Seaway Strike Update

End of day Oct. 27 – No settlement reached; still at impasse. Talks to continue.

Ship Junkies – Lakes, Locks & Rivers (LL&R)

Canadian Seaway strike could not have come at a worse time, Milwaukee port officials say

Milwaukee, WI – A labor dispute between Canadian port workers and the Canadian government has concerned officials at Port Milwaukee and area businesses that rely on ships coming in and out of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

“If you look at it in terms of economic impact worldwide, we’d be like the third largest economy in the world,” said Jackie Carter, director of Port Milwaukee. “There’s a great responsibility with that. Making sure that those goods are moving efficiently, that that lane is clear, that they can move fast, that it’s reliable; I think this strike really has cast some doubt on our region and the ability to meet the needs of the vessel owners.”

The St. Lawrence Seaway is a series of canals, dams and locks that connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a vital economic artery for each state and city that does business on the Great Lakes.

The timing could not have been worse for Wisconsin as growers and companies are in their harvesting season.  Carter said 34% of international vessels come in the final quarter of the year.

“If there’s grain that needs to be moved, we can’t get it out through the seaway,” Carter said adding the port has been in contact with its tenants to learn about how this is impacting them directly.

So far, the impact has been “minimal,” Carter said. Businesses were able to make adjustments before the strike started to either cancel shipments or find another way to move products.

“In order to get international vessels inland, that seaway needs to be open. With that closure and that traffic being stuck and not able to move, we’re not able to get the international products from our region out to international markets, and we’re also not able to get imports in,” Carter said. “It forces businesses in our region to seek alternative means to move their goods. That often means the movement is going to be more costly but it also puts us at risk where we’re competing with areas like coastal ports… then being able to get those products from the coast on trucks, on rail, you’re talking about increased emissions, you’re talking about increased costs to the growers and the producers. All of those things are concerning to us.”

Great Lakes shipping officials urge the Canadian government to end the strike ‘as quickly as possible’

But Wisconsin and the rest of the states on the American side, they’re stuck sitting in the bleachers while the workers and the Canadian government sit at the negotiating table.

Carter said port officials have been communicating “almost daily” with the Canadian government and was surprised it let the strike go on for a week before planning to negotiate on Friday. The conversations between the Canadians and U.S. “have gone from concerning to frustrating.”

“There does not appear to be much urgency on their part,” Carter said. “That’s concerning for us as well. The fact that we have a binational system that cannot operate and we are losing time, losing days… we don’t know what the exact sticking points are because they’re not able to tell us that kind of detail.”

But not every industry can simply ship products through a different route. The cruise industry, which has found life in the Great Lakes in recent years, is also facing a “threat to … growth” as a result of the strike. Carter said officials are “urging the Canadian government to end this as quickly as possible.”

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Port leaders call for action to end Canadian union’s strike against St. Lawrence Seaway

Toledo, OH ­­– Officials from the ports of Toledo and Monroe have called for concerted efforts to resolve a strike that has shut down Canada’s St. Lawrence Seaway locks since Sunday.

The walkout by about 360 workers represented by Unifor, Canada’s largest private-sector union, affects 13 canal locks between Lake Erie and Montreal, including the eight-lock Welland Canal connecting lakes Erie and Ontario and five locks along the St. Lawrence River in and above Montreal.

“The grievance of 300 workers, though important, shouldn’t outweigh the well-being of the third largest economy in the world,” Paul C. LaMarre III, president of the American Great Lakes Port Association and director of the Port of Monroe, wrote in a letter to Canada’s ministers of transport and labor.

“This unprecedented closure of the St. Lawrence Seaway is occurring [during] the most challenged geopolitical atmosphere that has existed in decades,” Mr. LaMarre continued, “and poses an incalculable risk to the national security and defense capabilities of both of our nations.”

Mr. LaMarre urged Minister of Transport Pablo Rodriguez and Minister of Labor Seamus O’Regan to “place binational security before politics” and intervene immediately to reopen the canals. “Anything else would be an insult to national sovereignty,” he concluded.

The port of Toledo handled 3,006,738 tons of cargo that transited the Seaway last year, and through September of 2023, 1,377,024 tons traveled to or from Toledo via that waterway.

“We’re trying to assess what that means for us locally,” Thomas Winston, president of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, told that agency’s board of directors Thursday morning about the Canadian strike.

“With the harvest season upon us, and grain shipments from the Port of Toledo ready to be exported into international waters to feed the world, we urge you to help resolve this conflict quickly to prevent both immediate and long-lasting impacts on not only the Port of Toledo, but the entire global economy,” Mr. Winston wrote in a letter sent later Thursday to the same Canadian ministers.

“If the strike is to continue for much longer we could have significant impact to vital shipments heading into the perilous winter season,” U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) said Friday afternoon. “I support the workers fighting for fair pay and work conditions and hope there is a quick resolution that benefits all.”

Mr. Winston told the port directors about 100 ships were being delayed, either trying to get into the Great Lakes or trying to leave, by the strike. That potentially included a ship bringing imported grain to Toledo “and perhaps some other commodities,” Mr. Winston told the board.

The Toledo port on Friday then issued a statement noting the Seaway’s central role in its overseas cargo movements. “This situation has affected all Great Lakes ports by closing access to international waters,” Mr. Winston said.

Two oceangoing freighters, the motor vessels Federal Oshima and Chestnut, were berthed for loading Friday afternoon at The Andersons grain elevators along the Maumee River just south of downtown Toledo.

Joe Cappel, the port authority’s vice president for business development, said the two ships had entered the Great Lakes before the strike, and their outbound voyages could be delayed if the Seaway locks remain closed.

“We’re hopeful they can hammer this out over the weekend and be back to normal next week,” Mr. Cappel said. “…This needs to be treated with more urgency.”

A spokesman for The Andersons did not respond to an inquiry Friday afternoon.

Mr. Cappel said that besides grain, the canal-lock lockdown threatens the Toledo deliveries two to three times per month of aluminum smelted in eastern Canada that is then warehoused and distributed at the local port as part of its status as a London Metals Exchange delivery point.

The Toledo port also handles overseas shipments of steel, titanium, and other metals; sugar; heavy machinery; and other cargoes.

The St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes are part of a system of locks, canals, rivers, and lakes that stretches more than 2,300 miles from the Atlantic Ocean to the western tip of Lake Superior in Minnesota and Wisconsin. It carried over $12 billion, or nearly $17 billion Canadian, worth of cargo last year.

Ships that travel it include oceangoing “salties” and “lakers” that stick to the lakes, with laker users of the affected locks primarily being Canadian-flag vessels traveling to Lake Ontario ports, Montreal, or grain transloading ports in the lower St. Lawrence.

It’s the first time that a strike has shut down the vital shipping artery since 1968. Before the union walked out early Sunday, it said they were still “1,000 nautical miles apart on wages” despite several months of negotiations.

The strike was in its third day Tuesday when the Canadian government ordered both sides to return Friday to the bargaining table with a federal mediator in Toronto. U.S. officials are pushing the Canadian government and the Seaway corporation for a settlement.

“We have grain that feeds the world that’s not moving. We have salt that goes on winter roads for safety that’s not moving. We have iron ore for steelmaking that’s not moving,” said Jason Card, spokesman for the binational Chamber of Marine Commerce in Ottawa.

Management has asked the Canadian government to invoke a law to let ships carrying grain transit the system, but so far it has declined to intervene.

Jean Aubry-Morin, vice president of external relations for Seaway management, said Thursday that they’re disappointed the talks have been dragging on.

“We go to Toronto with the hope that this will change and that we can move forward and we can reach a fair and reasonable agreement,” he added.

While Unifor recently won big increases from automakers, Mr. Aubry-Morin said the management company is a nonprofit corporation that doesn’t have the means of the automobile industry.

Union officials did not respond to messages seeking comment but said in a statement, “Unifor will comply with the call to mediation and will continue to support our members on the picket line while talks take place.”

Mr. Aubry-Morin said management knows of around 115 vessels in the St. Lawrence River and on Lake Ontario that are stalled. He said they didn’t have figures for how many ships at sea might still be headed for the Seaway and the Great Lakes. But he put the total economic impact of the shutdown at $110 million, $153 million Canadian, per day.

The website MarineTraffic.com on Thursday showed numerous oceangoing ships were still inside the system. A major bottleneck is the closed Welland Canal in Ontario. Around 25 ships — salties and lakers — were anchored outside the Lake Ontario and Lake Erie entrances.

A U.S. Navy warship, the littoral combat ship USS Marinette, was supposed to leave Cleveland on Lake Erie on Monday, but remains stuck.

Other stranded ships included five at the major grain port of Thunder Bay, Ont., on Lake Superior and two docked on the Detroit River between Lakes Huron and Erie. They won’t be able to get past Lake Erie until the Seaway reopens.

Shipments within the four Great Lakes from Superior to Erie, such as iron ore and coal, are not affected.

John Jamian, director of operations for the Port of Detroit, said the strike has already affected eight ships that were bound for Detroit, ships carrying steel coils and slab steel for the auto industry and cement for the construction industry. And he said the number could grow.

“Bear in mind each one of those ships holds a lot of tonnage. Those ships are not coming into the system,” Mr. Jamian said. “I know one is still in Europe with cargo and destined for Detroit. She’s in a holding pattern.”

Toledo Blade. Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Saildrone’s autonomous vessels reach 1 million nautical miles

MILWAUKEE, WI – An autonomous quiet research vessel called Saildrone just set a new milestone. The fleet of these surface vessels has traveled 1 million nautical miles at sea.

“Over 32,000 days, so that’s equal to over 89 years and two and a half trips to the earth to the moon and back,” Saildrone Product VP Kim Sparling said. “So we’re really excited to see our fleet growing and getting even greater global coverage.”

Saildrones are one way we can better research what’s happening with our waters.

“Saildrones are uncrewed surface vehicles. They’re instrumented with a bunch of different sensors to collect data about the ocean,” Sparling said. “We think this is really important because the oceans drive a lot of our climate or weather, our food sources. And using uncrewed surface vehicles for collecting this sort of data frees up crude assets to do more valuable work.”

This summer, one vessel sailed the Great Lakes for data on the fish population, but it can be used for much more.

“We work with a bunch of different government entities including NOAA USGS, that’s what brought us to the Great Lakes,” Sparling said. “We hope to continue on that work. But then we’re also expanding into other use cases. So maritime security, climate monitoring, fish stock assessment.”

Several Saildrones are out at any given time gathering data on oceans and lakes.

“This year, we saw the most number of drones that we’ve ever had out. So that’s upwards of 60 to 100 at a time. But, you know, it changes and we hope to see that number growing as well,” Sparling said.

Some of those were able to gather data in the eye of Hurricane Fiona last year.

“Storm intensification has a huge impact to humans along the coast and to property values and everything like that,” Sparling said. “So the more data we can collect from sale drones, and other assets, the better understanding we have about how those storms build, and so we’re very happy to be involved in that research.”

WPBN/WGTU

Watch the video report here: https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/saildrones-autonomous-vessels-reach-1-million-nautical-miles-advancing-ocean-research-and-climate-monitoring

‘It’s a Magic Day’: SS Keewatin Arrives at its New Home In Kingston

KINGSTON, ON – The century-old passenger steamship Keewatin arrived at Kingston, ON, Thursday to become a permanent part of The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston.

Hundreds of people lined the railings of the Kingston Dry Dock, itself a historic site, to watch the Titanic-era steamship get settled in its new home. “It’s a magic day, a really a magic day. It’s a day of celebration,” Chris West, chair of the museum’s board, said as he watched two tugboats push the Keewatin into the entrance of the dry dock.

The S.S. Keewatin, one of the last remaining Titanic-era vessels in the world, left Hamilton early Wednesday morning and passed through Oakville, Burlington, Mississauga and Toronto on Wednesday

The ship was originally scheduled to land in Kingston on Monday, but weather and other circumstances forced a delay in its arrival. The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston, will be taking in the steamship as part of its permanent collection

“I first saw the ship in 2016 and the museum had just lost its property. We were homeless,” he said. “So it was totally inappropriate to think this would be a wonderful ship at the museum someday, but I had that thought.

“Then we ended up back here, this wonderful historic site. We have the dry dock, the Keewatin needed a new home,” West said. “A whole lot of tremendous effort and volunteer effort and donor support was needed. It all came together.”

On hand for the arrival was Eric Conroy, who headed up the Friends of Keewatin group that operated the ship as a museum and tourist attraction in Port McNicholl.

“We spent seven weeks packing it, making it seaworthy and it obviously worked. It’s here and it didn’t sink,” Conroy said. “This is where it belongs, and it’ll get another 100 years here.

“It’s got the tourism to back it up. It’s got manpower, it’s got a good volunteer base — people that know what they’re doing — and it’s in a dry dock.”

The Keewatin was built in 1907 by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd. in Glasgow, Scotland and formerly owned by CP Rail. Steamships like the Keewatin took tourists and cargo throughout the Great Lakes until it was taken out of service in November of 1965.

The ship appeared in the seventh season of the CBC original series “Murdoch Mysteries,” and was featured on a 2020 Royal Canadian Mint coin.

View a photo gallery here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/steamships-portmcnicoll/sets/72177720312216255/

Whig-Standarrd

Feds Need to Address Impact of St. Lawrence Seaway Strike, Stakeholders Say

Canada’s labour minister says he won’t interfere in negotiations to end the strike on the St. Lawrence seaway, but those who rely on the shipping channel argue there’s no time to wait for a deal with millions of dollars in grain at stake.

About 360 employees with the government-established St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. have been on the picket line since Sunday after negotiations broke down with union representatives at Unifor.

Company and union officials are expected back at the bargaining table on Friday when they sit down with federal mediators in Toronto.

For now roughly 100 ships, including cargo vessels, have been halted along the artery between Montreal and Lake Erie. The seaway connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

The full Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system, also known as “Highway H2O,” serves over 100 ports and commercial docks and helps Canada’s Prairie provinces and the U.S. Midwest export goods. Grain, iron ore, petroleum products, stone and coal are among its key commodities.

The strike has already hurt local producers according to Robert Dalley, who manages the port in Johnstown, Ont.

Truckloads of soybeans harvested by local farmers continue to be delivered to the port — approximately 5,500 tonnes every day — and stored inside grain elevators.

Ships are typically scheduled to come once a week to load and deliver the supply to buyers, which in turn creates more room for storage at the port. “When those vessels stop, eventually the system will back up,” said Dalley.

A line up of trucks at the Port of Johnstown, delivering soybeans harvested from local farmers.

About 125,000 tonnes of soybeans are yet to be harvested this season and would have nowhere to go, potentially costing farmers $62 million in lost revenue, he added, also noting the upcoming corn harvest.

Dalley urged both the union and seaway to come to an agreement quickly. n”As a worldwide exporter of grain, of soybean, we need to be reliable. We need to be able to move our grain into the port and move it out to Quebec and over to the European markets,” he said. “When you don’t do that and people are waiting for it, they will find it somewhere else.”

The union is demanding higher wages for workers and for the company to address “a toxic workplace,” said National President Lana Payne from the picket line Tuesday.

“We want a reasonable agreement for our members,” Payne said. “But it takes two to tango and the reality is … this employer has not been willing to make a serious offer.”

Lana Payne, national president of Unifor, talks to St. Lawrence seaway workers from a picket line in St. Catharines, Ont., Tuesday. (Paul Smith/CBC)

In a statement released earlier this week, company officials said they were “pleased” to resume talks with Unifor and they have been “extremely concerned” with the impacts caused by the current strike.

They said work is ongoing to reach a “mutually beneficial agreement.”

Those concerns are echoed by federal officials who are keeping a close eye on the situation, but said they have no plans to intervene in negotiations. They continue to urge both parties to return to the bargaining table.

“We just keep talking to our American counterparts. They’re obviously very concerned and have a lot at stake, as do a lot of members of this caucus around the Great Lakes communities,” Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan said Wednesday

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCOC) has called on the government to “immediately intervene to prevent further damage to supply chains and limit the impact on Canadians,” saying the situation can’t wait until Friday.

“Canada is at a critical point right now,” said Pascal Chan, senior director of transportation, infrastructure and construction at the CCOC.

“Our supply chains are fragile and they have been impacted over the last few years by events such as wildfires, floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as most recently the port strike in British Columbia.”

Other groups such as the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses have asked the government to keep the seaway fully operational to minimize damage to small and large markets as negotiations continue.

CBC

Shipwreck Museum’s 48th Anniversary Fitzgerald Memorial to be Virtual in 2023

WHITEFISH POINT, MI –   The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum’s annual Edmund Fitzgerald memorial ceremony will be a virtual ceremony this year. The event, scheduled for Friday, November 10, 2023 (7pm), will be available on a live-stream access, details to be announced soon. The livestream link will be posted on www.shipwreckmuseum.com during the week of the event.

The buildings of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point, will not be open to the public on November 10, 2023. In addition, the Michigan Maritime Museum (www.michiganmaritimemuseum.org) of South Haven, MI, will host a viewing of the Shipwreck Museum’s Edmund Fitzgerald (live-streamed) memorial service.

For more information, visit Shipwreckmuseum.com.

Flying Boats at Whitefish Point? Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum Gets New Exhibit

WHITEFISH POINT, MI –  Actual Flying boats at Whitefish Point? Not really, but for about 5 minutes on October 11th, we saw the rare USCG Type TR Motor Lifeboat CG 36381 being lifted by a huge crane and “flying” over the roofs of our campus.

But it didn’t start there.  The beautifully restored 36-foot-long boat, CG 36381 (CG meaning Coast Guard), coming home has been years in the making. The Motor Lifeboat (MLB) was discovered in a boat yard around 10 years ago in a marina in Maryland. Back then, CG 36381 was destined to be burned to the ground for its hardware.

Luckily, some friends of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS), Jeff Shook and Glen Cathers, let us know about this unique opportunity.  CG 36381 was then purchased and shipped to Michigan with the help of a generous donation from David Sutton, as well as Brad and Keith Tolles of ADS Transport, Wixom, MI.

Restoration of the MLB started at Passage Boat Works in Detour, MI, and then shifted to E.J. Mertaugh Boat Works in Hessel, MI. The masterful work took about 6 years until the time came for CG 36381 go to its new home at Whitefish Point

“Delivery day for a once in a lifetime project. The boat left Mertaugh Boat Works in Hessel, MI yesterday for Whitefish Point anticipating the arrival of the crane and crew for today’s lift/swing/fly. Loshaw Crane did an amazing job flying the boat to her home. Ken Graham trucking delivered her within feet of her new home. Fantastic work guys.” President of E.J. Mertaugh Boat Works, Geoff Hamilton said.  “Although all the staff members that have worked on this project, past and present were not able to attend today your work will be on display for all to see. Outstanding. Considering the timeline, logistics, weather and equipment that made this adventure an enjoyable success…I thank you.”

“The list is long of the people that have been involved in the restoration of Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat # 36381 here at E.J Mertaugh Boat Works. This restoration project was all made possible by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society Museum’s board and Bruce Lynn’s commitment and dedication to seeing this project to its conclusion.” Said E.J. Mertaugh Boat Works CEO, Brad Koster. “Many years have passed since this project began with a pandemic sandwiched in between. Through all the efforts of so many people added up to this day when we placed her back in her house at Whitefish Point. Now it’s time for everyone to go see her, that’s the ultimate reward of this project.
“In order to make our 1923 Motor Lifeboat House restoration complete, we really needed a Motor Lifeboat!”, reflected Shipwreck Museum Executive Director Bruce Lynn. “This was a tall order…not many of these boats are left. Fortunately, some friends made us aware of a Type TR motor lifeboat that was only 10 hull numbers from the original that arrived at Whitefish Point in 1933. I can’t tell you how excited we were to get this old boat…and we are so excited now to see it in its new home!”

The GLSHS will be hosting a dedication ceremony for the Motor Lifeboat next summer. Stay tuned for more information on times and dates. To watch the video of CG 36381’s trip from Hessel, MI to Whitefish Point visit shipwreckmuseum.com where pictures will also be provided.

The Seaway Strike is a Hot Mess. Canada Needs to Fix It

EDITORIAL: Last Saturday night at midnight, the employees of the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) went on strike, shutting down Canadian portions of the St. Lawrence Seaway, a binational waterway connecting the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. That night, the flow of commerce through the waterway ceased, resulting in a disruption of trade to our ports, lost jobs in our communities, and millions in economic harm compounding every day.

At our ports, stevedores and longshoremen have no ships to unload, marine pilots are out of work, trucking companies have no deliveries to make, and tugboats are idle. Our customers are making plans now to reroute their products through east coast ports.

Despite these negative impacts, there seems to be no urgency to resolving the strike. The parties did not meet Sunday, nor Monday. They did not meet Tuesday. They have no plans to meet today, nor tomorrow. The casual pace at which the parties and the Canadian Government are approaching the resolution of this crisis is an outrage. It is a slap in the face to the many Americans and Canadians who are suffering job loss.

This is not just any labor dispute; it is a labor dispute affecting an international commercial waterway owned by the Canadian and U.S. Governments and operated in the public interest. While the SLSMC and its union are at the negotiating table, their dispute is negatively effecting hundreds of companies and thousands of people whose livelihood depends on the freight that moves through the waterway. None of these companies have a seat at the table. None of their employees have a voice, yet they suffer.

Despite claims that they are “engaged,” the Canadian Labour and Transport Ministers appear to be slow-walking the resolution of this strike. While we don’t take sides in the dispute, we do demand that the Government of Canada demonstrate greater urgency in bringing this to an end.

A 2020 economic analysis determined that a two-week closure of the Seaway would result in the loss of more than 19,000 jobs in the United States and Canada. With a week now wasted, and many days of negotiations still pending, these job losses are certain.

Shame!

American Journal of Transportation

USS Marinette Stuck As Seaway Workers Strike

The Navy’s newest Littoral Combat Ship cannot make its way to the Atlantic Ocean after finding itself in the middle of a strike by St. Lawrence Seaway employees. The St. Lawrence Seaway employees, represented by Unifor, went on strike Sunday, after the union and employer failed to reach an agreement, according to a press release from Unifor.

Canada’s CBC reported that the workers at 13 of the 15 locks are on the picket line, shutting down the corridor on the St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic Ocean. USS Marinette (LCS-25), commissioned in September, is currently in Lake Erie, moored in Cleveland, Ohio, unable to get to the Atlantic Ocean, as that would require going through the seaway.

“Unifor members did not undertake strike action lightly and it is our hope that the employer will resolve this dispute as quickly as possible so that normal shipping traffic can resume,” Unifor said in a statement to USNI News. The union will return back to the negotiation table on Friday.

The Navy acknowledged a request for comment from USNI News but did not provide a statement

This is not the first time a Littoral Combat Ship got stuck in the Great Lakes due to issues with the St. Lawrence Seaway. After USS Little Rock (LCS-9) commissioned, it got stuck in Montreal due to icy conditions on the seaway. The now decommissioned Little Rock was commissioned in December 2018 next to the USS Little Rock museum ship in Buffalo. The plan was for the Littoral Combat Ship to take the St. Lawrence Seaway to the Atlantic Ocean and then to Mayport, Fla., where it was homeported. However, icy conditions on the seaway meant the ship had to wait for the water to thaw out, USNI News reported at the time.

Marinette, which commissioned in September in Michigan, will also be homeported in Mayport, Fla.

USNI News

Impact of Seaway strike being felt at Wisconsin ports

MILWAUKEE, WI – The canals and locks of the St. Lawrence Seaway may be hundreds of miles east of Wisconsin, but the impact of a strike by Canadian canal employees is already being felt in the Badger State. Earlier this week, employees who control the operation of the seaway through Ontario and Quebec went on strike, closing the canals to vessel traffic. Ships that traverse both the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean aren’t able to travel between the two.

It is something staff at Wisconsin ports are watching closely. Port of Milwaukee Director Jackie Q. Woods said there are no oceangoing ships currently docked at the port because of the strike.

Woods said she worries about the effects it could have. “It is very concerning to us because it impacts our ability to move international goods. We have the ability to still take cargo from laker vessels,” Woods said. “Those are the vessels that move throughout the Great Lakes that don’t go into the international seaway, but there is no ability at this moment to move any international cargo.”

Other ports around Wisconsin also have concerns. The Port of Green Bay handles less international traffic than the Port of Milwaukee. Still, staff worry about the ripple effect canal closures could have even on domestic shipping.

Mark Walter is the Business Development Manager for the Port of Green Bay. Walter worries about what will happen if the strike goes on for an extended period of time. “When ships aren’t leaving the Great Lakes, it has a definite pushback on the Great Lakes,” said Walter. “More resources that are being kept within the Great Lakes and not moving cargo externally. We do get a variety of cargos coming from other areas of North America and Eastern seaboard that wouldn’t necessarily be able to get into the Great Lakes.”

Staff within the Port of Green Bay are currently drafting a letter to the Canadian Minister of Labor and Minister of Transport, highlighting the important role international cargo plays in the Green Bay economy and encouraging a quick resolution to the strike.
Spectrum News 1

Federal mediator calls for new talks in bid to end St. Lawrence Seaway strike

The strike by Canadian workers that closed the St. Lawrence Seaway is costing U.S. jobs at Great Lakes ports and manufacturers as ships are stranded and cargo is diverted to the East Coast, U.S. industry officials say. The 350 Unifor workers walked off the job on Sunday after talks broke down with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp., which operates 13 of the 15 Seaway locks between Montreal and Lake Erie.

Negotiations on a collective agreement are scheduled to resume on Friday after a federal mediator on Tuesday afternoon called the sides back to the bargaining table. But the shutdown of the Seaway has already exacted a price from the Canadian and U.S. vessel owners, dock workers, and the manufacturers and producers that rely on the waterway.

The strike has closed the locks in and around Montreal and on the Welland Canal, which links Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Inbound shipments of steel and iron ore are halted, as are exports of metals and grain, and the delivery of road salt ahead of the seasonal shutdown of Seaway shipping in late December.

Steve Fisher, executive director of the American Great Lakes Ports Association, said the shutdown of the Welland Canal is affecting U.S. ports in the Upper Great Lakes.

The strike has prevented the arrival of Canadian ships that move U.S. grain and other goods through the canal to ports in Quebec, where they are transloaded onto ocean-going vessels destined for Europe and Africa, he said. Additionally, inbound ships are prevented from reaching U.S. ports in the western part of the Great Lakes – including in Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland – with cargoes of steel from Europe intended for U.S. makers of car parts, appliances and canned food. Mr. Fisher said it is an “outrage” the two sides have not met for two days.

“The Canadian government owns the Seaway and we want the government to work with both sides to try to help them resolve this conflict,” Mr. Fisher said from Washington. “People are literally losing their jobs. Companies are losing millions of dollars a day as this Seaway strike continues.”

Gregg Ruhl, chief executive officer of Algoma Central Corp., the largest Canadian vessel fleet on the Great Lakes, said the contract talks should resume sooner than Friday.” Where’s the sense of urgency? What’s wrong with Wednesday and Thursday? Or tonight?” Mr. Ruhl said on Tuesday. “Meanwhile the raw materials that fuel industry, the grain that feeds the world, the salt that will keep our roads safe this winter, the aggregates to support construction, and the gasoline to fuel our vehicles are all stalled.”

Federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan told reporters on Tuesday he has had “extensive” talks with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and others, and is urging the employer and union to hammer out a deal to limit the impact of the strike. “You’re talking about hundreds of communities that feed into the Great Lakes [and] trade that goes ultimately not just in other parts of Canada but also to the U.S., Europe and Africa,” Mr. O’Regan said in Ottawa.

The strike has marooned, among others, a grain ship in Duluth, Minn., destined for Europe, a U.S. Navy combat boat in Cleveland, and a French cruise ship in Toronto.

U.S. manufacturers are already talking to their shipping lines about diverting deliveries of steel to ports on the U.S. East Coast. This will mean less work for U.S. stevedores, truck drivers and others who rely on the ports for their livelihoods, while giving a lift to Atlantic Coast terminals, Mr. Fisher said. “They get more jobs and we get less jobs,” he said.

The strike comes at a critical time for the companies that trade on the waterway that links the heartland of North America with overseas markets. Before the strike, steel plants were stockpiling ship-borne ore and other raw materials ahead of the winter shutdown, and grain companies were busy loading bulk vessels with the recent harvest of canola, wheat and other grains for food makers in Europe and Africa.

“As the navigation season has a finite shipping period and is a critical aspect of our business, we are watching the situation closely and trust a swift resolution will be reached,” said Marie Verdun, a spokeswoman for ArcelorMittal Dofasco, which runs a steel plant in Hamilton on Lake Ontario.

Industry members on both sides of the Seaway said the shutdown has severed a key trade route and damaged Canada’s reputation as a reliable trading partner. Also at risk, said Aaron Bensinger, vice-president of operations at vessel agent Central Marine Logistics, is the cruise ship business on the Great Lakes, which is only just returning after the pandemic shutdown.

“It’s things like this that will scare those [cruise vessel] operators off eventually,” he said from Griffith, Ind., on the southern tip of Lake Michigan. “They need to know that they can get their ships in and out of the lakes without getting their ships stuck in jail, in a sense.”

Eric Peace is vice-president of the Lake Carriers’ Association, which represents the owners of the 46 U.S.-flagged ships that trade on the Upper Great Lakes. These vessels do not sail past Lake Erie because they are too big for the Welland Canal. However, Mr. Peace said when the strike is over a flood of ships will cause logjams at the Soo Locks that connect Lake Huron and Lake Superior. This will slow traffic as vessels and shippers try to complete deliveries and stockpile ore and other raw materials ahead of the Jan. 15 winter shutdown of the U.S.-managed Soo Locks.

“We’re all competing for the same locks and we’re all competing for the same docks,” Mr. Peace said from Cleveland.

Globe & Mail

Soo Locks Visitor Center to close for season Oct, 31

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closes the Soo Locks Visitor Center in Canal Park at 7 p.m. Oct. 31 for the 2023 season. Visitor Center hours for the remainder of Oct. are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The park is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily for the month of October and will transition to winter hours (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) on Nov. 1.

“The Visitor Center offered several new exhibits this summer to include a new interactive photo table, panels highlighting careers and workers at the Soo Locks and new rugs that show the existing and future Soo Locks facility,” Chief Park Ranger Michelle Briggs said. “We listen to our visitors and create exhibits that reflect their interests.”

Canal Park at the Soo Locks Park welcomed over 280,000 visitors from May 1 to Oct. 1 with over 220,000 stopping in the Visitor Center to get boat schedules, ask questions and check out the exhibits inside. Throughout the season, over 1,600 kids and 700 adults received water safety goody bags after taking the Water Safety Pledge.

The Visitor Center will reopen May 1 for the 2024 season.

Briggs and other Detroit District Park Rangers have a great line up for upcoming Virtual Visitor Center programs held the first Thursday of each month from October to April. The next presentation on Nov. 2 will feature an examination of the Edmund Fitzgerald’s career and investigations into her tragic loss. Other planned topics include Split Rock Lighthouse on Lake Superior, a history of the Duluth-Superior Harbor and several other navigation related programs. For up to date Virtual Visitor Center programs, visit: https://www.facebook.com/USACEDetroitDistrict.

All Virtual Visitor Center programs can be found on the Detroit District YouTube page at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqtbMFyAaYYO9TIAaaK2HTLr0Ph4A5FRF.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Federal mediator calls for new talks in bid to end St. Lawrence Seaway strike

The strike by Canadian workers that closed the St. Lawrence Seaway is costing U.S. jobs at Great Lakes ports and manufacturers as ships are stranded and cargo is diverted to the East Coast, U.S. industry officials say. The 350 Unifor workers walked off the job on Sunday after talks broke down with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp., which operates 13 of the 15 Seaway locks between Montreal and Lake Erie.

Negotiations on a collective agreement are scheduled to resume on Friday after a federal mediator on Tuesday afternoon called the sides back to the bargaining table. But the shutdown of the Seaway has already exacted a price from the Canadian and U.S. vessel owners, dock workers, and the manufacturers and producers that rely on the waterway.

The strike has closed the locks in and around Montreal and on the Welland Canal, which links Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Inbound shipments of steel and iron ore are halted, as are exports of metals and grain, and the delivery of road salt ahead of the seasonal shutdown of Seaway shipping in late December.

Steve Fisher, executive director of the American Great Lakes Ports Association, said the shutdown of the Welland Canal is affecting U.S. ports in the Upper Great Lakes.

The strike has prevented the arrival of Canadian ships that move U.S. grain and other goods through the canal to ports in Quebec, where they are transloaded onto ocean-going vessels destined for Europe and Africa, he said. Additionally, inbound ships are prevented from reaching U.S. ports in the western part of the Great Lakes – including in Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland – with cargoes of steel from Europe intended for U.S. makers of car parts, appliances and canned food. Mr. Fisher said it is an “outrage” the two sides have not met for two days.

“The Canadian government owns the Seaway and we want the government to work with both sides to try to help them resolve this conflict,” Mr. Fisher said from Washington. “People are literally losing their jobs. Companies are losing millions of dollars a day as this Seaway strike continues.”

Gregg Ruhl, chief executive officer of Algoma Central Corp., the largest Canadian vessel fleet on the Great Lakes, said the contract talks should resume sooner than Friday.” Where’s the sense of urgency? What’s wrong with Wednesday and Thursday? Or tonight?” Mr. Ruhl said on Tuesday. “Meanwhile the raw materials that fuel industry, the grain that feeds the world, the salt that will keep our roads safe this winter, the aggregates to support construction, and the gasoline to fuel our vehicles are all stalled.”

Federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan told reporters on Tuesday he has had “extensive” talks with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and others, and is urging the employer and union to hammer out a deal to limit the impact of the strike. “You’re talking about hundreds of communities that feed into the Great Lakes [and] trade that goes ultimately not just in other parts of Canada but also to the U.S., Europe and Africa,” Mr. O’Regan said in Ottawa.

The strike has marooned, among others, a grain ship in Duluth, Minn., destined for Europe, a U.S. Navy combat boat in Cleveland, and a French cruise ship in Toronto.

U.S. manufacturers are already talking to their shipping lines about diverting deliveries of steel to ports on the U.S. East Coast. This will mean less work for U.S. stevedores, truck drivers and others who rely on the ports for their livelihoods, while giving a lift to Atlantic Coast terminals, Mr. Fisher said. “They get more jobs and we get less jobs,” he said.

The strike comes at a critical time for the companies that trade on the waterway that links the heartland of North America with overseas markets. Before the strike, steel plants were stockpiling ship-borne ore and other raw materials ahead of the winter shutdown, and grain companies were busy loading bulk vessels with the recent harvest of canola, wheat and other grains for food makers in Europe and Africa.

“As the navigation season has a finite shipping period and is a critical aspect of our business, we are watching the situation closely and trust a swift resolution will be reached,” said Marie Verdun, a spokeswoman for ArcelorMittal Dofasco, which runs a steel plant in Hamilton on Lake Ontario.

Industry members on both sides of the Seaway said the shutdown has severed a key trade route and damaged Canada’s reputation as a reliable trading partner. Also at risk, said Aaron Bensinger, vice-president of operations at vessel agent Central Marine Logistics, is the cruise ship business on the Great Lakes, which is only just returning after the pandemic shutdown.

“It’s things like this that will scare those [cruise vessel] operators off eventually,” he said from Griffith, Ind., on the southern tip of Lake Michigan. “They need to know that they can get their ships in and out of the lakes without getting their ships stuck in jail, in a sense.”

Eric Peace is vice-president of the Lake Carriers’ Association, which represents the owners of the 46 U.S.-flagged ships that trade on the Upper Great Lakes. These vessels do not sail past Lake Erie because they are too big for the Welland Canal. However, Mr. Peace said when the strike is over a flood of ships will cause logjams at the Soo Locks that connect Lake Huron and Lake Superior. This will slow traffic as vessels and shippers try to complete deliveries and stockpile ore and other raw materials ahead of the Jan. 15 winter shutdown of the U.S.-managed Soo Locks.

“We’re all competing for the same locks and we’re all competing for the same docks,” Mr. Peace said from Cleveland.

Globe & Mail

Keewatin Tow Today

The Keewatin will be departing Hamilton on Wednesday, October 25th early morning and arriving in Kingston on Thursday, October 26th midday. The ship passed its delayed inspection by Transport Canada on Monda.

To help you prepare, please take note of the following information:
– TORONTO: the ship will visit Toronto Harbour (between islands and harbourfront) likely between 10:30am and 12pm (noon) on Wednesday October 25th. It will pass inbound and outbound by Gibraltar Point (see map in comments)
– ROUTE: A sail-by Toronto, the ship will travel in open water in sight of land, until she comes into Kingston’s harbour and eventually arriving at the Kingston Dry Dock. We encourage you to track her final voyage via Marine Traffic (https://www.marinetraffic.com/). Search for lead tugboat Molly M1. Do not search Keewatin – she isn’t listed.
– KINGSTON: more to come on exact arrival time in Kingston. The ship will arrive from the south of Amherst Island. Anticipated arrival is 30 hours from when she leaves (best guess between 10am and 1pm on Thursday).

Please note that everything is still weather dependent. Even with forecasts predicted, we all know that conditions can shift. We are in regular communication with the tugboat captain to ensure the safest journey for this historic ship.

P.S. please feel free to share your pictures/videos of the ship on social media using #KeewatinWatch and/or tagging the Museum, @marinemuseumkingston

SS Keewatin

Isle Royale’s Ranger III arrives at Fraser

The passenger vessel Ranger III arrived in Duluth Tuesday afternoon and headed to Fraser Shipyard, possibly for its periodic inspection/reconditioning. Ranger III serves the National Park Service and carries passengers from Houghton, Michigan to Windigo or Rock Harbor on Isle Royale.
David Schauer

“Get back to the table,”official tells Seaway and union

Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan took to social media to tell the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) and Unifor they need to resume bargaining. O’Regan posted on X, saying he had taken calls with both sides, and they need to resume talks. Over 350 Unifor workers are on strike at the seaway, shutting down the waterway to commercial traffic since October 22.

Business groups also weighed in on the labour action. Dennis Darby, president and CEO of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters said: “This labour dispute will have a major impact on our businesses. This is another interruption at the heart of the supply chain, and manufacturers are once again being held hostage.”

The seaway is a key economic artery for Quebec, Ontario and Eastern Canada. In 2022, about 36.3 million metric tons of cargo valued at $16.7 billion passed through the St. Lawrence Seaway’s infrastructure, generating a total of nearly $6 billion in economic activity and supporting over 42,000 jobs in Canada.

CME has been urging the federal government to address the increasingly frequent supply chain disruptions in order to preserve Canada’s competitiveness and global reputation, as well as provide much needed stability to Canadian manufacturers.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) said small businesses were seriously affected by the long strike at BC ports and the supply chain disruptions it caused this summer. “The last thing the Canadian economy needs right now is another strike blocking a busy trade route and impacting businesses once again,” the advocacy group said in a statement.

CFIB is asking the government to ensure that the St. Lawrence Seaway remains fully operational while negotiations continue. It also continues to call for federally regulated workers who are indispensable to the supply chain to be deemed essential workers to avoid similar strikes in the future.

Inside Logistics

Seaside LNG Takes Delivery of Barge Clean Everglades

Executives from Seaside LNG, Polaris New Energy and their guests gathered at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding today to christen the recently constructed LNG bunker barge Clean Everglades. Seaside LNG has the largest fleet of Jones Act-compliant LNG barges operating in the United States.

Seaside LNG takes delivery of new LNG barge Clean Everglades from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding (Photo: Business Wire)

Seaside LNG contracted Fincantieri to build the Clean Everglades, an articulated tug barge that holds 5,500 cubic meters of LNG. The vessel is similar in design and appearance to its sister ship, the LNG barge Clean Canaveral, which was delivered by Fincantieri two years ago and has made more than 65 successful LNG bunker deliveries.

“Polaris New Energy is excited to continue to expand the LNG bunkering infrastructure in the United States,” said Tim Casey CEO of Seaside LNG. “The delivery of the Clean Everglades gives us the ability to expand our LNG bunkering business to the Gulf of Mexico. Partnering with the talented and professional staff at Fincantieri has produced a second exceptional vessel.”

Demand for LNG to fuel the maritime sector is growing rapidly with orders for LNG vessels eclipsing 30% of the fleet orderbook. LNG is the leading solution in the maritime sector as the industry advances its sustainability goals to meet growing emissions reductions goals.

“The previous Fincantieri-built LNG barge was delivered on schedule during the global pandemic, which was quite an accomplishment,” said Jan Allman, Fincantieri Vice President and General Manager. “We are ready to deliver the Clean Everglades six weeks ahead of schedule, thanks in part to a clean, brilliant design and the motivated, experienced shipbuilders here at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding.”

The 5,500 cubic meter ATB is fitted with four 1,375 CBM IMO Type C tanks. It will utilize a cargo handling system designed and developed by Wartsila. The vessel is 340’ overall length, 66’ beam, and 32’-10” deep. The ATB is also an Oceans Classed ABS barge.

Houston Business Wire

Freighters in the Fox River: GLC Minerals might be the destination at the Port of Green Bay

GREEN BAY, WI – A company in northeast Wisconsin with roots going back more than 150 years is located in Green Bay because of a natural resource: Water. “The [Port of Green Bay] is why we’re here,” said Holly Bellmund, president and chief operating officer of GLC Minerals.

GLC Minerals and the companies that preceded it have been in Green Bay since 1871, Bellmund said. “Green Bay is a historic port, the company started by bringing goods to build the city from Buffalo by sailing vessel in the 1800s,” Bellmund said.

While much has changed since then, the company’s reliance on the Bay remains. Freighters bring minerals from around the Great Lakes to the company”… [W]e bring in over 400,000 tons a year…” said Ken Przybyla, vice president of operations at GLC Minerals.

Their raw materials come from quarries in the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan, as well as one in Canada. The minerals are then ground up and sometimes mixed, then hauled away by truck or train. The company’s products include calcium carbonate that can be fed to animals, for example.

GLC Minerals serves the agriculture, industrial, glass, environmental, and agronomy (think soil health) industries, according to the company. Fifty employees work at the company, including, in some cases, multiple generations from the same family, Bellmund said.

NBC 26
View a video and images here: https://www.nbc26.com/news/local-news/freighters-in-the-fox-river-glc-minerals-might-be-the-destination-at-the-port-of-green-bay?fbclid=IwAR2I6ytWX9d2F1NrwJenlFPdSouons1RR8J4svypN9VHdw7Vsx-BKupJkN0

What to know about the St. Lawrence Seaway strike

The St. Lawrence Seaway has shut down after hundreds of workers walked off the job Sunday. Here are answers to a few key questions about what’s going on:

What is the St. Lawrence Seaway?
The St. Lawrence Seaway is a marine shipping route that links the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes through a system of 15 locks between Lake Erie and Montreal. The seaway is co-managed by the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp., a not-for-profit established by the Canadian government, and the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp., a U.S. federal agency. When combined with the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, MI — managed separately by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — the transit system stretches about 3,700 kilometres from Lake Superior to the Atlantic. The full Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system, also known as Highway H2O, serves over 100 ports and commercial docks and helps Canada’s Prairie provinces and the U.S. Midwest export goods. Key cargo includes grain, iron ore, petroleum products, stone and coal. A 2018 study by Martin Associates found that goods moving through the system supported more than 78,000 direct jobs and generated $35 billion in revenue in both Canada and the U.S. Last year, the 300-kilometre St. Lawrence Seaway stretch carried more than 180 million tonnes of goods worth about $16.7 billion — nearly half of it grain and iron ore.

Why are workers striking?
The approximately 360 striking workers include Unifor members at Locals 4211, 4212 and 4323 in Ontario and Locals 4319 and 4320 in Quebec. The union says its members are fighting for higher wages from the St. Lawrence Seaway Corp. to keep up with the rising cost of living. Unifor Quebec director Daniel Cloutier said in a statement that the jobs involved require intense training, a high level of understanding of health and safety risk and carry enormous responsibility.

What has the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. said?
The SLSMC says it is dedicated to finding a solution, but that union members are pushing for wage increases “inspired” by the negotiations in the auto industry, where Unifor has made substantial gains. It says that unlike in the auto industry, seaway worker wage gains over the past 20 years have exceeded inflation and are still close to 10 per cent ahead. It says it’s working to reach an agreement that balances wage demands and market realities. The company says it is also waiting for a response to its application under the Canada Labour Code for the union to provide employees during the strike to ensure grain shipments can continue. The SLSMC says it carried out an orderly full shutdown of the system during the 72-hour notice period. It says no vessels are waiting to exit the system, but more than 100 are waiting outside of it held up by the strike.

What are business groups saying? The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business have urged the federal government to intervene in the strike to avoid disruptions to supply chains. The business groups say Canadians are already dealing with inflationary pressures that have been caused in part by supply chain issues. The CFIB said it is very concerned about the strike, noting that small businesses were already hit by the strike at B.C. ports and supply chain disruptions in the summer. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce says the Seaway supports more than 66,000 Canadian jobs and is responsible for $34 million in economic activity a day.

CBC

Keewatin Tow to Depart on Wednesday

Departure time from Hamilton is 4 a.m.

Janey Anderson

First look at Algoma Bear!

Per Janey Anderson, Algoma Central’s new Equinox-class Algoma Bear was launched in late September by China’s Jiangsu Yangzi-Mitsui Shipbuilding Company. The vessel will be undergoing further construction and sea trials before setting sail for Canada. Algoma Bear is expected to join the fleet next season to replace the 1979-built Algoma Transport.

Boatnerd

Strike closes St. Lawrence Seaway

As the clock struck midnight on Sunday, St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) workers represented by the Canada-based union, Unifor, walked off the job at 13 Canadian locks.

The more than 350 workers representing less than 1% of the marine commerce industry in North America now hold the key to when ship traffic will again be able to navigate between the Atlantic Ocean and the upper Great Lakes.

A similar situation played out in the summer of 1968, just 9 years after the waterway opened, when more than 1,200 workers walked off the job also leading to layoffs of longshoremen and other marine-affiliated workers at various ports and shipping companies across the Great Lakes. Back then, former Executive Director Andrew W. Fleming of the Detroit-Wayne County Port Commission estimated that roughly $500,000 a day, a modern-day value of over $4 million, was being lost by Michigan business.

Both parties state they are “at an impasse” as Unifor continues to seek wage increases, while SLSMC works to find what it deems to be a fair and competitive labor agreement that balances wage demands and market realities. As a result, the system will remain shutdown until an agreement can be reached, whether it be temporary or tentative, in an effort to minimize disruption for all stakeholders.

“The stakes are high, and we are fully dedicated to finding a resolution that serves the interests of the Corporation and its employees. We remain committed to continuing discussions and reaching a fair labor agreement,” stated Terence Bowles, SLSMC President and CEO. “In these economically and geopolitically critical times, it is important that the Seaway remains a reliable transportation route for the efficient movement of essential cargoes between North America and the remainder of the world.”

Unifor National President Lana Payne expressed her disappointment in the failure of the employer to make serious movement in the past two days, saying: “This impasse is extremely unfortunate, but our members remain committed to getting a fair agreement.”

SLSMC asserts the union continues to seek wage increases patterned after the recent automotive industry negotiations.

SLSMC believes the current situation at the Seaway is vastly different than the automotive industry. In spite of the recent increases in inflation, Seaway workers over the past 20 years have negotiated salaries that the SLSMC identifies as being almost 10% ahead of inflation.

“We, at the Seaway, are very concerned with the current situation and the effect it is having on our users, stakeholders, and the people awaiting these essential cargoes”, stated Bowles on Saturday.

Currently, SLSMC is awaiting a response to its Canada Industrial Relations Board application, seeking a ruling under the Canada Labor Code for the union to provide employees during a strike, to ensure vessels engaged in the movement of grain continue transiting the system. This ruling, however, is expected to be challenged as there would be potential loopholes that would gain passage for non-grain-related movements.

Negotiations began back in June after the contract expired on March 31, 2023. A second round of discussions took place in September before parties returned to the table earlier this week.

“It’s really up to the employer at this point to seal this deal,” said Daniel Cloutier, Unifor Quebec Director. “These are jobs that require intense training, a high level of understanding of the health and safety risks, and that carry enormous responsibility for the wellbeing of seafarers and their cargo. They are irreplaceable.”

As of Sunday morning, there were approximately 100 vessels affected by the shutdown and awaiting system access, according to SLSMC. Several ships are anchored off the west and east ends of the Welland Canal, as well as the upper portions of the St. Lawrence River.

Aside from the 13 affected Canadian locks, the United States operates 2 locks on the Seaway, both in Massena, NY, which also have had to shutdown since no ship traffic is able to reach that point on the waterway. The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS), part of the US Department of Transportation, posted to social media overnight “the St. Lawrence Seaway is closed due to a Canadian worker strike. Our team worked to ensure a safe close of Eisenhower and Snell Locks in Massena, N.Y. and notified cargo operators of impacts. Updates will be provided when more information is available.”

There have been no formal comments from representatives of either county’s transportation department.

The bi-national St. Lawrence Seaway’s 15 locks (13 Canadian and 2 American) serve as the linchpin within the broader waterway, connecting the lower St. Lawrence River to the Great Lakes, enabling ships to transit between Montreal and Lake Erie, a difference in elevation of more than 550 feet (168 meters). Over 200 million tons of cargo travel on the waterway on an annual basis, generating upwards of $50 billion in economic activity.

gCaptain

‘The stakes are high’: St. Lawrence Seaway to remain closed as workers strike

St. Lawrence Seaway will remain closed until an agreement can be reached with striking workers, says the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation.

Currently, there are no vessels waiting to exit the system, but there are more than 100 vessels outside the system, said the SLSMC Sunday morning.

The strike deadline was a minute after midnight Sunday morning. The SLSMC said an “orderly shutdown of the system” took place during the 72-hour notice period before the strike began, allowing for vessels to safely clear the seaway system.

According to a previous statement, a strike would curtail vessels’ ability to transit through the locks at Montreal, Beauharnois, Iroquois, and the eight locks along the Welland Canal.

The 361 workers ensure the transport of ships through the seaway, particularly the locks. About 4,000 ships travel through the seaway each year, transporting a variety of goods.

As of Saturday morning, there had been 36 vessels waiting to exit the system, 22 upbound and 14 downbound, and 70 vessels outside the system.

“The stakes are high, and we are fully dedicated to finding a resolution that serves the interests of the Corporation and its employees. We remain committed to continuing discussions and reaching a fair labour agreement,” said SLSMC president and CEO Terence Bowles in a statement released just after midnight.

“In these economically and geopolitically critical times, it is important that the seaway remains a reliable transportation route for the efficient movement of essential cargoes between North America and the remainder of the world.”

The SLSMC was awaiting a response to its Canada Industrial Relations Board application, seeking a ruling under the Canada Labour Code for the union to provide employees during a strike, to ensure vessels engaged in the movement of grain continue transiting the system.

In a statement, the national president of Unifor, the union that represents the workers, said SLSMC failed make serious movement in the past two days. A 72-hour strike notice was officially filed on Oct. 18 and no resolution was reached by the 11:59 p.m. Saturday deadline.

“This impasse is extremely unfortunate, but our members remain committed to getting a fair agreement,” said Unifor national president Lana Payne.

According to SLSMC, Unifor had moved minimally from its initial position and the two parties were were unable to reach an agreement before the strike deadline.

The locals on strike include Unifor 4211, 4319, 4212, 4323 and 4320.

Locals 4212, 4323 and 4320 represent workers whose contracts expired on March 31. The three locals represent employees at the SLSMC headquarters in Cornwall, along with operational and maintenance staff members based along the seaway in Ontario and Quebec.

These contracts are not in play for the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. employees who work at the seaway’s two locks near Massena, N.Y.

The union and management met for bargaining dates on June 19-20, and Sept. 25-29, with the assistance of a conciliator. There were three more days of bargaining scheduled for next week, but Unifor announced the results of the strike votes on Oct. 12, saying 99 per cent of those who cast ballots voted to strike on Oct. 21 if a deal wasn’t reached.

A 72-hour strike notice was officially filed on Oct. 18, and despite sustained negotiating efforts, no resolution was reached by the Saturday, Oct. 21 at 11:59 p.m. deadline, according to Unifor.

The parties are at an impasse as Unifor continues to insist on wage increases inspired by “automotive-type negotiations,” said the SLSMC in its statement Sunday.

“As a result, the system will remain shut down until an agreement can be reached, whether it be temporary or tentative, as we work diligently to minimize disruption for all stakeholders.”

Ottawa Citizen

Obituary: Christopher J. Thompson

Christopher J. Thompson, 55 years old, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday afternoon, October 17, 2023. Chris was born on November 7, 1967 in South Bend to the late Fred Cody Henry Thompson and Barbara Rae Anderson. He has remained a lifelong resident. On July 25, 2023 in South Bend, Chris and Rose M. Borntrager were united in marriage. Along with Rose, his loving wife, Chris is survived by his son, Nicholas Thompson of Mishawaka; step-daughter, Riley Martin of Oregon; mother of his son, Laurie Thompson of South Bend; step mother, Virginia Thompson of Georgia; and brother, Wayne Thompson of South Bend. Along with his parents, Chris was preceded in death by his brother, Scott Thompson.

Chris has been a lifelong railroad model builder. He has given several presentations and clinics on his building and weathering methods at NMRA conventions amongst other places. Chris has never had his own layout, but he has always enjoyed contributing to several of his friends’ layouts including his late friend, Jack Ozanich’s Atlantic Great Eastern Railway. Chris worked in the retail hobby industry for 15 years before hiring out with Conrail, now Norfolk Southern, in 1997 so he could play with the real big trains.

Chris loved photography as a hobby and making videos of trains and ships. Within the last two years, he was able to set aside his camera and pick up his drone which added to his already incredible eye-capturing perfect shots. Chris not only had a love for trains but anything that moved including ships, planes and cars. The most memorable traits that Chris had was his great sense of humor and quick wit that made him so special. He made all interactions with him memorable. Chris has definitely left his mark behind for all to remember.

A service celebrating the life of Chris will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at the Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 S. Michigan Street, South Bend. Friends may visit with the family beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday morning at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Chris Thompson may be donated to the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, 507 Mulberry Street, North Judson, IN 46366. Online condolences may be offered to Chris’s family at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.

Palmer Funeral Homes

St. Lawrence Seaway shut down as workers go on strike

St. Lawrence Seaway workers begin strike action

MONTREAL, Oct. 22, 2023 /CNW/ – On Saturday night just before midnight, St. Lawrence Seaway workers made the difficult decision to go on strike after negotiations failed to reach a satisfactory agreement.

Unifor National President Lana Payne expressed her disappointment in the failure of the employer to make serious movement in the past two days, saying: “This impasse is extremely unfortunate but our members remain committed to getting a fair agreement.”

A 72-hour strike notice was officially filed on October 18, and despite sustained negotiating efforts, no resolution was reached by the Saturday, October 21 at 11:59 p.m. deadline.

Unifor Quebec Director Daniel Cloutier emphasized the negotiating committee’s ongoing commitment to constructive dialogue and said, “We negotiated in good faith right up to the last moment, but we cannot allow workers’ rights to be compromised. We remain open to discussion and hope that the employer will reconsider its position for the good of all.”

Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector and represents 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

SOURCE Unifor

Canadian Seaway Workers on Brink of Strike

The Canada-based union, Unifor, representing more than 350 St. Lawrence Seaway workers, returned to the bargaining table on Friday, a day after formal talks were slated to conclude, and remains committed to negotiating.

The union’s Locals 4211, 4212 and 4323 in Ontario and Locals 4319 and 4320 in Quebec, had given notice of a strike on Wednesday and plans are in place to now walk-off the job just after midnight on Sunday, October 22 should the extended talks fail.

On Thursday evening, union lead negotiator, John Hockey, said that talks remained “1000 nautical miles apart on wages.”

The union workers of the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) play a major role in the operations of 13 locks along the St. Lawrence Seaway, a vital throughfare from the Atlantic Ocean to the upper Great Lakes and have been on the job this shipping season despite an expired contract on March 31.
“Unifor is committed to getting a collective agreement but at this moment the employer is not,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “We are staring down a strike deadline and it’s time for St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation to get serious.”

Negotiations with the employer began back in June with additional dates in September. The parties decided to use a conciliator to facilitate discussions from the onset of bargaining. All parties returned to the negotiation table earlier this week and, under agreement of 72-hour notice, the union informed SLSMC on Wednesday of the impending strike.

“It’s really up to the employer at this point to seal this deal and avoid any transit disruption,” said Daniel Cloutier, Unifor Quebec Director. “These are jobs that require intense training, a high level of understanding of the health and safety risks, and that carry enormous responsibility for the wellbeing of seafarers and their cargo. They are irreplaceable.”

Despite the strong push from the union, SLSMC has remained confident that a satisfactory resolution can be reached and remains committed to obtaining a fair settlement.

Earlier in the day Thursday, SLSMC sent notice to shipping companies outlining a shutdown of the Seaway with cutoff times in which vessel must clear various sections to avoid being stuck in the system. One cruise ship that remains in the Seaway system on Thursday afternoon west of the Welland Canal has since altered its travel plans in an effort to reach the Welland Canal and Montreal ahead of any shutdown.

Aside from the 13 Canadian locks, the United States operates 2 locks on the Seaway, both in Massena, NY, which would also be forced to shutdown since no ship traffic would be able to reach that point on the waterway. The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS), part of the US Department of Transportation, has not formally commented. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg shared on social media, “our team is monitoring the potential of a Canadian worker strike in the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway and has notified cargo operators about potential impacts to shipments along the Seaway.”

This week, leaders and delegates from shipping companies, ports, and the Seaway system, converged for the annual Highway H2o Conference in Toronto. According to one participant, talk of the strike was minimal from the podium, however scuttlebutt amongst attendees was rampant. There was some talk of potential for the Canadian government to intervene to prevent a walk-off, though unconfirmed.

The strike potential comes at the most inopportune time from the agriculture industry. The
John Taylor of Collwest Grain in Collingwood, Ontario said the impact of a strike “could be huge, we are in the middle of harvest and ship a lot of grain through the Port of Hamilton.”

The binational St. Lawrence Seaway’s 15 locks (13 Canadian and 2 American) serve as the linchpin within the broader waterway, connecting the lower St. Lawrence River to the Great Lakes, enabling ships to transit between Montreal and Lake Erie, a difference in elevation of more than 550 feet (168 meters). Over 200 million tons of cargo travel on the waterway on an annual basis.

Michael Folsom, GCaptain

Keewatin Tow to Kingston Delayed Again

Due to unforeseen circumstances at the shipyard, the departure and arrival of S.S. Keewatin has been delayed. No new date has been announced.

“There are a number of moving pieces as we prepare for this historic voyage, and we appreciate your patience, understanding and support during this time. Please help us by sharing these updates to your community so everyone has the latest information,” read a post on Facebook from Keewatin News.
The vessel has been at Heddle Marine in Hamilton, ON, where it has been undergoing renovations during the summer.

“The arrival of SS Keewatin in Kingston will mark the start of the next chapter of her life, one in which we hope she will make many new friends and admirers,” Chris West, the chair of the board for the Great Lakes Museum, said in a news release.

“We encourage anyone with an interest in ships like the Titanic, in Canadian history, and in maritime heritage to visit us in Kingston starting next spring to enjoy the Keewatin and all our museum has to offer,” West added.

The Keewatin was docked in Port McNicholl until earlier this year when it was donated to the museum, the only organization that showed the willingness and the financial resources to preserve it.
“We are pleased to steward the Keewatin through the next phase of its life here in Kingston and ensure she is adequately preserved for current and future generations,” West said. “We are extremely thankful to our many supportive members, donors, volunteers, staff, and board members for their help in preserving this important artifact.”

The Keewatin was built in Scotland in 1907 and sailed between Port McNicholl and Thunder Bay until it was retired from service in 1965. The ship was sold to an American and operated as a tourist attraction in Michigan before being returned to Port McNicholl in 2012 It was last open for public tours in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the museum, of the 3,800 similar ships built in the U.K. between 1900 and 1920, the Keewatin is one of only three to survive and it is the last of its kind on the Great Lakes.
Keewatin News

Ocean Navigator Voyage Canceled after Portland Fire

A cruise ship that caught fire following a possible explosion on Wednesday in Portland will not complete its voyage. American Queen Voyages, the company that owns the 286-foot Ocean Navigator, announced Thursday that the vessel will not be departing Portland to travel to St. John, New Brunswick, as planned.

“We deeply regret any inconvenience this may cause our passengers, and we want to emphasize that this decision was not made lightly,” the company wrote in a statement.

Firefighters responded to the vessel docked at the Ocean Gateway Pier at 7:25 a.m. on Wednesday. Smoke was reported in the engine room, and that there had been a possible explosion related to a generator there, according to the Portland Fire Department.

The situation was brought under control in less than 15 minutes, Sean Donaghue, the department’s spokesperson, said. “The ship’s crew was well-trained, and they had made a pretty good attack by the time we arrived,” Donaghue said.

Despite the quick resolution, the company said it was canceling the rest of the trip out of concern for damage from the fire and “adverse weather conditions” forecast for the weekend.

The vessel, which recently completed its Great Lakes cruising season, was carrying 128 passengers and 82 crew at the time of the fire. One crew member was reported taken to a local hospital Wednesday for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. There was no update on the crewperson’s condition Thursday. No one else was hurt.

A company spokesperson said Thursday that American Queen is making alternative travel arrangements for the vessel’s passengers.

Spectrum News

Seaway gives strike notice

See the gallery at the bottom of this post for more details and an official press release.

Great Lakes’ water levels are starting to fall, enjoying a rare normal moment

The Great Lakes are in their seasonal decline in water levels. Over the next few months, the lakes may come close to all being near normal on water levels.

Lake Superior’s water level declined 4 inches in the past month, is 2 inches lower than this time last year and is only one inch above the long-term average. Water levels are expected to decline another 3 inches in the next month.

Lake Michigan and Huron’s water level also declined 4 inches in the past month and is 2 inches lower than this time last year. The two lakes are one water level and are 4 inches above the long-term average. Water levels are expected to decline another 3 inches in the next month.

Lake Erie’s water level isn’t running in tandem with the Upper Lakes of Superior, Michigan and Huron. Lake Erie’s water level declined 6 inches in the past month, but is still 3 inches higher than this time last year and is only 12 inches above the long-term average. Water levels are expected to decline 5 inches in the next month.

Lake Ontario’s water level often does its own thing due to the ability to regulate the water levels through the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Lake Ontario’s water level declined 8inches in the past month, but is still 12 inches lower than this time last year and 4 inches above the long-term average. Water levels are expected to decline another 5 inches in the next month.

MLive

Cruise ship explosion in Maine burns employee, prompts passenger evacuations

A cruise ship employee was burned in a generator fire that broke out following an explosion on board early Wednesday morning, officials said. The ship — American Queen Voyages’ Ocean Navigator — was docked at a pier in Portland, Maine, when the incident happened, leaving the crew member with serious injuries and launching an investigation into the cause.

Firefighters with the Portland Fire Department responded before 7:30 a.m. EDT on Wednesday to reports of smoke in the engine room of the Ocean Navigator, a visiting cruise ship, the city of Portland said in a news release. The fire department received additional reports indicating that an explosion may have broken out inside the engine room and suggesting it could be related to a generator on board the ship.

Fire officials also received word before arriving at the scene that one member of the Navigator crew had been burned. They treated the crew member who had been burned before arranging transport to a nearby hospital, Portland officials said. The crew member was seriously injured, but the injuries were not considered life-threatening.

The ship was carrying 128 passengers, most of whom were sightseeing on land Wednesday, in addition to 82 crew members, according to Portland officials and the U.S. Coast Guard. Both said the crew member who suffered burns was the only person injured in the fire.

All passengers and remaining members of the Ocean Navigator crew were accounted for. Guests are currently being housed at a local hotel, according to the city.

“The Coast Guard prevention and response team reported to the site as well as the ATF, Maine State Fire Marshall, Maine State Fire Investigator, Portland Fire Department and Customs and Border Patrol,” a Coast Guard spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News on Wednesday afternoon.

The statement went on to note that the the fire happened “in the engine room on a generator” and added that the exact cause of the fire was still under investigation. The Coast Guard was working to determine if the Ocean Navigator could continue to be “seaworthy” as crews ventilated it after the fact, CBS affiliate WGME reported.

“Additional crews were simultaneously able to stabilize the engine room issue and remained on scene to assist with extensive ventilation efforts and complete overhaul to prevent any further issues,” the city of Portland said Wednesday.

CBS News

SS Keewatin on the move this Sunday

Keewatin will be towed out of Heddle Shipyard in Hamilton this Sunday, October 22, by the same tug that brought her there – McKeil Marine’s Molly M1, with a sail through the Eastern passage into the Toronto inner harbour for a short visit and then to her forever home – the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston.

Janey Anderson