SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – Michelle Briggs, Chief Park Ranger / Interpretive Specialist for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Soo Locks, was presented with the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division award for Interpretive Excellence at a ceremony earlier this week at the Soo Locks Visitor Center by Lt. Col. Donald K. Lew, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District. The award reads, in part, “Ms. Briggs revolutionized public outreach by creating “Ranger Reels,” an innovative short-form series. Her leadership and vision resulted in videos that have been viewed over three million times, bringing the mission of the Soo Locks and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to a national audience.”
Briggs has also won the prestigious Hiram H. Chittenden Award, which has yet to be presented.
Soo Locks Visitor Center Association
Soo Locks Chief Park Ranger Michelle Briggs with Corps Lt. Col. Donald K. Lew. [Roger LeLievre]
A new tugboat has joined Thunder Bay Tug Services Ltd. with the arrival of Harriet M in Thunder Bay on October 8, 2026. The tug was acquired from Moran Towing Corporation of Philadelphia, PA. Built in 1978 at Jakobson Shipyard in Oyster Bay, NY, Harriet M measures approximately 28 metres in length and is powered by 3,005 horsepower. She will assist commercial vessels navigating the harbor and support ship movements throughout the Port of Thunder Bay as part of Thunder Bay Tug Services Ltd.’s operations,
Michael Hull
Harriet M arriving at the Port of Thunder Bay. [Michael Hull]
Harriet M arriving at the Port of Thunder Bay. [Michael Hull]
OWEN SOUND, ON. – With the 2026 sailing season wrapping up on October 18, the Owen Sound Transportation Co. reminds passengers and community members that the MS Chi-Cheemaun will proceed to dry dock for her five-year inspection following the end of the season. OSTC does not anticipate the vessel will return to Owen Sound harbor for her winter berth this year; should this change, updates will be posted at ontarioferries.com. With the vessel scheduled for inspection, there will be no fall repositioning cruise this year.
Chi-Cheemaun earlier this year. [Stephen Sostaric]
STURGEON BAY, WI – The 482-foot-long heavy lift vessel BBC Philippines is at Sturgeon Bay, WI, delivering a cargo of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) tanks. The tanks are for the new build 3794, a bunkering barge that will be used to fuel ships at sea. On Thursday, the tug Nickelena brought a barge over to BBC Philippines for offloading the tanks. The LNG tanks were manufactured at Alcotmi Inc., a prominent Canadian industrial manufacturer that designs and fabricates large-scale industrial pressure vessels, chemical tanks, and atmospheric equipment. BBC Philippines is 482′ x 75,’ built in 2023, and sailing under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda. This is her first visit to the Great Lakes/Seaway system.
Rosann Hollinger
Tug Nickelena alongside BBC Philippines. [Rosann Hollinger]
This is a great chance to buy, sell or trade Great Lakes items including photos, books, models, artifacts and much more. See the attached poster for details.
CLEVELAND, OH – On Sunday night, the Columbus Road Lift bridge over the Cuyahoga River came into contact with the forward mast of the self-unloading laker American Courage, bending it forward. Although nothing official has been released, it appears from video that the bridge deck was lowered onto the vessel prematurely. The Courage, which is running ore shuttles up the river, was backing under the bridge after departing the Cleveland Bulk Terminal.
Video of the incident as it happened, shot by Luis Mercado, who was in a vehicle on the bridge at the time. Warning: Profanity. View it here:
American Courage’s damaged mast. [Chuck Slusarczyk Jr.]
American Courage’s damaged mast. [Chuck Slusarczyk Jr.]
Tall cranes are part of th New Lock at the Soo Project. [Roger LeLievre
SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, announced a major milestone in the construction of the New Lock at the Soo, with Phase 3 of the project reaching 50 per cent complete. The Corps of Engineers awarded the base contract July 1, 2022, to Kokosing Alberici Traylor (KAT) LLC, of Westerville, Ohio. The new lock, a $3.219-billion investment in Great Lakes infrastructure, increases resiliency at the Soo Locks facility by constructing a second Poe-sized lock. Currently, 88% of all U.S. domestic iron ore transport is dependent on the 1969-era Poe Lock.
Reaching the halfway point on this mega project is a testament to the dedication of the Corps of Engineers team and the joint-venture contractor Kokosing Alberici Traylor LLC,” said Corps of Engineers Integrated Project Office Chief Mick Awbrey. “The progress made here is a direct reflection of the more than 600 people working on this project. They come to work every day committed to the successful completion of the new lock.”
Work on Phase 3 includes, but is not limited to, constructing a cofferdam at each end of the lock, demolishing the existing Sabin Lock, filling in the existing Davis Lock, excavating bedrock, constructing the New Lock chamber walls and floor, fabrication and installation of miter gates, installation of mechanical and electrical systems, installation of an innovative hands-free mooring system, rehabilitating the downstream approach walls and constructing a new pump well.
To date, KAT has completed $975 million worth of work through the end of August 2026. The current focus is on mass concrete placement for the concrete walls, the lock floor and new pump well construction. Offsite fabrication of the steel structures, including the miter gates, ship arrestors and culvert valves are also in progress.
It will take approximately 400,000 cubic yards of concrete to complete the New Lock at the Soo.
“If you were to build an average sidewalk that you see in a neighborhood, with 400,000 cubic yards of concrete, you could build a sidewalk from Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., to Orlando, Fla.,” Awbrey said. “It’s a massive amount of concrete, and we are making progress every day.”
The total quantity of concrete placed through August is 140,198 cubic yards, extending almost to Dayton, Ohio, on the ‘sidewalk to Orlando.’
Despite the harsh conditions of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the project remains on schedule for its 2030 target completion. The project is a flagship example of the Army Civil Works’ Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ initiative, which prioritizes speed of execution, smart risk-taking, and mission-focused results. By streamlining processes and empowering decision-makers at every level of the vertical chain, the Corps of Engineers is delivering critical infrastructure for the nation faster and at less cost.
The New Lock at the Soo is one of the highest-priority commercial navigation projects in the United States. Its completion will ensure the reliable passage of raw materials crucial for American steel production, protecting thousands of jobs and reinforcing the domestic supply chain for decades to come.
The Detroit District oversees 3,150 miles of shoreline and 81 harbors and channels across Michigan and parts of Indiana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, ensuring the Great Lakes remain a vital resource for the nation.
CLEVELAND — U.S. shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes increased 1.8 percent from last year to 2.7 million tons. Limestone cargos were below the month’s 5-year average by 5.8 percent. Year-to-date, the limestone trade stands at 15.9 million tons, a decrease of less than one percent compared to 2025 and 3.2 percent below the month’s 5-year average.
CHARLEVOIX COUNTY, MI – A new 66-foot research vessel designed to improve the safety and efficiency of Lake Michigan fisheries research is now in service after being commissioned Wednesday in Charlevoix. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources held a commissioning ceremony for the vessel, which will serve as the agency’s primary research vessel on Lake Michigan. The vessel was named the Research Vessel Steelhead after its predecessor, the Survey Vessel Steelhead. DNR Deputy Director Shannon Lott christened the new vessel, and DNR Fisheries Division Chief Randy Claramunt formally commissioned it.
Michigan Department of Natural Resources Deputy Director Shannon Lot pours water over the bow of the RV Steelhead to christen it at the Sept. 30 ceremony. [Michigan DNR]
“The importance and meaning of this new vessel to Fisheries Division and the DNR cannot be overstated,” Claramunt said. “Lake Michigan is one of the largest freshwater lakes on the planet, and the RV Steelhead and crew will serve as the State of Michigan’s primary means to collect data and inform fisheries management decisions on this Great Lake.”
The RV Steelhead was designed by Boksa Marine Design and built by Moran Iron Works in partnership with Superior Boats. Funding came from appropriations in the state budgets for 2023 and 2025, along with grant funding from the Great Lakes Fishery Trust. The vessel includes updated navigation and sampling equipment, a redesigned fish-processing area and a multiuse stern platform for research activities. It also features a SeaKeeper gyrostabilizer designed to provide a more stable work platform for crews, along with a bow thruster for more precise maneuvering and an integrated solar-charging system.
Captain Pat O’Neill, who will operate the vessel, said the upgrades are intended to give field crews safer and more capable tools for fisheries research and resource management. The RV Steelhead will be used for several Lake Michigan surveys, including spring gill net, lakewide acoustic forage fish and bottom trawl surveys. Those surveys help monitor species including lake whitefish, lake trout, burbot, yellow perch, alewife and rainbow smelt, as well as invasive species.
