CHICAGO – The United States cannot rebuild its maritime strength by focusing solely on its ocean coasts. Instead, the nation’s industrial resurgence depends on recognizing the Great Lakes as one of America’s five maritime coastlines and leveraging the region’s unmatched manufacturing ecosystem, according to U.S. Maritime Administrator Stephen M. Carmel. Speaking at the American Great Lakes Ports Association’s annual meeting in Chicago recently

, Carmel argued that the Great Lakes should be viewed not as a regional transportation network, but as a national strategic asset that is central to rebuilding America’s commercial shipbuilding and industrial base.

“For generations, we have spoken as though the United States had three coasts—the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Gulf,” Carmel said. “That has never been true. America has five coasts: the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Gulf, the Great Lakes and the Arctic.”

While the Arctic has increasingly become a focal point for national security and geopolitical competition, Carmel said the Great Lakes deserve equal strategic attention – and funding –  because they connect directly to North America’s industrial heartland through the St. Lawrence Seaway and represent one of the country’s few remaining complete maritime ecosystems.

Carmel said Washington is beginning to embrace a broader view of maritime policy, citing the Maritime Action Plan, the SHIPS Act and renewed emphasis on shipbuilding, workforce development, financing and strengthening the domestic industrial base. Importantly, he stressed that these initiatives extend well beyond America’s saltwater coasts.

“For a long time, America talked about maritime issues as though they were simply transportation issues,” Carmel said. “The larger truth is that maritime strength is about the system they create together.”

He argued that rebuilding America’s maritime sector is ultimately about rebuilding manufacturing.

Cargo creates demand for ships. Ships create demand for mariners. Mariners sustain shipyards. Shipyards support suppliers, and those suppliers preserve the industrial capabilities that underpin both economic prosperity and national security.

“The Great Lakes never lost that system,” Carmel said, noting that while much of the country watched shipyards close and supply chains disperse, the region continued moving the iron ore, steel and industrial cargoes that powered American manufacturing. “When America became the greatest industrial power the world had ever seen, it did not happen despite the Great Lakes. It happened because of them.”

That industrial foundation, he said, offers a blueprint for the rest of the country.

Rather than viewing shipbuilding as the responsibility of a handful of coastal yards, Carmel said successful maritime nations develop integrated ecosystems capable of designing, building, repairing, financing and sustaining ships over generations. He pointed to the Great Lakes’ ports, shipyards, suppliers, manufacturers, workforce and educational institutions as evidence that such an ecosystem already exists.

Carmel also challenged Great Lakes stakeholders to help shape the next phase of U.S. maritime policy by providing lawmakers with specific projects, cargo opportunities and regulatory obstacles as Congress prepares new maritime legislation for 2027. Decisions made during the coming months, he said, will determine whether Great Lakes priorities are embedded in national policy from the outset rather than added later.

Despite growing bipartisan support for rebuilding American maritime capacity—and billions of dollars already committed to federal shipbuilding programs, Carmel said the greatest threat to success is neither foreign competition nor funding

He believes the industry’s biggest challenge is mindset.

“Too many people look at this mission and conclude that the problems are too complex, that we’re too far behind and that the competition is too entrenched,” Carmel said. “And I reject all of that.”

America’s maritime revival, he concluded, will depend on the same spirit of innovation and determination that built the Great Lakes into the industrial engine of the nation.

Marine Link

SARNIA, ON – Ending months of speculation about her fate, the veteran laker Saginaw left her lay-up dock at Sarnia’s North Slip Monday. She moved down river to the Imperial Oil Fuel Dock in Sarnia, then headed upbound on Lake Huron for Superior, WI, to load ore pellets at the BNSF #5 dock. She is expected there in the afternoon of Aug. 26 to load ore pellets for Hamilton

The 639-foot self-unloader was built in 1953 in Manitowoc, WI, as John J. Boland (iii). She has been laid up since her previous operator, Lower Lakes Towing Co., was sold to Algoma Central Corp. in early 2026.

 

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – Ever wanted to take a once-in-a-lifetime ride on a Great Lakes vessel? Such trips are usually reserved for company guests, but Sault Historic Sites in Sault Ste. Marie, MI, has been given a round trip for 4 from Interlake Steamship Co. to raffle off as a fundraiser.

Raffle ticket purchases support the general maintenance and exhibit upgrades at the Museum Ship Valley Camp and Tower of History in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. Trip departure will be out of Duluth, MN. The travel dates will be coordinated with the winner.

To purchase tickets, complete the order form and mail in or contact Sault Historic Sites at (906) 632-3658. Download the order form here or print out the form from the gallery below.

Besides the Grand Prizes, runner-ups can win:
2nd Prize: Two-night stay at The Hotel Ojibway by Wyndham, Dinner for 2 at the Lockview Restaurant, 2 VIP passes for a classic lock tour with Original Soo Locks Boat Tours, 2 VIP passes to the Museum Ship Valley Camp, Tower of History & River of History Museum (all located in Sault Ste. Marie, MI)
3rd Prize: $150 Gift Certificate for a lock tour of your choice with Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours,2 VIP passes to the Museum Ship Valley Camp & the Tower of History (all located in Sault Ste. Marie, MI)
4th Prize: 2 VIP Dinner Cruise passes with Original Soo Locks Boat Tours, 2 VIP passes to the Museum Ship Valley Camp & the Tower of History (all located in Sault Ste. Marie, MI).

Sault Historic Sites

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – The federal government has announced that it will invest $11 billion into building six new icebreakers and that is good news for Algoma Steel. All six icebreakers will be built in Canada at the Davie Shipyard in Lévis, Québec. The project will create almost 5,000 jobs in the construction phase alone and contribute nearly $650 million annually to Canada’s GDP.

Under the government’s Buy Canadian Policy, these vessels will be built with Canadian steel and other domestic materials, while maximizing opportunities for Canadian manufacturers, suppliers, and small and medium-sized businesses, a press release stated.

Since Algoma Steel is the primary domestic supplier of the discrete heavy plate steel needed for these specific Arctic builds, they are uniquely positioned as the core steel provider for the program. It is the only producer of this steel in Canada.

Sault-Algoma MP Terry Sheehan said he’s excited that Algoma Steel will be part of the largest shipbuilding announcement made in Quebec’s history. “I have already spoken to Algoma’s CEO Rajat (Marwah), and I will be visiting Chantier Davie later this fall,” Sheehan said.

Sheehan said this contract provides stability for Algoma’s order books and demonstrates that the Sault Ste. Marie steelmaker has already built a great relationship with Chantier Davie.

The value of the contract to Algoma Steel has not been disclosed. Mayor Matthew Shoemaker said he met with Chantier Davie officials in Sault Ste. Marie some time ago. “Today’s announcement is good news and hopefully there is more to come,” he said.

In February it was announced that Algoma Steel shipped its first plates of Ontario steel to Davie in Quebec, where they will be used to build the Canadian Coast Guard’s new icebreaking vessel, the Polar Max.

Algoma Steel is one of North America’s leading producers of high-quality armour plate, and a total of 600 net tons of metal plates will be sent by Algoma Steel to Davie for the Polar Max project.

“Not only is our government’s support of Algoma Steel safeguarding the northern economy, but it is also putting a spotlight on Ontario’s steel manufacturing capabilities and contributing to Canada’s defence infrastructure,” said George Pirie, Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth at that announcement. “We’re enabling Algoma Steel to successfully navigate changing market conditions and U.S tariff impacts, while simultaneously playing an important role in Canada’s security. We’ll continue making every effort to use and promote Ontario steel wherever possible.”

Construction will begin in 2027, this first ship will be ready five years later, and the full fleet will be in service by 2038.

Sault Star

 

APOSTLE ISLANDS – The National Parks Service announced Monday that crews will soon remove the 42-foot Chequamegon Point Light Tower on Long Island in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore because it can no longer be preserved and is causing safety issues.

Shoreline erosion and storm damage have caused significant structural failures, including failing footings, severed anchors, and damaged structural braces. The tower poses an imminent safety risk and if not addressed, it threatens to collapse into Lake Superior, the NPS said.

“Protecting public safety and preserving the integrity of our maritime heritage are core responsibilities,” said Superintendent BriAnna Weldon.

“Unfortunately, the Chequamegon Point Light Tower has reached a point where in-place preservation is no longer feasible. Deconstruction is the safest and most responsible path forward.”

Erected in 1897, the tower was part of a network of navigational aids along the southern shore of Lake Superior. The tower marked the entrance to Chequamegon Bay.

In 1987 the tower was moved 100 feet east to its current location due to shoreline change. Over time, many of its character defining features were removed and only the exposed steel lattice frame and lantern room remain today.

While not individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the tower is a contributing feature to the Long Island Light Station historic district. NPS will dismantle the remaining structure and relocate it to an off-site storage location.

The National Park Service is currently contracting specialized services for this project. A detailed timeline will be shared once contractors are selected and logistics are finalized.

MLive

TRAVERSE CITY, MI — A Michigan lighthouse owner is accused of playing Coast Guard officer on the Great Lakes while illegally dumping sewage into Lake Michigan, according to a newly announced federal indictment.

Brent Alan Tompkins, 52, of Traverse City, co-owns the iconic red-and-white striped White Shoal Lighthouse, roughly 20 miles west of the Mackinac Bridge. Tompkins and co-owner Mike Lynch purchased the historic offshore lighthouse at a federal auction for $110,009 in 2016 and have worked to restore it.

But federal prosecutors say Tompkins crossed the line from lighthouse enthusiast to alleged Coast Guard impersonator. Investigators claim he operated a vessel displaying markings resembling U.S. Coast Guard insignia and represented himself as a Coast Guard member while dealing with a distressed mariner in Emmet County.

Authorities also allege Tompkins discharged pollutants into Lake Michigan at White Shoal Light. The allegations were investigated over roughly two years by the Coast Guard Investigative Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Environmental Investigations Section on behalf of EGLE.

“The public has a right to know when they are dealing with a properly trained public official — and when they are not,” U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, particularly when someone is facing danger on the water. He summed up the government’s view of the case more sharply: “This is no place for impersonators and wannabes.”

Tompkins is charged with false impersonation of a federal officer, unauthorized use of Coast Guard insignia and illegally discharging a pollutant into navigable waters. Prosecutors say a conviction could bring up to three years in prison, along with Clean Water Act fines of at least $5,000 for each day a violation occurred.

Dutch general cargo vessel Thamesborg has safely completed its first transit of Canada’s Northwest Passage since running aground on an uncharted shoal along the route last year, with the vessel passing within a few nautical miles of the site of the accident.

The 172-meter (564-foot) Wagenborg – a Great Lakes visitor in 2017, 2020 and 2025 – left Matane, Quebec, on Aug. 8 and is scheduled to arrive in Onsan, South Korea, on Sept. 3, according to AIS data. Its transit of the Northwest Passage took around five days, from Aug. 13 to Aug. 18.

The voyage took Thamesborg through Franklin Strait, where it ran aground on Sept. 6, 2025, while sailing from China to Baie-Comeau, Quebec. The vessel struck an uncharted shoal, damaging its hull and several ballast tanks and causing water ingress. No one was injured and no pollution was reported.

A comparison of AIS tracks shows Thamesborg navigating farther east in 2025 than during the most recent transit. The grounding occurred in an area of limited hydrographic survey data, highlighting the challenges faced by commercial vessels navigating the Canadian Arctic.

The precise cause of the grounding has not been determined, Wagenborg told gCaptain. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada continues to list the incident as an active investigation.

“While investigations into the Thamesborg incident are still ongoing, Wagenborg remains fully committed to safe, responsible navigation through the Northwest Passage,” Wagenborg representatives said.

“We view every operational challenge as an opportunity to review our procedures, enhance our training, and expand our knowledge base in this delicate environment.”

The 2025 grounding triggered a complex month-long salvage operation in one of the most remote parts of the Canadian Arctic. More than 5,000 tons of Thamesborg’s cargo of industrial carbon blocks were transferred to the vessels Silver Copenhagen and Nunalik to reduce the ship’s draft. Specialized equipment was then brought in aboard the icebreaker Botnica to remove water from damaged ballast tanks and help refloat the vessel.

Thamesborg was refloated in early October and subsequently left the Arctic under its own power, escorted by Botnica and the tug Beverly M I. The convoy reached Baie-Comeau later that month, where the remaining cargo was discharged. Thamesborg then crossed the Atlantic under its own power, accompanied by Boskalis’ anchor-handling vessel Princess, and arrived at a Turkish shipyard in December for repairs.

“We approach every Arctic voyage with rigorous preparation, working hand-in-hand with Canadian authorities and local stakeholders throughout every transit,” Wagenborg said.

The 2026 Northwest Passage season is also proving active, particularly for expedition vessels. Public schedules show multiple passenger ships operating or preparing to enter the passage in August, including Seabourn Venture, MS Fridtjof Nansen, Ocean Victory and other expedition vessels.

gCaptain

DETROIT, MI – Join members of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit aboard the passenger vessel Diamond Belle (captained by the MHSD’s very own Mike Nicholls and with MHSD member Ken Borg as narrator) for a three-hour cruise, 1-4 p.m. Saturday, September 19, on the Detroit River. We will do our best to get up close to freighter traffic. Snacks and refreshments will be available.

Tickets are $28.50 (at the dock $30 cash or check, only if space is still available). To pay online, go to mhsd.org and click on the CRUISE tab in the header at the top of the page.

To buy tickets by mail, send a check, payable to the Marine Historical Society of Detroit, to MHSD Cruise, 1020 Iroquois St., Detroit, MI 48214. Canadian checks must be marked U.S. FUNDS. Late orders will not be mailed; they will be held for you at the dock. No refunds after September 7.

The number of passengers is limited to 100 so there will be plenty of room to move about the boat. Reserve now!

Marine Historical Society of Detroit

DETROIT, MI – Friday night, a J.W. Westcott Co. crew was alerted to a sinking jet ski and two people in the water beneath the Ambassador Bridge. The crew launched the U.S. Mail Boat M.S. Westcott and found the jet ski being assisted by the Windsor-based tour boat Macassa Bay.

The more maneuverable M.S. Westcott pulled alongside. Captain Neil Schultheiss and deckhands Dario Cordova and Jose Mendez pulled the two men from the river and towed the sinking jet ski to the Westcott Dock.

The men said their rented jet ski began taking on water near Centennial Park, and they were quickly swept downriver.

The J.W. Westcott Co., Detroit’s oldest family-owned business, is celebrating its 152nd season operating on the Detroit River. Staffed 24 hours a day, Westcott crews deliver mail to passing freighters and have been credited with carrying out numerous rescues on the Detroit River.

J.W. Westcott Co.

MANITOWOC – Lake Michigan Carferry canceled two S.S. Badger crossings between Ludington, Michigan, and Manitowoc because of a mechanical issue, the company announced Aug. 20. The affected trips are Thursday night from Ludington, Michigan, and early Friday from Manitowoc, with daytime crossings expected to resume Friday.

Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter