City while Dave attended school at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy and NMC. He was a master in his field and on the ship, making captain at the young age of 37. Among the vessels he commanded was the 1,000-footer Stewart J. Cort.

He was celebrated on the Great Lakes, as he would blow the horn for those on the St. Marys River who waited for the freighter to come through. He worked hard to provide for his family. Dave was the life of the party and loved game nights, bonfires, and pool days with his family. He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed nature, planting trees and tending to his bees. He shared his knowledge of nature and astronomy with his children because “knowledge is power.” David also shared his woodworking, jars of honey and homemade bee candles.

A celebration of David’s life will be held this summer. “Home is the sailor, home from the sea.” Raise a glass to the best. Please visit www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com to share your memories with the family.

Lay-up reports needed

Now that the end of the shipping season has arrived, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

GoFundMe for Richard Gray exceeds $65,000 and growing

The GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the family of the late Great Lakes mariner Richard Gray has passed $65,000!

Richard, second mate on the American Steamship Co. 1,000-footer Walter J. McCarthy Jr., died Monday night in a shipboard accident. The vessel was anchored offshore at Gary, IN, at the time and getting ready to come in and unload. His wife Danielle and three children survive. He was a graduate of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy. Richard, who was 35, lived in Traverse City, MI., and was active the International Shipmasters’ Association lodge there.

Visitation will take place on Tuesday January 25 from 6-8 pm at Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City with a rosary recitation at 5:30 pm. A Funeral Mass will take place on Wednesday January 26 at Immaculate Conception Church at 11:00am with visitation from 10-11 am.

The link to donate is https://www.gofundme.com/f/supporting-the-family-of-richard-gray?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_campaign=m_pd%20share-sheet&fbclid=IwAR2Cq6piCHu0FRxaLLK0cSle-MoGyMpejyF4D1nR3xIcyzn7VtFgrKbL2gs

Waters between St Ignace and Mackinac Island closed

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Colder temperatures have fueled the rapid development of ice in the Straits area. With ferry service to Mackinac Island secured for the winter season, per 33 CFR 165.901, the Captain of the Port Sault Ste Marie closed the waters between St Ignace and Mackinac Island, effective 1200 EST January 21. The Coast Guard reminds all recreational ice users to plan their activities carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from shipping channels.

Coast Guard to close southern Green Bay for commercial traffic for the season

Green Bay, WI – Commercial vessel traffic will have just a few more days to be on southern Green Bay for the season. The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan Captain of the Port on Friday announced it will close the waters of southern Green Bay to commercial vessel traffic starting on Monday, Jan. 24 at noon local time.

This closure will impact all waters southwest of a line extending between Peshtigo Point and Sherwood Point in the bay of Green Bay, according to a news release.

Steel production up by 4.9% this year

NW Indiana – Great Lakes steel production rose by 9,000 tons last week as output rose nationally, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.

Steel mills continued to operate at more than 80% capacity, as they did for most of last year, following the latest wave of industry consolidation, imposition of tariffs of 25%, strong demand and generally favorable market conditions.

Locally, steel mills in the Great Lakes region, clustered mainly along the south shore of Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana, made 629,000 tons of metal in the week that ended Jan. 15, up from 620,000 tons the previous week.

Overall, domestic steel mills in the United States made 1.833 million tons of steel last week, up 1.1% from 1.813 million tons the previous week and up 5.6% compared to 1.736 million tons the same time a year prior.

Steel production so far in 2022 totals 3.9 million tons, a 4.9% increase over 3.72 million tons through the same period last year.

U.S. steel mills have run at a capacity utilization rate of 82.7% through Jan. 15, up from 76.6% at the same point in 2021, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.

Steel capacity utilization, a key metric of the industry’s profitability, was 83.2% last week, up from 76.6% a year earlier and 82.3% a year prior.

Steel production in the southern region, a wide geographic swath that encompasses many mini-mills and rivals the Great Lakes region in output, totaled 742,000 tons last week, up from 735,000 tons the week before, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Volume in the rest of the Midwest ticked up to 209,000 tons, up from 200,000 tons the week prior.

NW Indiana Times

Lay-up reports needed

Now that the end of the shipping season has arrived, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

Winter Fleet gathering in Sturgeon Bay

 Sturgeon Bay, WI – It’s a busy time at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay. As freighters dock, work gets underway.

On a very cold Sunday morning in the Sturgeon Bay chipping channel, the 680-foot-long John J. Boland creept its way into place. Ice fishermen had front-row seats.

“It’s pretty neat. I’ve done it a couple times. It’s pretty cool to see, if you want to walk out there and look at it. You can feel the pressure change. It’s pretty cool, a little scary I guess if you’re not used to it,” said Forest Jacobs, Sturgeon Bay.

Photographers follow the freighters on line and with their camera too.

“I like to get out and enjoy it because a lot of people miss this, and I love to share them with others. I see them once in a while on Facebook and stuff, so I hope other people can see it too,” said Joe Raynier, Algoma, WI.

“They come into port for what they call the winter layup. So all the crew kind of go home for the next month, two months, three months, and that’s when the busy season kicks in,” said Carly Sarkis, Destination Sturgeon Bay marketing and events director.

Sarkis says employees at the shipyard work 24/7 to make sure the fleet is ready to sail. She says maintenance, repairs and even painting are common. The work has to be completed in about 2-3 months because the Great Lakes shipping season typically resumes the third week of March.

“To have this type of activity here in Sturgeon Bay in January, February, and March. It helps us so much. I think it brings extra tourism. It’s great for economic growth all-around. So it’s interesting to see, and I’m happy it’s gaining more traction,” said Sarkis.

View this news report and photos at this link: https://fox11online.com/news/local/winter-fleet-gathering-in-sturgeon-bay-ships-great-lakes-freighters?fbclid=IwAR2DkdXOfnmiAGMyXfNJrPZpw5evuLJK1sj9RjC0wcbuJ4ttE_hLkrEAUlc

Canadian Coast Guard’s oldest serving vessel to be decomissioned

 Ottawa, ON – Canadian Coast Guard‘s oldest serving vessel, the CCGS Hudson, is being decommissioned after 59 years of service, in what the agency calls the “end of an era.” The East Coast ocean science vessel was determined to be “beyond economic repair” after its starboard propulsion motor failed in November.

“Further investment would not allow it to return to reliable service,” read a news release from Canadian Coast Guard and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Back in 2019, the CCGS Hudson needed repairs and maintenance for degradation to the hull, fuel tanks and onboard systems.

At the time, a Quebec shipyard condemned the ship as beyond repair, declining to bid on a lucrative contract on the grounds that it “presents a serious and real threat to the safety of life at sea.” However, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) had said that was inaccurate.

The Hudson had a $4-million refit in Ontario in 2016 and had more work done on it since it returned to its East Coast port in Dartmouth, N.S., in 2017.

Read more and view images here: https://globalnews.ca/news/8523835/coast-guard-decommissioning-ccgs-hudson/?fbclid=IwAR1CCVKXJVGMcxI3FhhVU56HPNDZc53UGpKb14VjwVt9zreVxagtvmvHUTQ

Grand Haven shipping season ends with visits from Sykes, Jackson

Grand Haven, MI – Commercial shipping concluded for the season in Grand Haven this past week. The steamship Wilfred Sykes closed the Meekhof’s D&M dock after making back-to-back visits on Saturday & Sunday. The M/V Herbert C. Jackson delivered the final load of the season to the Verplank dock in Ferrysburg on Thursday with the tug Meredith Ashton providing icebreaking assistance.

Our 2021/22 shipping season started on March 30th, 2021 and a total of 118 commercial deliveries were made to our three active docks in Grand Haven/Ferrysburg. This marks four straight seasons with growth in our numbers, after 109 in 2020, 95 in 2019, & 92 in 2018. This number is simply a count of the commercial vessels that visited our harbor and is not representative of the tonnages received by each dock.

The vessels we saw visit Grand Haven this season included the American-flagged vessels Undaunted/Pere Marquette 41, Prentiss Brown/St. Marys Challenger, Bradshaw McKee/St. Marys Conquest, and Caroline McKee/Commander, Kaye E. Barker, Wilfred Sykes, Manitowoc, Herbert C. Jackson, Sam Laud, Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder, Great Republic, Calumet, H. Lee White, & Laura L. VanEnkevort/Joseph H. Thompson. The historic steamship Arthur M. Anderson also visited for the first time.

We also saw visits from the Canadian-flagged vessels Cuyahoga, Manitoulin, Michipicoten, and Saginaw. The Sykes and PM41 tied for the title of most frequent visitor with 17. Next was the Manitowoc with 12.

Grand Haven Tribune / Samuel Hankinson

Obituary: Captain Nathan Lyall Smith

Captain Nathan Lyall Smith passed peacefully on Wednesday January 19th in his 93rd. year.

He was born in Petrolia and moved with his family to Sarnia as a young boy and remained in the Sarnia area until the present time. He first went to sea at the age of 15 on the ship Hamonic. He left to return to school but after 2 years he went back to sea and has been a sailor ever since.  He loved sailing and never looked back.  He came aboard the Imperial Sarnia in 1969 and acquired his mariners (captain’s) papers in 1974. He loved his ship and his life on the Great Lakes.

Nate lived life to the fullest. He and Velma enjoyed their trips to Mexico, Jamaica, Florida and British Columbia.  He had a great sense of humor and loved to share his stories of being on the ships for 42 years.  After retirement, he enjoyed many years on his yacht Masters Plan.  He also loved his collection of antique cars and living alongside Lake Huron in his lakefront home in Brights Grove.

He will be greatly missed by his loving wife Velma Smith and family. He is predeceased by his parents Dorothy and Lyall Smith, his 3 brothers, 2 sisters and his daughter Dorothy Smith. Nate is survived and will be missed by his son James Smith and his stepchildren Colleen Arbeau (Don), Harold Parker (Kathy), Sharon Rollins (Doug), grandchildren Jesse, Alex, Evan, many nieces and nephews and his sister-in-law Olive Campbell.

Lay-up reports needed

Now that the end of the shipping season has arrived, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

Mate killed in accident aboard Walter J. McCarthy Jr.

Richard Gray, second mate on the American Steamship Co. 1,000-footer Walter J. McCarthy Jr., died Monday night in a shipboard accident. The vessel was anchored offshore at Gary, IN, at the time and getting ready to come in and unload. His wife Danielle and three children survive. He was a graduate of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy. Richard lived in Traverse City, MI., and was active the International Shipmasters’ Association lodge there.

A GoFundMe campaign to help lend some support to his wife and children can be found here:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/supporting-the-family-of-richard-gray?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet

Army Corps commits $479 million to new Soo Lock, enough to finish it at last

Detroit, MI – The most uncertain aspect of any federal project is the availability of funding to get it finished, but it appears the construction of a long-awaited new navigation lock at Sault Ste. Marie has, for now, crossed this final hurdle.

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s office told the Free Press on Wednesday that the Army Corps of Engineers is committing $479 million from the $1.2-trillion infrastructure bill President Joe Biden won through negotiations last year with Congress to the project.

According to the Corps’ breakdown of costs for building the approximately $1.5-billion super-size lock on the Upper Peninsula, that should be about enough to finish the project by the end of the decade, barring cost-overruns.

The funding, Stabenow’s office said, is on top of about $480 million that was requested by the Biden administration for the project in this year’s budget and was included in the funding agreement the federal government is currently operating under.

The White House in a news release Wednesday morning said the investment in the Soo Locks as well as others across the country were intended to help ensure goods and materials get to markets and manufacturers, especially at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has made it harder to make and transport items on time. “Decades of neglect and underinvestment have strained… capacity and jeopardized supply chains,” the White House said.

At the height of construction, the new Soo Lock — which will help move the largest vessels between Lake Superior and the St Marys River leading to Lake Michigan and Lake Huron and the lower Great Lakes — is expected to employ about 1,200 people.

In addition to the employment numbers, however, is the importance of the Soo Locks to the nation’s economy. Currently, only one of the locks, the 53-year-old Poe Lock, is large enough to accommodate the 1,000-foot vessels that move the bulk of cargo, including iron ore pellets needed for manufacturing, across the Great Lakes.

For decades, members of Michigan’s congressional delegation, including Stabenow, have been fighting for construction of a second super-sized lock, with government reports indicating an extended breakdown at the Poe Lock could cause a huge shockwave through the U.S. economy.

In 2018, after urging by then-President Donald Trump, the project finally began to move forward, with funding being authorized for the early stages of construction. In November of last year, the head of the Army Corps of Engineers’ Detroit District, Lt. Col. Scott Katalenich, said the project was on schedule with work around the lock and its design underway. A contract to build the new lock, he said, could be awarded by February.

But funding, especially for projects that can take more than a decade to complete, is often a question mark since Congress is usually called on to make multiple appropriations through the years and the Army Corps doles that out across many projects underway nationally.

Passage of the infrastructure bill — which should be worth upwards of $10 billion to Michigan in road and bridge funding, mass transit investments, broadband Internet and more — guaranteed some $12 billion in funding to the Army Corps nationwide

Read more here: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/01/19/soo-locks-funding-biden-infrastructure-bill/6576070001/

Ice on Great Lakes starting to expand with recent Arctic blasts

The ice cover is starting to grow on the Great Lakes. A few of the Great Lakes even have ice cover that is right at a long-term average.

December was warmer than normal across the Great Lakes. In fact, at most Lower Michigan cities, December only had three days with below-average temperatures. Going into January, there was only about 2% of the Great Lakes covered with ice.

Now January is pacing at being a colder than average month. While December averaged around six degrees warmer than normal, January is now averaging about four degrees colder than normal.

Read more and view graphs at this link: https://www.mlive.com/weather/2022/01/ice-on-great-lakes-starting-to-expand-with-recent-arctic-blasts.html?fbclid=IwAR1B7YYZ8GO84oXpc-rU-xTV7GRuHzlbgD_XoMYNRsJMnlzWsJhsrwzsTg8

Seaway tonnage above last year’s despite challenges

Cornwall, ON – The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) announced today that more than 38 million tonnes of cargo transited the system during the 2021 navigation season which, despite another challenging year, is above last year’s results.

Iron ore, steel slabs and other steel products posted strong performances, contributing to over 10.5 million tonnes of the total.  This was driven by demand from both the automotive and construction industries. These results, and the fact that we traded cargo with over 50 countries, confirm the Seaway’s role as an important transportation corridor connecting North America’s largest industrial hubs to markets around the world, as well as in identifying export opportunities and contributing to the economic recovery. Petroleum products and other essential chemical products were up some 5%, and are starting to return to more normal levels.  Such varied cargoes as stone, cement, potash and aluminium were also up. Grain, at 10.6 million tonnes, is below last year’s exceptional results due to a smaller crop and drought conditions in both western Canada and the U.S. mid-west.  Canadian grain, however, was still tracking at a 5-year average.

“At the Seaway, we continue to demonstrate our resiliency and operational sustainability”, said Terence Bowles, President and CEO of the SLSMC. ”In spite of the  many challenges experienced by the transportation industry this past year, the Seaway was able to maintain its operations and its position as a reliable commercial transportation corridor, ensuring consistent and predictable service for its customers and supporting the Canadian and U.S. economies during this difficult period.”

Reliability of the system is attributable in part to a robust maintenance program.  Over the past navigation season and through the upcoming winter months, close to $70 million is being invested in SLSMC maintenance and repair work. Over the past decade, the SLSMC and GLS have invested CAN$925 million in modernizing the binational Seaway infrastructure assets. This economic activity supports many local jobs and enterprises in the communities adjacent to the Seaway.

Craig H. Middlebrook, Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) said, “Throughout another year of challenges to the transportation industry, the Seaway’s performance highlighted its continued resiliency as a maritime supply chain. The Seaway handled an increase in cargo tonnage over the navigation season, and did so safely, reliably, sustainably, and in an environmentally sensitive manner. Seaway users know they can rely on the waterway to meet their domestic and international cargo needs.”

For over 60 years, the Canadian and U.S. Seaway Corporations have worked closely with stakeholders to strengthen partnerships, enhance efficiencies and drive sustainable growth. Today, the Seaway is a world-class energy-efficient waterway, an essential transportation corridor for North American goods and services, as well as a strong environmental alternative to other modes of transportation.

The last commercial transit of the 2021 navigation season through the Montreal-Lake Ontario section occurred on December 31st.  The Welland Canal had a later closing date, with the final vessel transiting on January 7th.  The Seaway canals and locks traditionally re-open for shipping in mid-March, with major maintenance programs occurring during the non-navigation season.

Lay-up reports needed

Now that the end of the shipping season has arrived, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

Soo Locks closed for the season Sunday

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The final lockage for the season at the Soo Locks had not one, but three boats. Leading the way is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers tug Owen M. Frederick, followed by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Biscayne Bay and the 635-foot-long Sam Laud. The Laud surprised many boat watchers by sneaking out of the steel mill behind the Indiana Harbor to pass through the Poe Lock Sunday afternoon.

Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader were downbound earlier in the day.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Ice breaking operations in the port of Escanaba

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mobile Bay (WTGB-103) will conduct ice breaking operations in the waters of Green Bay and into Escanaba, Michigan on Tuesday January 18.

Mobile Bay will establish a track into the Port of Escanaba. This work will be conducted ahead of the H. Lee White’s arrival on January 18 to moor at the Escanaba Ore Dock.

USCG

Lakes Pilots Association seeking new pilot

Lakes Pilots Association, based in Port Huron, MI., is now accepting applications for an Applicant Pilot Position.  Lakes Pilots Association covers the waters of Lake Erie as well as the Detroit and St. Clair River system, along with all of the associated ports, excluding the Welland Canal.

To be eligible to be an Applicant Pilot, one must accrue a minimum of 24 months sea time aboard vessels over 4000 gross tons in a licensed officer capacity.  If an individual is using sea time accrued on the oceans, a minimum of 6 months experience must be on the Great Lakes.  Great Lakes masters experience is preferred but not a requirement to apply.  A complete list of requirements may be found in CFR Title 46, Shipping, Part 401, Subpart B.

Applications must be submitted to the Director of Great Lakes Pilotage in Washington, D.C. to determine eligibility.  Applications and Information can be obtained from the US Coast Guard Director of Great Lakes Pilotage Website.  Please have Resumes into Lakes Pilots Association by January 24, 2022.   Please contact Lakes Pilots Association for more information at T.brandano@lakespilots.com.

Lay-up reports needed

Now that the end of the shipping season has arrived, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

Sunday Soo Update. Sam Laud will be the last commercial boat down for the season. USCG Biscayne Bay will join them in the Poe Lock. At 12:10 p.m. the Laud was dropping lines at Algoma and will follow the Indiana Harbor. Arthur M. Anderson got underway from the Nine Mile anchorage area about 10 a.m., using a track freshly groomed by USCG Katmai Bay and USCG Bristol Bay. Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader were downbound at Mission Point just after noon.

Shipping season ends with a busy day on the river

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The last full day of the shipping season was a busy one, with lots of traffic and icebreaker activity on a sunny but frigid Saturday.

Vessels that passed through the locks late Friday/early Saturday were held above Nine Mile Point until daylight. Those were Walter J. McCarthy Jr., Anglian Lady/barge Ironmaster with assist tug Wilfred M. Cohen, Harvest Spirit, Robert S. Pierson and John G. Munson. After USCG Bristol Bay ran some tracks around the vessels, they were allowed to convoy through the Rock Cut with USCG Mackinaw in the lead, followed by USCG Bristol Bay.

At the same time, American Century and Sam Laud passed upbound through the East Neebish Channel. Thanks to cutter assistance, the vessels experienced little difficulty in getting to the Soo.

After the Sam Laud locked up in the late afternoon headed for Algoma Steel to unload, Manitoulin locked down, as did CCGS Samuel Risley, which went ahead of her down the river. Arthur M. Anderson locked down next. Due to difficult ice conditions reported by the Manitoulin further down the river, Soo Traffic directed the Anderson to stop in the Nine Mile anchorage until morning, when cutter assistance will be available.

American Century was the last upbound passage for the season, however she had difficulty entering the lock due to ice on the lower lock wall, some of which the Anderson was able to remove on her way out of the lock. Her troubles were not over however, as she became beset in ice just west of the upper approaches. At 11:45 p.m. she and the downbound Dirk S. VanEnkevort/barge Michigan Trader, which was just west of her, decided to call a halt to their efforts to move until Sunday morning, when USCG Biscayne Bay can lend a hand.

As midnight and the official end of the season arrived,  Indiana Harbor had yet to pass Whitefish Point, but the locks will be kept open to accommodate her, as well as Sam Laud returning downbound and the USCG Biscayne Bay, which is headed for St. Ignace.

Lay-up reports needed

As the end of the shipping season approaches, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

Traffic at the Soo Locks dwindles as season nears end

Saturday morning update: At 9 am Saturday, Katmai Bay was breaking ice ice ahead of the downbound convoy consisting of Walter J. McCarthy Jr., Harvest Spirit, John G. Munson, Robert S. Pierson and john G, Munson. The vessels have been stopped overnight above Nine Mile and will now parade through the Rock Cut. On the other side of Neebish Island, American Century and Sam Laud are coming up. Sunny, -13, wind chill -34.

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – With the shipping season set to close on Saturday night, the final vessels of the season were headed toward the Soo Locks on Friday. Paul R. Tregurtha was upbound in the early afternoon headed for Duluth and winter lay-up. She was assisted through several tight spots by USCG Bristol Bay and USCG Katmai Bay.

Downbound traffic Friday afternoon included Edwin H. Gott (assisted above Big Point by USCG Katmai Bay) and Michipicoten (from Algoma). Walter J. McCarthy Jr., Harvest Spirit, John G. Munson and Robert S. Pierson were behind Michipicoten. American Century was due upbound Friday night headed for Superior and the barn, with Sam Laud following, bound for Algoma Steel. As of 11 p.m., they were anchored in lower Mud Lake awaiting daylight.

Saturday’s traffic will include Arthur M Anderson and Dirk S. VanEnkevort / barge Michigan Trader downbound late. It looks like the locks’ final ship of the season will be the Indiana Harbor, which arrived at Two Harbors to load taconite on Friday afternoon.

The end of the season is arriving just in time. With temperatures well below zero, the St. Marys River is freezing fast.

Roger LeLievre

Great Lakes limestone trade up 11 percent in 2021

Cleveland OH – Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 29.5 million tons in 2021, an increase of 11 percent compared to 2020.  2021’s loadings were also 4.8 percent above the trade’s 5-year average. See chart below.

Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 23.5 million tons, an increase of 11.4 percent compared to 2020.  Shipments from U.S. quarries were also above their 5-year average by 2.4 percent. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 6 million tons, an increase of 9.3 percent compared to the prior year, and 15.2 percent better than their 5-year average.

Lake Carriers’ Association

Soo Locks closing for seasonal repair, maintenance

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie will close to ship traffic on Saturday night for yearly maintenance. Every year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers uses the two-month closure to perform maintenance on the locks to keep them going.

The Corps said the Detroit District team works long hours in extreme conditions on a significant amount of maintenance. The locks are scheduled to open at 12:01 a.m. on March 25.

“It is a difficult time in terms of weather to complete this work, but it keeps this important national infrastructure project operating during shipping season,” Soo Area Engineer Kevin Sprague said.

The Corps of Engineers has several projects to complete, including working and inspecting the Poe Lock hydraulic steel structure, miter gate bottom girder repair and seal replacement, dewatering system maintenance and more.

Contractors will also perform rehabilitation of the Poe Lock’s upstream primary gate.

On top of the maintenance, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is building a second Poe-sized lock which holds the largest ships on the Great Lakes at more than 1,000 feet. The lock is 110 feet wide and 1,200 feet long.

In December, they wrapped up the second year of upstream channel deepening to deepen the canal enough for the large ships to use. The work will resume in the spring, and construction of the lock chamber is expected to begin in the 2022 construction season.

WXYZ

West Neebish Channel to close Jan. 17

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Following the closure of the Soo Locks, Per 33 CFR 162.117, Director VTS St Marys River will close the West Neebish Channel effective 0800 local time on 17 January 2022. Alternating one-way traffic will be established in the Munuscong and Middle Neebish Channels.

The Coast Guard would like to remind all recreational ice users to plan their activity carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from shipping channels.

South Channel between Cheboygan and Bois Blanc Island to close

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Per 33 CFR 165.901, Captain of the Port Sault Ste Marie will close the waters between Cheboygan Michigan and Bois Blanc Island Michigan known as South Channel, effective 0800 EST 16 January 2022.

The Coast Guard would like to remind all recreational ice users to plan their activity carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from shipping channels.

Lay-up reports needed

As the end of the shipping season approaches, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/