Manistee-based museum ship receives Steamship Society award

Manistee, MI – The former Lake Michigan car ferry SS City of Milwaukee in Manistee, Mich. has recently been announced as the winner of the Steamship Historical Society’s Museum Ship of the Year award.

“This was a complete surprise,” said Linda Spencer, the museum ship’s general manager. The City of Milwaukee was built in 1931 in Manitowoc, Wis. for the Grand Trunk Milwaukee Car Ferry Co. It replaced the car ferry Milwaukee, which sank in Lake Michigan on Oct. 22, 1929.

Beginning in 1931, the SS City of Milwaukee operated for over 50 years ferrying passengers and railroad cars across Lake Michigan between Milwaukee, Wis. and Muskegon, Mich. The ship had a carrying capacity of 28–32 fully loaded rail cars and was powered by four Scotch marine boilers.

The City of Milwaukee was part of the Grand Trunk fleet until 1978 when it was chartered to the Ann Arbor Railroad. After being retired from service in 1982, the ship was moored in Frankfort, Mich. for several years before being moved to Manistee.

In its award citation, the Steamship Historical Society noted that City of Milwaukee is a National Historic Landmark and is the last traditional railroad car ferry afloat in the Great Lakes with its original triple expansion steam engine, woodwork and brass fixtures intact.

A celebration of the 90th anniversary of SS City of Milwaukee’s launch is planned for Aug. 28, 2021 in Manistee. Representatives of the Steamship Historical Society will be in attendance to present the Museum Ship of the Year award. A luncheon and silent auction are also planned.

Following recent flooding in the marina where the ship is moored in, the decision was made to move the City of Milwaukee’s gift shop to the inside of the vessel. In addition, the ship has recently had some remodeling done, including fresh coats of paint and power washing, in honor of the approaching 90th anniversary.

That is something that couldn’t have been done without the “great volunteers and great donors,” Spencer noted. Volunteers are also important to operating the ship’s “boatel” on board lodging program, offering ship tours and holding special events onboard such as the annual “Ghost Ship” Halloween tours.

Manistee News

Foundation launches $45K match campaign for Michigan Maritime Museum

South Haven, MI – The Greater South Haven Area Community Foundation is launching it’s second matching grant fundraising campaign to support funding of the planned expansion at one of South Haven’s most iconic attractions, the Michigan Maritime Museum. From now until September 30, 2021, the SHCF will match, dollar for dollar, all donations made to The Foundation for the project, up to $45,000, for a total contribution of $90,000 towards the local museums’ new Heritage Center.

The Michigan Maritime Museum has established itself over the past four decades as a leader in the preservation of Michigan’s Great Lakes maritime heritage, offering a center for education, research and enrichment. As a destination asset for the City of South Haven and the greater West Michigan region, the museum drives thousands of visitors to the area each year. It’s expansion will meet growing visitor demand and keep South Haven’s harbor an authentic, living representation of Great Lakes maritime culture.

Contributions to the SHCF’s “Launching a Legacy” match campaign can be made by sending to Greater South Haven Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 507, South Haven, MI 49090. Please note MMM Legacy Campaign. For more information about the Michigan Maritime Museum and “Launching a Legacy” capital campaign, visit www.michiganmaritimemuseum.org/launching-a-legacy/

Last year the foundation raised and matched nearly $19,000 in public funds in an effort to support the city’s Splash Pad, donating $38,000 towards the project. Since inception, the Foundation has contributed over $500,000 to local non-profit initiatives. To learn more about the Greater South Haven Area Community Foundation and it’s impact on the region.

Greater South Haven Area Community Foundation

Milwaukee Clipper’s last captain regales ‘sea tales’, went from dishwasher to skipper

Muskegon, MI – Built before the RMS Titanic, the S.S. Milwaukee Clipper was at one time the most popular passenger steamship on the Great Lakes. Even though the ship hasn’t operated in 51 years, stepping on board today is like taking a trip back in time, and if you’re lucky, the last captain may be on board to great you with story after story of the liner’s hay-day.

In 1941, Robert Priefer got a job working aboard the S.S. Milwaukee Clipper, and he didn’t truly get off the historic vessel for nearly 30 years. “It’s been part of my family,” said Priefer, 99. “The ship is like a step-child to me.

Priefer’s assent during his sailing career as quite unique, and in many ways, impossible. His first job aboard the Clipper was as a dishwasher. “I was a Pearl Diver,” Priefer joked. “That’s what the ship’s dishwashers were called back then.”

Every single year Priefer came back to work on the Clipper, he got a promotion. “I never wanted to be a sailor, but my father and brothers were in the shipping industry so it became my calling, too.”

Priefer worked his way up the ranks, obtained his pilot’s license, and 19 years after first stepping foot on the Clipper, he became its skipper.

“It was a big deal,” Priefer said. “Back in those days, a trip from Muskegon to Milwaukee was like going from Muskegon to the Caribbean. “It was a long distance for a lot of people.”

Priefer was the ship’s captain during its last decade of operation. As one might imagine, he has many memorable stories to share. The captain even remembers a couple times when he had to get on the Clipper’s speaker system and yell, “Overboard.” “We had a gal onboard who jumped over the side,” Priefer recalls. “I remember turning the Clipper around and having crewmembers have to go fish her out of the water.”

Read more here: https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/local/michigan-life/milwaukee-clippers-last-captain-regales-sea-tales-went-from-dishwasher-to-skipper/69-20cad5b3-6f13-4a77-925d-d3f543f2bc36?fbclid=IwAR27axvP-tby_84YKV8nrfKepBqB5MTvRy6Dv9fax54hNfDJ9GsLdzb2IRI

Crew of USCG Alder shares journey as it leaves Great Lakes for the last time

Sixteen years after it first was homeported in Lake Superior, the 225-foot U.S. Coast Guard cutter Alder has left the Great Lakes for the last time and is headed to its new home on the West Coast.

The Alder’s crew left their port of Duluth, Minnesota earlier this month for the long, winding journey to the East Coast, where they plan to motor into the U.S. Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, Maryland. Once there, the ship will undergo a yearlong scheduled maintenance before it’s sent off to its new assignment in San Francisco, C

Known affectionately as “The King of the Waters,” the Alder’s years crisscrossing Lake Superior and upper Lake Michigan have been filled with setting up and retrieving the lakes’ aids to navigation, winter icebreaking to keep freighters and their cargo moving, and responding to the occasional calls for law enforcement or search and rescue.

As the Alder transited downbound through the Soo Locks and the lower Great Lakes for the last time, her crew has been documenting this final freshwater journey on the cutter’s Facebook page. They agreed to share some of these photos and videos with MLive readers. You can see highlights of the trip at this link: https://www.mlive.com/news/2021/07/crew-of-us-coast-guard-cutter-shares-journey-as-it-leaves-great-lakes-for-the-last-time.html?fbclid=IwAR2RFCTOwdazwT0FZeZeQp_OfW9pB5vrPmEY3lodxThtnTBx2bPtDg0kb90

Great Lakes iron ore trade up 43.6 percent in June

Cleveland, OH –  Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 5.8 million tons in June, an increase of 43.6 percent from 2020.  Shipments were 6.6 percent above the month’s 5-year average.

Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 20.7 million tons, 20.6 percent above the previous year’s total of 17.2 million tons.  Iron shipments are above their 5-year average by 5.7 percent for the first half of the year.

Since 1880, Lake Carriers’ has represented the U.S.-flag Great Lakes fleet, which today can move more than 90 million tons of cargos annually that are the foundation of American industry, infrastructure, and power: iron ore, stone, coal, cement, and other dry bulk materials such as grain, salt, and sand.  More information is available at www.lcaships.com.

Port of Monroe awarded $770,983 grant to help upgrade cargo screening infrastructure

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, today announced the Port of Monroe has been awarded a $770,983 Port Security Grant from the Department of Homeland Security to help upgrade their cargo screening infrastructure. The funding will allow the port to install a Radiation Portal Monitor, which helps to screen cargo for the presence of nuclear or radiological materials. This will enhance the port’s ability to ensure that incoming cargo is safe and secure, boost operations, and could expand their capabilities to provide increased cargo service throughout the Great Lakes region.

“Congratulations to Director Paul LaMarre and the Port of Monroe on receiving this vital funding. The Port of Monroe serves as an indispensable resource to manufacturers in Michigan and across the Great Lakes region. This critical investment will help the port grow and deliver the products that businesses and families rely on each day,” said Senator Peters. “This funding, which will help the Port of Monroe ensure shipments are safe and secure, is an important step to aid their efforts to expand, begin accepting additional types of cargo, and support jobs and grow the economy in Southeast Michigan. I’ll continue fighting to put Michigan ports on a level playing field so we can ensure our state remains a hub for international commerce.”

“The receipt of this critical grant funding confirms that the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, and FEMA are aligned and supportive to promote the safe, efficient, and secure movement of containerized cargo through the Port of Monroe. Senator Peters’ unrelenting fight to ensure the Port’s continued growth and economic importance to our region has never been more evident,” said Paul LaMarre, Director of the Port of Monroe.  “As Senate Homeland Security Chairman, Senator Peters is ensuring that vital security funding is making it home to Michigan in support of expanded economic opportunities. This grant places the Port of Monroe in full compliance with the SAFE Port Act and in turn, should allow U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to fulfill their mission of enhancing our nation’s economic prosperity.”

In his role on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Peters has supported funding for the Port Security Grant Program and has fought to support Michigan’s ports, especially the Port of Monroe, and ensure they receive fair treatment. A bipartisan measure coauthored by Peters was signed into law requiring federal officials to assess all ports of entry, including finding ways to reduce wait times for passengers and cargo at the border. Peters also repeatedly pressed U.S. Customs and Border Protection on why the Port of Monroe is being held to standards that are not applied to other ports in the region. Peters also recently published an op-ed, outlining the importance of making sure the economic competitiveness of Michigan and other Great Lakes states is not being undercut by unfair policies or practices. Peters also helped secure a $1.1 million federal grant for the Port of Monroe to expand its maritime commerce operations.

Inland Seas schooner trip geared toward Great Lakes education

Marquette, MI – After a six-day visit to Detroit, the Inland Seas Education Association is in transit to the Upper Peninsula on the Inland Seas, a 77-foot schooner that offers educational programming about the Great Lakes. The ship will bring programs to Houghton, Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie between Saturday and Aug. 7.

The ISEA, based in downstate Suttons Bay, said this is the first time the 27-year-old vessel will enter Lake Superior. In 2019, the Inland Seas program traveled to four of the five Great Lakes.

The ship has provided programming in Hessel, a Lake Huron port, every summer since 2014 except during 2020. ISEA brought the schooner Utopia to Lake Superior for the 2019 Duluth Tall Ship Festival, but this is the first time the Inland Seas program has taken the schooner to Lake Superior, said Fred Sitkins, ISEA executive director.

Utopia is a 65-foot two-masted schooner built in 1946 by Fred Peterson, founder of Peterson Builders of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. It was donated to ISEA in 2016 by Carla and the late Ellsworth Peterson.

While in Houghton, multiple Michigan State University Extension and Michigan Tech groups are scheduled to receive programs aboard the schooner Saturday through Tuesday. Students in the MTU Summer Youth program will spend three days traveling on the ship from Houghton to Marquette.

Sitkins called the students “Great Lakes scientists on board. The general thing that happens on our programs is just gaining an understanding of the Great Lakes ecosystem,” Sitkins said.

He noted that the students will explore what lives in the Great Lakes and will take samples of organisms that live at the bottom of the lake, as well as plankton samples to see the microscopic beginning of the Great Lakes food chain. They also will collect fish to study and take basic water quality assessments.

ISEA, according to Sitkins, is a nonprofit organization that receives funding through grants and donations.

Sitkins acknowledged that since the summer is short, it tries to maximize the use of the ship, which means programming often is carried out in in transit. In August, another youth group will travel from downstate Mackinaw City to Suttons Bay.

In Marquette, MSU Extension and other partners will be aboard the ship. Programs with Lake Superior State University, youth groups and MSU Extension will be conducted in Sault Ste. Marie with the ship heading back to her home port on Aug. 8.

ISEA said it addresses the need to protect the Great Lakes, which has a global as well as regional economic impact, through education. Since 1989, Inland Seas has educated over 130,000 youth and adults about the health of the Great Lakes through its school and public programs.

The Great Lakes contain 20% of Earth’s accessible freshwater supply and roughly 84% of North America’s surface freshwater, Sitkins said.

“We believe it’s everyone’s job to steward this resource through career choices, lifestyle choices, communication choices and more,” he said.

https://www.miningjournal.net/life/2021/07/an-inland-seas-voyage-to-marquette/?fbclid=IwAR3XZ_5SU26_SQai8BJXQRpPmNTMMOSKH-c87zoDencgwelbsouRD5MK8mY

U.S. Great Lakes-Seaway shipping bounces back with big cargo increases in June

U.S. Great Lakes ports and the St. Lawrence Seaway are reporting a surge in cargo shipments to feed domestic construction and manufacturing activity and global export demand, according to the latest June figures.

Through June 30, total cargo shipped via the binational St. Lawrence Seaway was up 8.37% compared to the same period in 2020; a welcome 12.9 million metric tons (March 22 to June 30).

The dry bulk category, up 16% through June, is experiencing a strong bounce back and is expected to perform well for the balance of the season due to high demand across the binational Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region for construction materials including cement (up 36%) and gypsum (up 79%).

Coke, used in steel and cement production, is up over 125% compared to last year as global commodity price increases have also led to a big increase of coke exports from Superior and Toledo to France, the Netherlands and other European countries. General cargo (up 61%) continues to be driven by steel imports from Europe, feeding manufacturing and construction activity throughout the binational region.

Year-to-date iron ore volumes via the St. Lawrence Seaway are also up 14%. Part of that increase is due to Canadian ship operators transporting healthy volumes of iron ore pellets from U.S. Lake Superior ports to the Port of Quebec, where they are transshipped overseas to Asia and Europe.

“This time last year, many of these cargoes had fallen off a cliff due to the pandemic. It’s great to see marine shipping bustling again and supporting the accelerating recovery of so many American industries,” said Bruce Burrows, president and CEO of the Chamber of Marine Commerce.

On the western banks of Lake Erie, the Port of Monroe saw many of these trending commodities in June including gypsum, steel and asphalt. The tug and barge Undaunted and Pere Marquette 41 barge called on the turning basin dock twice to load synthetic gypsum for delivery to Port Colborne, Ontario. McKeil Marine’s motor vessel Harvest Spirit paid a visit to the riverfront dock with a cargo of steel coils. The Paul R. Tregurtha of Interlake Steamship continues calling on the DTE Monroe Power Plant weekly with coal.

More than 2.3 million short tons of iron ore transited the Port of Duluth-Superior in June, the most in a single month since August 2019 and the highest June-only iron ore tonnage total since June 2014. That robust float helped keep the port’s total tonnage 3.5% ahead of the five-season average and nearly 40% ahead of the 2020 pace through June 30.

Duluth-Superior’s total iron ore tonnage through June topped 7 million short tons, putting it 10% ahead of the five-season average. Coal and petcoke tonnage also continued to climb, nearing 900,000 short tons in June and 2.6 million short tons season-to-date.

“Steel demand remains strong and Minnesota’s Iron Range continues to operate at full production, which is a good thing for the state, the region and for the Port of Duluth-Superior,” said Deb DeLuca, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. “The total number of vessel arrivals in our port (243 through June 30) is up nearly 30 percent over last season, which is another positive indicator in what’s been a good shipping season thus far.”

At the Port of Toledo, year to date tonnage was up 25% over the same period in 2020 exceeding 3.7 million tons. Increases in bulk commodity handling have led the way with iron ore shipments up nearly 45% primarily due to the Cleveland Cliffs hot briquetted iron facility going into full production this year. Other bulk products like salt, coal and petcoke were also up during the month of June.

“When we think of exports, Toledo is known mainly for exporting corn and soybeans,” said Joseph Cappel, vice president of business development for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. “This year we are also exporting products to Europe and other locations like distillers dry grains and petcoke. It is always a great opportunity for carriers to have the ability to discharge bulk or general cargo in Toledo and reload with grain or another product that are in demand globally.”

The Port of Cleveland continues year over year growth in tonnage numbers with a strong June. General cargo, which included a mix of containerized cargo, yachts, imported steel, and heavy machinery, grew by nearly 55% compared to June 2020 numbers, and has increased nearly 60% year to date compared to 2020.

“We will soon be initiating an infrastructure project that will rebuild and modernize two of our most used docks,” said David Gutheil, chief commercial officer, Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority. “This $20 million project will occur in stages over the next 18 months with funds secured through federal, state, and local sources.”

Cleveland’s bulk terminal, which handles iron ore and limestone, has also experienced substantial growth compared to last year. “Our cargo numbers have more than doubled at this facility, which can be attributed to strong demand in the steel sector, and the lengthening and upgrades to our ore tunnel,” added Gutheil. “The result of this project allows the bulk terminal to mix different types of ore on demand upon delivery to the Cleveland Cliffs steel mill.”

WorkBoat

Liner in jeopardy: Long Beach has 3 options: preserve, drydock or sink the Queen Mary

Long Beach, CA – After reports showing hundreds of millions of dollars in repairs are needed to keep the Queen Mary afloat, a bankrupt leaseholder, an attempt to get the Port of Long Beach to control the ship, and the threat of a derelict Russian sub with a mysterious owner, the City of Long Beach might finally know what it needs to do with the boat.

After battling the bankrupt former leaseholder Urban Commons in court, a judge gave the city control of the ship earlier this month. With none of the former options panning out, the city hired a marine engineering firm, Moffatt & Nichol, to go over the ship and summarize what repairs are needed and the costs. None of them are cheap. The firm’s findings gave the city three options: preserve for 25 to 100 years, dry dock or sink:

The council was presented with three options to consider: preserving the ship for the next 25 years at a cost of $150 million to $175 million; preserving the ship for the next 100 years, which would require moving the ship to a dry dock for repairs at a total cost of $200 million to $500 million; or retiring and dismantling or sinking the ship at a cost of $105 million to $190 million.

Most of the costs to retire or sink the ship would come from dismantling and transporting it to a scrap facility or a location in the ocean where it would become an artificial reef, according to a city report.

More than a few council members want to preserve the ship because of its ability to generate revenue and its historic value. The city gets $3.3 million in tax revenue annually from the ship operating as a hotel and event venue. Mayor Garcia called the ship “an historic landmark not just for our community but for the country. The amount of history is something to be celebrated and preserved.” Another council member even suggested the ship be turned into a federally protected monument. Another suggested a theme park and casino. Whatever the ship’s fate, it’s not over. A detailed study of damage is coming in the next few weeks while the ship remains closed until 2022 for repairs.

Read more here: https://jalopnik.com/long-beach-has-three-options-preserve-dry-dock-or-si-1847335922

Port of Toledo is having a solid 2021 season

Toledo, OH –2021 is shaping up to be a solid year at the Port of Toledo.

“Through June we are up about 25% over the same period last year. We are clicking on all cylinders here with a nice mix of lakers and overseas vessels,” said Joe Cappel, Vice President of Business Development for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. “We are punching above our weight class, you could say. For a city our size, our port is very robust.”

A diverse portfolio of products coming in and out of the port is a big reason for that ongoing success, including everything from coal and salt to grain and iron ore.

“Every year there is a new cargo or two that comes through the port that adds to our overall portfolio. We have a very diverse range of products that are handled here.”

When it comes to volume with each vessel, the numbers are staggering. “I believe each vessel can carry about 700-800 truckloads of cargo,” Cappel said. “That is the economy of scale on one vessel that moves silently through the port 24/7, 365 days a year.”

Supply chain issues have plagued some other ports around the country in recent months, but Cappel said it has not been an issue on the Great Lakes. He said that’s due in large part to the fact that raw materials and not manufactured goods move through our region.

“Here on the Great Lakes it is business as usual. We have of course had some challenges, but the raw materials that drive industry here in the midwest continue to flow through the Great Lakes system uninterrupted.”

Toledo has the largest landmass port on the Great Lakes, with thousands of jobs tied to it. The new Cleveland Cliffs facility has meant more jobs and an additional two million tons of iron ore coming into the port every year.

“7,000 jobs rely on the Port of Toledo. It has a one billion dollar annual economic impact. That number is actually probably higher due to Cleveland Cliffs and other recent developments at the port. The projects are expected to keep our port on solid ground for years to come.”

Read more at this link: https://www.13abc.com/2021/07/19/port-toledo-is-having-solid-2021-season/?fbclid=IwAR1FX6aj6_KrBVaoh9dstymw9SyBDbn0MyyWL9BVT3HEok6pDBx6oYrBw3I

Drone images capture update on U.S.S Cod facelift

Cleveland, OH – From the air and on the ground, photos reveal the first new plate being installed last week on the ballast tanks on the port side of the U.S.S. Cod, an area subjected to the worst corrosion. “We kept our fingers crossed that maybe things wouldn’t be quite as bad as we hoped or thought they might be,” said Paul Farace, president of the U.S.S. Cod sub memorial.

Farace says there are also frightening indications that bacteria may be a factor in the wastage of the steel, at the splash zone. “There are strains of bacteria that eats steel. And leave little, kind of orange-ish, pasty, iron-oxide residue. So that’s quite frightening,” he said.

It’s been a little more than a month since the floating WWII memorial was pulled out of its permanent home along Cleveland’s Lake Erie shores, heading to DonJon Shipbuilding’s massive dry dock in Erie for its first facelift since 1963. And in a major show of hometown love, Cleveland-based Sherwin Williams donated hundreds of gallons of paint to assist in the restoration.

Farace adding, “Sherwin Williams stepping in and donating these expensive, but very high-tech and very necessary marine bottom coatings, they wear a Superman cape in our eyes.”

New steel, cut by a computer, is now being prepared for installation where rusty steel was recently removed. And just like a puzzle, each piece of new steel is laser engraved with codes and numbers on the exact placement location on the vessel with master craftsmen and women making something old, new again.

See more at this link: https://fox8.com/news/drone-images-capture-update-on-u-s-s-cod-facelift/?fbclid=IwAR0s5I0iiwlEqsH7WfVPkGgiaqvHp4GOdWeC6PZB9oxqO1aKXvcjMEfwhc8

International crisis: Shattered seafarers threaten a global logistics shutdown

“I’ve seen grown men cry,” says Captain Tejinder Singh, who hasn’t set foot on dry land in more than seven months and isn’t sure when he’ll go home.

“We are forgotten and taken for granted,” he says of the plight facing tens of thousands of seafarers like him, stranded at sea as the Delta variant of the coronavirus wreaks havoc on shore. “People don’t know how their supermarkets are stocked up.”

Singh and most of his 20-strong crew have criss-crossed the globe on an exhausting odyssey: from India to the United States then on to China, where they were stuck off the congested coast for weeks waiting to unload cargo. He was speaking to Reuters from the Pacific Ocean as his ship now heads to Australia.

They are among about 100,000 seafarers stranded at sea beyond their regular stints of typically 3-9 months, according to the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), many without even a day’s break on land. Another 100,000 are stuck on shore, unable to board the ships they need to earn a living on.

The Delta variant devastating parts of Asia – home to many of the world’s 1.7 million commercial seafarers – has prompted many nations to cut off land access to visiting crews, in some cases even for medical treatment. Just 2.5% of seafarers – one in every 40 – have been vaccinated, the ICS estimates.

The United Nations describes the situation as a humanitarian crisis at sea and says governments should class seafarers as essential workers. Given ships transport around 90% of the world’s trade, the deepening crisis also poses a major threat to the supply chains we rely on for everything from oil and iron to food and electronics.

Bulk carrier master Singh, from northern India, is not optimistic of going ashore anytime soon; his last stint at sea lasted 11 months. He said his crew of Indians and Filipinos were living out of cabins measuring about 15ft by 6ft.

“Being at sea for a very long time is tough,” he says, adding that he had heard reports of seafarers killing themselves on other ships.

“The most difficult question to answer is when kids ask, ‘Papa when you are coming home?’,” he said from his vessel, which was recently carrying coal.

India and the Philippines, both reeling from vicious waves of COVID-19, account for more than a third of the world’s commercial seafarers, said Guy Platten, secretary general of the ICS, which represents over 80% of the world’s merchant fleet.

“We are seriously disturbed that a second global crew change crisis is looming large on the horizon,” he told Reuters, referring to a months-long stretch in 2020 when 200,000 seafarers on ships were unable to be relieved.

Reuters via gCaptain

Read more at this link: https://gcaptain.com/stranded-seafarers-covid-logistics-shutdown/?fbclid=IwAR3KmnxvxAbywCSyYVa0PecLNJ4Rtw0vah17HPWX58olsrCE1i1bTzq4FJE

Scrap tow tug heads for Montreal, probably for Algoma Spirit

A fairly well-known ocean tug on the St. Lawrence River, the VB Hispania, left Vigo, Spain Saturday morning for Montreal to presumably pick up the Algoma Spirit, which has been renamed Piri for the overseas trip, destination Aliaga, Turkey for recycling. The estimated date for the VB Hispania in Montreal is July 31. According to Transport Canada, Algoma Spirit’s registry has yet to be closed.

Rene Beauchamp, Seaway News

Clear Sailing: Resolution supporting maritime container industry earns Senate support

Lansing, MI – The Michigan Senate has approved Senate Resolution 74, sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), to urge the removal of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) restrictions that prevent international maritime containers from being imported and exported at Michigan ports.

“The food and agriculture industry contributes more than $100 billion to the state economy annually, and manufacturing accounts for nearly 20% of the state’s annual total output,” Sen. Chang said. “As our economy works to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, this harmful restriction must be removed, and our ports ought to be treated like others in the nation. I’m grateful to my colleagues in the Michigan Senate for recognizing this issue and agreeing to call for changes.”

Michigan has 3,000 miles of shoreline and the most commercial port terminals in the Great Lakes region.  Cargo that cannot be unloaded in Michigan is taken to nearby ports, leading to high fees for businesses and creating hundreds of jobs in other states. In addition, Michigan’s environment and roads are harmed when international containers are moved to and from the state by truck, instead of by ship.

“Michigan’s ports are an economic engine for the entire Great Lakes Region, but the unequal application of standards puts the livelihoods of countless families and businesses that depend on our ports at risk,” said U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), Chair of the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “I’m thankful to Senator Chang for her leadership on this important economic issue to help ensure Michigan ports can compete on a level playing field. As Chairman of the United States Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I will continue to work with her to ensure Michigan’s ports are treated fairly so our state remains a hub for international commerce.”

Since 2016, the U.S. CBP has restricted all international maritime containers entering Michigan. Clearance requirements have been imposed on Michigan ports, but not elsewhere in the country, unfairly limiting Michigan businesses trying to participate in trade and the global marketplace. This limits the growth and activity of ports like those in Detroit or Monroe.

The existing maritime restrictions on Michigan ports hamper trade efforts in addition to a shortage of shipping containers reported in March. Removal of the restrictions would help Michigan businesses recover losses sustained by the COVID-19 pandemic and increase maritime business internationally.

“The Port of Monroe is exceptionally grateful that Senators Chang and Zorn have taken the lead to ensure that Michigan remains the heart of competitiveness in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System,” said Paul C. LaMarre III, Port Director at Port of Monroe. “It is unconscionable that Michigan’s ports are restricted from handling the most commonly used form of freight movement in the world: containers. The senators’ call for equitable treatment and accountability should serve as a rallying cry to all Michigan legislators, both state and federal, that the ‘Great Lakes State’ needs to regain its maritime competitiveness.”

Port of Monroe

Jim Hoffman exhibit opens at National Museum

Toledo, OH – Today, the National Museum of the Great Lakes opens its first in-house, temporary exhibit since the onset of the pandemic, “Jim Hoffman: The Photographic Life of Toledo’s Original Boatnerd.” The exhibit features the work of Toledoan Jim Hoffman, who passed away on November 7, 2020. Considered a legend among fellow boatnerds, Jim’s photographs are instantly recognizable by most Great Lakes shipping photographers. A reception for family and friends was held Th ursday evening.The exhibit will be up through Labor Day and is included in the price of a museum ticket. Find more information at this link: https://nmgl.org/jim-hoffman-exhibit/

Virtual Visitor Center program today: New Lock at the Soo project update

Work has been underway for more than a year on the New Lock at the Soo.  Kristina Schnettler, a project engineer, will provide an overview of the project, behind the scenes glimpses of the work happening right now and a look at what’s to come in the next few years. This free program begins at 12:30 EDT (11:30 CDT) at https://www.gotomeet.me/VirtualVisitorCenter/new-lock. The Virtual Visitor Center is a cooperative endeavor between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Soo Locks Visitor Center Association and the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association.

Tugboat, non-profit group collect data and promote marine careers

Kingston , ON – Kingston welcomed a life-sized TV replica boat Theodore Tugboat – or Theodore Too – to the city on Monday. The boat’s arrival also marked the beginning of its collaboration with a nonprofit advocating for the restoration and protection of waterbodies.

Theodore Too was purchased earlier this year by marine industrialist Blair McKeil, who is relocating the boat from Halifax to Hamilton. The tugboat, which was previously used for tours of the Halifax harbour, now has a new job: promoting marine careers throughout the Great Lakes.

Theodore Too has partnered with Swim Drink Fish, a non-profit organization working to connect people with water. According to its website, more than $1.7 billion has been spent restoring and protecting water in the wake of Swim Drink Fish’s work since the organization launched in 2001.

Mark Mattson, president of Swim Drink Fish, told the Whig-Standard that the tugboat’s help has come at a vital time. “Next year is really important on the Great Lakes: it’s the 50th anniversary of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement,” Mattson said.

Mattson said there’s a lot of work to be accomplished for the Great Lakes in the next 50 years. “Diversity, accessibility, governance, protection of ways between the provinces, Indigenous communities, the federal government. It’s a really important time for Theodore, and for (Blair and Kathy McKeil) to offer Theodore as an ally to our work for swimmable, drinkable, fishable water was just too much of an opportunity to miss out on.”

While in Kingston, Theodore Too will be outfitted with a real-time temperature sensor that will monitor and measure water temperatures along his journey through Lake Ontario. The temperature monitor will be used by Swim Drink Fish for its Swim Guide app, which gauges and reports up-to-date water information for swimming for over 8,000 beaches, lakes, rivers, and swimming holes around the world.

“(Theodore Too’s) first tool in his toolbox will be this temperature sensor that registers the temperature and sends it into the cloud, and then it automatically updates on a platform like Swim Guide, or other platforms, and archives that data for years to come. So wherever Theodore is, the temperature that day at that time will be kept by us as part of our data collection process,” Mattson said.

As Mattson explained, water temperature is an essential part of water safety. “As a result of COVID-19, many people are going to the water and connecting with the water. We’ve really seen the demand for parks and beaches go way up. You need to protect yourself. If you’re going into water that’s too cold, there are different wetsuits and things to make sure you’re prepared for being in the water. Safety is number one.”

Theodoee Too may eventually be outfitted with more tools, Mattson said, including those for plastic and waste collection and characterization, work Swim Drink Fish’s water management hubs on Lake Ontario, including its Kingston hub, are already doing.

“Theodore wants to learn about and be part of that movement and engagement process.”

Swim Drink Fish also plans to collect and store the water temperature information to examine long-term changes in water temperature at different areas of Lake Ontario. They intend to make that information available to researchers and governments.

Read more at this link: https://www.thewhig.com/news/tugboat-non-profit-group-collect-data-and-promote-marine-careers

For more information, visit https://www.swimdrinkfish.ca

New St. Clair River Live Cam now online

BoatNerd has launched another Live Ship Cam, this one featuring shipping on the St. Clair River from the Voyageur Restaurant in St. Clair MI.  This location is ideal for a webcam, as the ships must navigate close to shore and  provide an up close view.

Our thanks to the City of St. Clair, First Impression Tourism Project – St Clair Community Leadership Team, The Voyageur Restaurant, Capt Bill Griffore and the boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/ webcam team. View the cam by clicking below.

A schedule of expected ships can be found here: https://ais.boatnerd.com/passage/port/st_clair

Giant mural on Maumee River silos painted blue, ready for design to take shape

Toledo, OH –  Phase 1 of the giant Glass City River Wall wrapped up on Friday and the silos that line the banks of the Maumee River just south of downtown Toledo look better already.

1,000 gallons of blue paint was used for the initial base coat of the 160,000-sq.-ft. mural. And now the real work begins.

The 28 silos, owned by ADM, will eventually be covered by an enormous and colorful mural depicting a field of sunflowers over a vibrant blue sky along with portraits of three Native Americans. The theme was chosen to honor the area’s first farmers.

If everything goes as planned, Phase 2, which begins this weekend, should be completed by the time visitors to the city roll into town for the Solheim Cup golf tournament at the end of August.

Read more and view images here:  https://www.wtol.com/article/news/local/artists-complete-phase-1-of-glass-city-river-wall/512-e54b6a23-aaaf-483c-9ffb-e577e981269f?fbclid=IwAR2cyZhFImBHoGLqtGRy2ZRG8a7pO_mMvpYOrpsu9k6tOEhmEEA6TOQH0Ok

Museum to install temporary exhibit showcasing legacy of Toledo-based photographer

Toledo, OH –  On Friday, July 16 the National Museum of the Great Lakes will open their first in-house, temporary exhibit since the onset of the pandemic titled Jim Hoffman: The Photographic Life of Toledo’s Original Boatnerd. The exhibit features the work of Toledoan Jim Hoffman, who passed away on November 7, 2020. Considered a legend among fellow boatnerds, Jim’s photographs are instantly recognizable by most Great Lakes shipping photographers.

“Jim was a fixture on the Maumee River and was loved by Boatnerds near and far,” says Paul LaMarre, III, Jim’s longtime friend who also serves on the Board of Directors at the National Museum of the Great Lakes and is the Director of the Port of Monroe in Michigan. “The National Museum of the Great Lakes is proud to be able to honor and recognize his legacy and life’s passion.”

Jim and his small boat were often the first thing greeting sailors on freighters entering Toledo. Through the years Jim’s photos have been featured and shared both in print and online. In 2020, Jim was honored as the Great Lakes Historian of the Year by the Marine Historical Society of Detroit, one of the few photographers ever chosen.

The exhibit, installed in remembrance of his legacy and love for Great Lakes vessels, will give guests the opportunity to walk alongside his life’s passion and live his photographic memories. It will be available for viewing through Labor Day. Admission is free for members and included with museum admission for non-members. Visitors will also receive a complimentary print from his photographic collection.

WHAT: Jim Hoffman: The Photographic Life of Toledo’s Original Boatnerd
WHEN: Friday, July 16 – Monday, September 6, 2021
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Saturday; Noon – 5 p.m. Sundays
WHERE: National Museum of the Great Lakes
1701 Front St., Toledo, OH 43605
ADMISSION: FREE – Children 5 and under, GLHS/NMGL Members
$17.00 (Museum & Ship) / $11.00 (Museum Only) – Adults (18-64)
$16.00 (Museum & Ship) / $10.00 (Museum Only) – Seniors (65+)
$14.00 (Museum & Ship) / $8.00 (Museum Only) – Youth (6-17)