Atlantic Huron heads to Thunder Bay shipyard

CSL’s Atlantic Huron, laid up at Thunder Bay since April 3 with a controllable pitch propeller problems, headed to Heddle Shipyard Monday morning for repairs. She was taken in tow by tugs Miseford (1915), Glenada (1943), and Point Valour (1958) from Thunder Bay Tug Services.

Michael Hull

Searchers look for last of three ships that vanished in 1914

After finding the shipwrecks of the C.F. Curtis and the Selden E. Marvin, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society has set its sights on finding the Annie M. Peterson, hoping to finally close the book on a more than 100-year-old mystery.

The ships disappeared on Lake Superior Nov. 18, 1914, during a bad storm.

“The combined losses of the C.F. Curtis, Selden E. Marvin and Annie M. Peterson have comprised one of the more tragic stories of shipwrecks on the Great Lakes and certainly became one of the Lake Superior’s enduring mysteries,” GLSHS Executive Director Bruce Lynn said in a statement. “To locate the Curtis and Marvin in a space of two years has been amazing… Now we just have to find the Peterson!”

The search will not be easy, but the discovery of the two other vessels means some of the guesswork already done. The GLSHS team can use the locations and data it already collected to narrow the search window. Searchers think the Peterson is somewhere in the Grand Marais area but have reason to believe it is farther out than the other ships after debunking reports that its keel had run aground.

The Curtis discovered during the summer of 2021 and the Marvin was found in August 2022 in the stretch of water referred to as the Shipwreck Coast. There are a lot of sunken ships in the area of Lake Superior near Grand Marais, which is known to have extreme weather.

“There’s arguments over which area on the Great Lakes is the graveyard of the Great Lakes, although as we go into the 1900s, late 1900s, it clearly was the Grand Marais area,” Ric Mixter, GLSHS board member and maritime historian, said. “Here’s this stretch that now has four different life-saving or Coast Guard posts as we go into the 1930s. It clearly was a very dangerous area. And there’s still many of the ships that are still out there that we haven’t found. So it is a graveyard out there and sadly for this wreck, 28 people were killed in this storm.”

The crews of the Curtis, Marvin and Peterson set out late in the 1914 season when the weather typically tends to be bad and unpredictable — the famous November gales. The crews were ultimately caught in a massive gale that claimed the lives of everyone on board all three vessels.

Read the rest here: https://www.woodtv.com/news/michigan/searchers-look-for-last-of-three-ships-that-vanished-in-1914/?fbclid=IwAR056jG7tFcnaWxSUz1yWHamn2yi2FNJDJsOT5YykVS_9cqdsuTzjzCEF0Y

Great Lakes Iron Ore Trade Up 55.1 Percent in April

CLEVELAND – Iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 4.8 million tons in April, an increase of 55.1 percent compared to last year. Shipments were just slightly below the month’s 5-year average.

Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 8.5 million tons, an increase of 54.4 percent compared to the same point in 2022. Through April, iron ore shipments are 6.8 percent above their 5-year average for four months of the year.

Luxury ship stops in Port Colborne before heading to Cleveland

PORT COLBORNE, ON – Sitting four-decks high, the 36.6-metre-long Lady Caroline drew a bit of a crowd in Port Colborne Saturday evening.

The 1,393-square-metre luxury ship docked on West Street at the end of Kent Street before heading down Lake Erie Sunday morning for Cleveland, Ohio. It was to dock on the Flats West Bank on the Cuyahoga River and offer tours off Cleveland later this summer, according to a release from Jacobs Entertainment Inc.

Jacobs Entertainment is a developer, owner and operator of gaming and entertainment facilities in multiple regions of the United States. In Cleveland, it owns and operates venues in the Nautica Waterfront District that attract more than 1.1 million visitors annually.

The release said three of Lady Caroline’s four decks are fully-enclosed and climate controlled and feature bright interiors, accented by high-gloss woods and reflective finishes. Its top deck is open-air with a covered bar. There are multiple bars onboard the vessel.

“Lady Caroline celebrates the next generation contributing to the vibrancy of the region. Our family hopes it inspires many to see our hometown’s promise and appeal,” said Jacobs’ chief executive officer Jeff Jacobs in the release.

Cruise schedules, events, ticketing and parking information for Lady Caroline can be found at ladycaroline.com once the season gets underway.

Welland Tribune

‘The ship sank all over again’: Families of victims in wreck recall Gordon Lightfoot

Darren Muljo was in elementary school when his teacher asked the students in his class to pick a song they wanted to learn to play.

Muljo, now 52, chose the 1976 song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by legendary Canadian folk musician Gordon Lightfoot.

Muljo’s mother, Cheryl Rozman, first introduced him to the six-minute-long folk ballad, which chronicles the demise of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

The ship sank in Lake Superior near Whitefish Point, Mich., during a storm on Nov. 10, 1975. All 29 crewmen on board died.

One of those men was Muljo’s grandfather, Ransom Cundy, a watchman on the ship.

At the time, Muljo was too young to fully understand the significance of the song for the families. But in the years since, it has cemented a bond between them that has lasted decades.

“Gordon Lightfoot’s imprint on the healing process for the families cannot be (overstated), especially when he made it a point to develop a personal connection with many of them,” Muljo said in a phone interview from Melbourne, Fla.

As word got out of Lightfoot’s death Monday, relatives of the ship’s crew began reaching out by phone and social media to share stories of the singer-songwriter, whom many referred to as an honorary family member.

“When I first heard the news, it went through me like the ship sank all over again,” Deborah Champeau said by phone from Nashotah, Wis.

“Gordon is a part of our family. I really respected what he stood for and that he took the time and the effort to spend time with us.”

Champeau was 17 when her father died. Oliver (Buck) Champeau was a third assistant engineer on the Great Lakes ore freighter.

Lightfoot sent a letter to Deborah Champeau offering his sympathies and explained that he wrote the song to shed light on the lack of safety measures in place for vessels at that time and the consequences that can come from that.

“It was very hard in the beginning to listen to the words,” said Champeau, 65.

“Through the years I have embraced it, and I’m glad he did write it and took the time to bring that awareness.”

Lightfoot would often read newspapers and watch newscasts, which provided fodder for his deeply autobiographical storytelling.

He was inspired to write “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” after reading a Newsweek article.

Though some elements of the song deviated from the disaster, Lightfoot was adamant in writing lyrics as accurate as could be.

It was also important to him to speak with surviving family members.

Muljo’s mother was initially upset when she first caught wind about the song. This changed after she listened to it and came to understand the respect and honour in which Lightfoot portrayed the men and that perilous night, said Muljo.

Lightfoot would go on to form a personal connection with the families that resulted in a number of visits over the last half-century and unlimited access to backstage passes at his concerts.

Pam Johnson, 71, met Lightfoot about 10 times.

Johnson reached out to the singer shortly after the song came out. She was living in Germany when her mom called to say Lightfoot had written a song about the wreck. Her father, Robert Rafferty, was a cook on the ship.

Johnson was at a club with her husband when she first heard the track.

“It was emotional for me,” she said. “It’s a privilege and an honour for a man of his talent to speak of my dad. I’ve always been proud of that.”

In 2015, Lightfoot joined families at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum in Whitefish Point for the 40th anniversary of the shipwreck.

Corey Adkins, content director for the museum, recalled Lightfoot arriving a day early to enjoy some quiet time with the families.

The museum is home to the ship’s 90-kilogram bronze bell, which was recovered in 1995. Lightfoot’s song can be heard as visitors take in the exhibit.

Adkins said the song opened the door for other stories to be told.

“That song did a lot for the maritime community, as far as shipwrecks and remembering people who perished on shipwrecks go.”

Champeau is preparing for a more sombre anniversary at Whitefish Point this year but said the legend lives on — referencing the first line of the song that immortalized the crew.

“Boy, there’s a hell of a concert going on up in heaven. The men are waiting to embrace him.”

Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press

Seaway’s New Ice-strengthened Tug Completed

MASSENA, NY – The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation’s newest HT-60 harbor tugboat Seaway Trident has been delivered to its owner.

She will carry out a variety of maintenance duties on the U.S. portion of the St. Lawrence Seaway, including routine maintenance of lock gates, maintenance of aids to navigation, emergency response, and removal of accumulated ice from lock walls.

She is expected to produce lower emissions than the tug Performance, which the Trident is replacing.

Seaway Trident features an ABS Ice Class C0 hull, a headline winch from Markey Machine LLC, a foldable Heila Cranes deck crane, and SCHOTTEL Z-drive units powered by Caterpillar Inc. engines, providing a combined 1,300 bhp at 1,800 RPM.

Muskegon-Milwaukee Lake Express ferry launches this week for 2023 season

MUSKGEON, MI – The Lake Express ferry is set to open to the public Friday, May 5, offering daily trips across Lake Michigan between Milwaukee and Muskegon.

The spring 2023 Lake Express schedule runs through June 29, offering four trips across Lake Michigan every day. During the summer schedule, running June 30-Aug. 20, the ferry adds two evening sails, totaling six daily trips. Departure and arrival times for the spring, summer and fall seasons are detailed on the ferry’s website.

The high-speed car and passenger ferry boasts the fastest ferry service on Lake Michigan, crossing Lake Michigan in about 2.5 hours. Drive time from Muskegon to Milwaukee is about 4.5 hours.

One-way ticket prices for adults start at $108.50, with $100 one-way tickets available to seniors, college students and active duty military, according to the Lake Express website. Tickets can be purchased on the ferry’s website, or by calling 866-914-1010.

The ferry’s Muskegon terminal is located at 1918 Lake Drive, and the Milwaukee terminal is at 2330 S. Lincoln Memorial Drive. Both terminals provide fast and easy connections to area attractions and major interstates, according to the ferry’s website.

Lake Express has been ferrying passengers on the 80-mile journey across Lake Michigan since 2004. Today, the ferry offers spacious passenger cabins for comfortable travel, in additional to Lake Michigan views on the outside passenger and sun decks.

The ferry also offers complimentary pet kennels for passengers accompanied by their cats or dogs. The kennels are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and must be reserved with your ticket.

After Cruise, Chi-Cheemaun Heads to Tobermory For Season

 OWEN SOUND, ON – The Chi-Cheemaun left the Owen Sound harbour this afternoon on its spring sail, a five-hour, walk-on passenger-only cruise from Owen Sound to Tobermory.

The annual sail that sees the ‘Big Canoe’ leave its winter home in the Owen Sound harbour, starts the season, and positions the Chi-Cheemaun in Tobermory. It’s a four and a half hour voyage, with buses arranged at the Tobermory end to bring everyone back to Owen Sound.

For the rest of the sailing season, the Chi-Cheemaun will run from Tobermory to Manitoulin Island.

Bayshore Broadcasting

Philip R. Clarke sails from Toledo lay-up

Great Lakes Fleet’s steamer Philip R. Clarke left winter lay-up at Toledo, OH, Thursday to start her season. She was headed to Calcite to load.

Nashwauk Leases Go to Cliffs; Ore Will Extend Life of Hibbing Taconite

NASHWAUK, MN — A state agency has recommended a batch of state mineral leases near Nashwauk go to Cleveland-Cliffs, which says it will use the ore to extend the life of Hibbing Taconite.

Without additional leases, the mine and pellet plant were expected to run out of ore and close in 2026, threatening more than 700 jobs.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources on Thursday said the Minnesota Executive Council – chaired by Gov. Tim Walz and made up of the state’s constitutional officers – should approve granting the leases to Cliffs at its May 25 meeting.

“After careful consideration of multiple requests to lease the state ore near Nashwauk, the DNR has concluded that it is in the best interest of the state to enter into leases with Cleveland-Cliffs,” the agency said. “Cleveland-Cliffs has a proven record of bringing mining projects into operation and currently holds a significant land position adjacent to the state ore in the area.”

The leases were previously held by embattled Mesabi Metallics, but the DNR terminated Mesabi Metallics’ leases in May 2021 after the company failed to meet a last-chance requirement set by the state after years of missed lease requirements and deadlines.

Cliffs has long sought the leases. In a statement Thursday, Cliffs President and CEO Lourenco Goncalves thanked Walz and the DNR.

“When approved by the Minnesota Executive Council, the leases will be used to provide a long-term extension of Hibbing Taconite’s mine life, securing the future of Hibbing Taconite and the good-paying, union jobs at Hibtac, our flagship operation in Minnesota,” Goncalves said.

Duluth News Tribune

NMGL Hosts “Freighter Features,” Anchored by Hard Hat Tours, Book Signings

Toledo, OH – On Saturday, May 20, the National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL) will bring back their popular Hard Hat Tours, plus, will welcome special appearances from Know Your Ships author, Roger LeLievre, and artist and cartoonist, Don Lee for book signings and caricatures.

“Last year we introduced our exclusive, behind-the-scenes Hard Hat Tours as a way for visitors to set foot in our museum vessels spaces typically off-limits to everyday guests. They are back this year by popular demand,” said Ellen Kennedy, the museum’s Director of Education and Visitor Experience. “This year we are kicking off their return by also welcoming Mr. LeLievre and Mr. Lee, who both have made significant contributions to the Great Lakes community

through their knowledge, education and love of Great Lakes freighters.”

The Hard Hat Tours are a small group, behind-the-scenes experience featuring the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, the Museum Tug Ohio and the St. Marys Challenger Pilothouse. Those participating will have the opportunity to take a deep dive into the ships’ inner workings and visit “hard-hat only” locations, including our newest artifact still under restoration efforts – the St. Marys Challenger Pilothouse.

Between 1 -3 p.m. Roger LeLievre will be available to sign copies of the newly released 2023 Know Your Ships: Guide to Boats & Boatwatching on the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway. Also joining him is cartoonist and illustrator Don Lee, who will be offering personalized freighter caricatures to visitors as well as signing his new children’s book Boats Can’t Jump: The Story of the Soo Locks.

Mr. LeLievre and Mr. Lee will be stationed in the museum’s lobby and there is no cost to meet them. Books will be available for sale in the museum store or can be pre-purchased from our online store and picked up when you arrive on May 20.

Hard Hat Tours are $50 for NMGL members and $65 for non-members. Each behind-the-scenes experience will last approximately 2 hours and space is limited to 8 individuals per tour, so advance registration is encouraged. For more information visit nmgl.org/events or call 419-214-5000.

National Museum of the Great Lakes

New Ferry Being Built for Christian Island, Ontario

An infrastructure upgrade project is underway on Christian Island, Ontario, and one of the main components of the project is the construction of a new double-ended ferry (DEF) – a so-called “Floating Bridge” from the mainland to the island. Christian Island is located in Canada in Lake Huron’s Georgian Bay. Beausoleil First Nation (BFN) will be the owner and operator of the new ferry.

The DEF will be constructed at Fraser Shipyards Inc. in Superior, Wisconsin, on Lake Superior, and then will be transported to the Georgian Bay community on Lake Huron after commissioning.

The new vessel will use Voith Schneider Propellers (VSP) for its propulsion, and the units are expected to be delivered to Fraser Shipyards Inc. in 2021 for installation.

“To meet the needs of BFN, Voith worked very closely with the shipyard and designer during the project phase,” said Ivo Beu, Director of Sales, Marine Business Americas, Voith Turbo. “Together with our research and development department, we supported the optimization of the hull form in many ways to have an efficient overall concept which will meet BFN’s needs for decades to come.”

The ferry has a diesel-electric power plant, which means the VSPs are directly driven by an e-motor. The ferry design and VSP configuration take into account the most effective way to operate a vessel under many different environmental conditions – namely cold, icy conditions.

The project scope includes two size-18 VSP units, which were reinforced for operation in icy water during the late autumn and early spring, and the Voith electronic control system, which is used for safe navigation of the ferry. The ferry itself will use two VSP units, with the third held by BFN in case of a grounding, accident or maintenance issue. The ferry has been designed so that a VSP can be exchanged while the vessel is still afloat, which saves cost and time during the exchange procedure.

Mariners’ Church of Detroit honors Gordon Lightfoot with ringing of bells

Detroit, MI – At 3 p.m. Tuesday, the bells at Mariners’ Church rang out – chiming 30 times to honor those perished sailors along with the artist who famously memorialized them in song. Lightfoot made the Detroit church bells famous in “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” Tuesday they chimed an additional time to mark his death. View it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIq1ELxH2do

Split Rock Lighthouse pays tribute to Gordon Lightfoot with beacon lighting

The beacon at Split Rock Lighthouse on the North Shore was lit Wednesday night from 9 to 11 p.m. to honor the late singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, who died Monday at the age of 84.

Lightfoot’s song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” — about the 1975 sinking of the freighter Edmund Fitzgerald in the frigid waters of Lake Superior, killing all 29 crew members — has played an outsized role in the programming and number of people who visit the historic site north of Two Harbors, Minn.

Years ago, former Split Rock Lighthouse site manager Lee Radzak was driving home on Nov. 10 — the anniversary of the sinking — when Lightfoot’s song came on the radio.

Radzak felt so moved by what he heard that he turned on the beacon when he arrived back at the lighthouse, recounted current lighthouse site manager Hayes Scriven. And that started an annual commemoration of the tragedy every Nov. 10 at the lighthouse.

Every year since 1985, the names of the crew members are read as a ship’s bell tolls 29 times. Then it tolls once more, in memory of all lost mariners, as the lighthouse beacon shines out over the lake. “And it was all because (Radzak) heard Gordon Lightfoot’s song all those years back,” said Scriven. “We thought it would be a fitting tribute to light it in honor of Gordon.”

Scriven said the song has not only had an impact on the historic site’s programming, but also on how many people visit. He estimates that up to 40 percent of people who come to the lighthouse are drawn at least in part by the lore of the shipwreck and Lightfoot’s iconic song.

“In the summer, every few days we’re hearing ‘The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald’ playing on people’s phones as they’re walking through, people humming the tune,” Scriven said.

“That song has had a tremendous impact on our visitors and program, with people coming here to learn more about Great Lakes shipping.”

Duluth News Tribune

Iconic Port Huron bridge officially removed

Sarnia, ON – An iconic fixture along Port Huron’s skyline is no more. The nearly 100-year-old Pere Marquette Bridge has been completely removed, according to officials in Port Huron, after more than a month of dismantling that captured the attention of residents in Sarnia.

The bridge, located adjacent to the Port Huron Yacht Club, was completed in 1931 and provided rail access to businesses north of the Black River for decades. It was placed in its upright position and abandoned in 1975.

According to the Port Huron Times Herald, the yacht club received a permit to remove the rail bridge from the Army Corp of Engineers in 2020. Per the permit, the yacht club was required to remove the bridge my April 30.

The legend lives on at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

As the music scene and countless fans mourn the death of Gordon Lightfoot, a group dedicated to preserving the memories and telling the stories of Great Lakes shipwrecks is expressing its own words of reflection after the legendary Canadian singer/songwriter’s passing.

One of Lightfoot’s most famous songs — The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald — as well as memories of the singer himself hold a special significance for staff and volunteers at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum located at Whitefish Point in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

“Clearly we’re all very saddened,” said Bruce Lynn, Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum executive director, referring to Lightfoot’s death on Monday at the age of 84.

Lightfoot made several visits to the museum over the years to mark the anniversary of the ship’s Nov. 10, 1975 sinking and met several surviving family members of the doomed ship’s crew.

Lynn met the folk singer during one such visit in 2015. “He was one of the most gracious individuals,” Lynn told SooToday on Tuesday.

“He was interesting to me because he wanted to know about us and what we did, asking ‘how do you get into this kind of work, working in a museum?’ It was interesting because we were asking him all kinds of questions about himself. There he was, this internationally famous, extremely well-known and well-liked presence and he’s asking us questions about our work.”

Lightfoot visited the museum on Nov. 9, 2015, one day before the annual Fitzgerald ceremony.

“He really didn’t want it to be about him. He wanted that event on the 10th to be about the Fitzgerald and her crew and I thought that was really nice of him,” Lynn said.

Lynn recalled that he enjoyed watching the interaction between Lightfoot and Fitzgerald crew members’ families as they strolled around at Whitefish Point.

“There was mutual admiration. We know that he always had them in mind because in the lyrics he referenced ‘the faces and the names of the wives and the sons and the daughters.’ We’ve all lost loved ones but they did in such a dramatic and public fashion and I think Mr. Lightfoot recognized that,” Lynn said.

“We were fortunate to be able to meet him and spend a little time with him and be in his presence for a little while.”

Read more at this link: https://www.sooleader.com/local-news/the-legend-lives-on-at-the-great-lakes-shipwreck-museum-6939628?utm_source=SooLeader+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=224b556221-DailySMI&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_a350d06c6d-224b556221-323633726

New tour boat operator looks to launch at Sturgeon Bay

Sturgeon Bay, WI – For the first time since the former Chicago Fire Boat Fred A. Busse sailed south for a new life in the Windy City in 2019, you could soon see regular boat tours resume in Sturgeon Bay.

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council will weigh in on a new lease agreement between the city and DoCo, LLC for the former launch ramp south of the Michigan Street Bridge and north of 120 N. Madison Avenue. The site near the Door County Maritime Museum was where the former Door County Fireboat was moored for several years before being sold to a Chicago touring company. The city has not had a tour boat operator since the Fire Boat’s departure.

DoCo, LLC’s proposal includes installing a floating dock system that would allow it to tie off a pair of 40-foot tour boats. The company plans to offer tours between Lake Michigan and Sherwood Point during the summer season. The proposed lease runs from May 1st, 2023, and ends on December 31st, 2026, and could be extended automatically on a year-by-year basis.

Door County Daily News

Help Wanted: Assistant Engineer, M/V Ranger III

 Isle Royale National Park – Houghton, MI. Isle Royale National Park is seeking candidates for an immediate position as Assistant Engineer of the USNPS Ranger III, a 165’, 1700 hp passenger (H), tank (D) and miscellaneous cargo (I) vessel. The Ranger III provides logistical support and commercial passenger/freight service during the months of April – October to a wilderness island national park located approximately 70 miles north of park headquarters in Lake Superior. During the off-season months (November – March), this position will be duty stationed onboard the vessel at Park Headquarters in Houghton, MI.

The Assistant Engineer serves as assistant to the Chief Engineer in the operation, maintenance, and repair of all engine room and associated machinery, refrigeration, plumbing, heating, and mechanical/hydraulic and electric/electronic systems.

Requirements include a current USCG License as “3rd Assistant Engineer of Motor Vessels of Unlimited Horsepower” OR as “Assistant Engineer of Motor Vessels, Limited 2,000 Horsepower” or greater.

This is a permanent-full time, federal government position, with a competitive wage and benefits package. Contact Aaron Persenaire, Ranger III Captain, at (906) 487-7163, for further job-related information or with questions. Please email resumes/qualifications to (aaron_persenaire@nps.gov) or mail to: Isle Royale National Park, 800 E Lakeshore Dr., Houghton, MI.

Tanker Algoberta ready to enter service

Anchors aweigh! We’re thrilled to announce that the Algoberta is officially Canadianized and ready to set sail in our domestic product tankers fleet. We want to give a big shout out to the incredible team onboard for their hard work in preparing her for service.

In December 2022, Algoma added two new product tankers to our fleet, the Algoberta and her sister ship, the Algotitan. Originally named the Chiberta, the vessel was renamed after our largest tanker customer, which calls Calgary, Alberta home.

Algoma Central Corporation

Michigan’s cruise ship season begins with 665-foot Viking Octantis

DETROIT, MI – Michigan’s cruise ship season kicks off today with the Viking Octantis docking in Detroit before continuing north along the state’s eastern shoreline.

The luxurious, 665-foot ship is docked on the Detroit River at the Nicholson Terminal, 4105 W. Jefferson Ave., until about 2 p.m. today, May 1. It will depart up the river this afternoon.

Viking Octantis made its Great Lakes debut in 2022. It’s the largest cruise ship to sail the Great Lakes in the modern era. However, it will soon share that title with its identical sister, Viking Polaris, which makes its Great Lakes debut on May 3 with its first call on Toronto, Ontario. The new ship will arrive in Detroit for the first time on May 30.

Read more here: https://www.mlive.com/news/2023/05/michigans-cruise-ship-season-begins-with-665-foot-viking-octantis.html

Port Weller at the core of economic stimulus in the region 

PORT WELLER, ON – The vessels sit on blocks, drying in the open air. Then, the real work begins.

Dozens of skilled mechanics, welders, electricians, painters and other labourers from Heddle Shipyards, the largest Canadian ship repair and construction company on the Great Lakes, launch into comprehensive maintenance jobs that can take longer than a year to complete.

At least 100 direct jobs and hundreds more indirect positions are created or sustained with these repair contracts, which often require more than $100 million of work shared by Heddle employees and secondary contractors from southern Ontario.

And while this kind of work has only recently resumed in Port Weller, it’s at the core of an ambitious growth strategy that’s expected to provide massive economic stimulus to the region.

“We see Port Weller as the epicentre for growth at Heddle Shipyards,” says Shaun Padulo, the company’s president and CEO. “[We’re now] capable of docking the largest ships that transit the Welland Canal, and the St. Lawrence Seaway … it almost instantaneously doubled our business, overnight.”

In 2017, Heddle Shipyards won a competitive process for a long-term lease at Port Weller, a sprawling facility that has served as a centrepiece of Canada’s shipbuilding industry for decades.

After an industry decline, the facility was operated by its owner, the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC), and made available to new tenants.

Heddle Shipyards jumped at the opportunity, seeing the two graving docks at Port Weller — also known as dry docks, because they can be pumped free of water — and its large fabrication and machine shops as an ideal venue to expand.

The company is headquartered in Hamilton, where it has operated smaller floating dry docks and production facilities for more than 35 years. It also has a third shipyard in Thunder Bay that services vessels on the upper Great Lakes.

Port Weller is by far its largest facility, and its size enables Heddle Shipyards to bid for major maintenance contracts from government and commercial operators.“ The deep dock in Port Weller can actually handle the largest Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers, because of the depth requirements,” says Padulo. “So, it really gave us an opportunity to expand, and work on the largest ships.”

Though most of its current operations are focused on maintenance and repair, Heddle Shipyards is also eyeing a return to shipbuilding, with Port Weller as its main construction hub.

In the process, the company draws on Niagara’s extensive supply of skilled labour, including several employees who worked locally in shipbuilding for up to 40 years.

“There is certainly a history and an experience, and knowledge, in the local area in St. Catharines that we’ve been fortunate enough to tap into,” notes Padulo.

“And for us, because of the growth opportunities with [Canada’s] National Shipbuilding Strategy — the largest federal procurement in the history of Canada — having that second location…and being able to draw from a different labour pool, was extremely important.”

Read more at this link:

https://nationalpost.com/sponsored/news-sponsored/port-weller-at-the-core-of-economic-stimulus-in-the-region?twclid=2-72ycy66ngokvljiv5ea96z6g6

Schoonmaker Museum Ship and Museum Tug Ohio open for the season

TOLEDO, OHIO – The Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and Museum Tug Ohio are open for season. Climb on board the 617-foot cargo ship and historic tug to experience what life was like on the lakes in the early 1900s while also visiting the museum galleries. More details in the image gallery below.

Titanic-era steamer Keewatin tow arrives at Hamilton

HAMILTON, ON – The tow of the iconic, Edwardian-era passenger ship Keewatin reached Hamilton Saturday around 2 p.m. after passing through the Welland Canal on Friday. Spectators lined the Burlington piers to watch the stately vessel’s arrival. She was towed in by the McKeil Marine tug Molly M1.

Keewatin is bound for the Heddle Marine shipyard. After drydocking, she will be towed to her hew home in the transportation collection of the Maritime Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston, ON.

The historic vessel was tugged out of Port McNicoll, ON, Monday afternoon, with hundreds of people lining the waterfront at Port Huron/Sarnia, Detroit/Windsor and at the Welland Canal to view the once-in-a-lifetime passage.

The Keewatin was built in Glasgow, Scotland and set out on her maiden voyage in September 1907, docking in Quebec. She spent nearly 60 years carrying passengers on the Great Lakes, often docking at Port McNicoll, Ontario. Port McNicoll was known as the “Chicago of the North” for some time until trains and ships stopped coming through in 1965 due to the completion of the Trans Canada Highway.

After coming out of service that same year, the Keewatin permanently docked in the Kalamazoo Harbor in Douglas in 1968, across from the summer resort town of Saugatuck.

The ship became a museum and sat in the harbor for more than 40 years, when it was towed out of the river back to Port McNicoll in June 2012. Her departure that summer was a big event, with large crowds gathering to see the historic ship make its way out of Saugatuck one last time.

The Keewatin is expected to arrive in Kingston sometime this fall.

Link to the Maritime Museum of the Great Lakes web site detailing plans for the Keewatin: https://www.marmuseum.ca/ss-keewatin?fbclid=IwAR2t49zFHYIOXV_hQD5QN8Zy0uX1kxE9TYAKmRJ0J0OBI88HXb83XU75wZ0

Link to an interview talking about work to be done on the vessel: https://toronto.citynews.ca/video/2023/04/29/historic-steamship-arrives-in-hamilton-on-long-journey/?fbclid=IwAR3mwGsEYZhfRbQdkKCCjH6ee0wf7GIWQRzRc4rXElnByP5vNsFL5ByhYXk

Rough lockage at the Soo for BBC St. Petersburg

BBC St. Petersburg had a little trouble at the Soo Locks Friday early afternoon.

First, on approach to the MacArthur Lock, it bumped the wall and railing just outside the lower end of the lock. Then, after leaving the lock, they got sideways in the lock canal as the downbound American Integrity was approaching. Fortunately, there was no contact between the two ships and the only damage was to the railing on the pier.

David Kaye

Beaver Island ferry begins 2023 crossings to Lake Michigan’s largest island

CHARLEVOIX, MI – The ferry that transports people and vehicles between Charlevoix and Beaver Island has begun its 2023 season.

Beaver Island Boat Company is running three trips a week right now and will begin increasing that number in May. During peak season, from June to August, there will be several days a week with three or four trips. Most trips use the company’s Emerald Isle ferry with select trips using the Beaver Islander.

Read the full MLive article here: https://www.mlive.com/news/2023/04/beaver-island-ferry-begins-2023-crossings-to-lake-michigans-largest-island.html

Change of command for USCG Ninth District

CLEVELAND – Rear Adm. Jonathan P. Hickey relieved Rear Adm. Michael J. Johnston as commander of the Ninth Coast Guard District in a change-of-command ceremony April 27.

Vice Adm. Kevin E. Lunday, commander, Coast Guard Atlantic Area, presided over the event.

Hickey previously served as the Director of Operational Logistics (DOL), responsible for the delivery of mission support logistics for Coast Guard steady state and contingency response operations and for planned events of national significance. Hickey is a 1994 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy.

“I couldn’t be more grateful and excited for this opportunity to be on the Great Lakes team,” says Adm. Hickey. “I look forward to getting to work with all of you, as we work together to ensure the safety, security and economic prosperity of the Great Lakes.”

Johnston served as the Ninth District commander from May 2021 to April 2023. He will head to New London, Connecticut, to serve as the superintendent of the Coast Guard Academy.

The Ninth Coast Guard District is responsible for all Coast guard operations throughout the five Great Lakes, the Saint Lawrence Seaway and parts of the surrounding states including 6,700 miles of shoreline and 1,500 miles of the international border with Canada. The 6,000 active duty, reserve, civilian and auxiliary men and women who make up the Ninth District deliver multi-mission services in search and rescue, maritime safety and security, environmental protection, maritime law enforcement, aids to navigation and icebreaking.

The change-of-command ceremony is a time-honored tradition that formally states to the officers, enlisted, civilians and auxiliarists of the command the continuity and authority of command. It signifies the total transfer of responsibility, authority and accountability of command from one individual to another.

2023 cruise ship season kicks off May 4 with arrival of Viking’s Octantis

The 2023 cruise ship season will officially launch in Milwaukee when Viking Octantis returns to the inner harbor on May 4.

The season is expected to comprise 31 port calls by cruise ships this year – carrying an estimated 12,000 passengers – both at the City Heavy Lift Dock on Jones Island and on the Municipal Pier near Discovery World.

Read the rest of the article here: https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/2023-cruise-ship-season?fbclid=IwAR2THNY48v76Q-145O5u5pGU3A-UN8rH6P9NGjK-0Iu86NJHmfQ8T1xNY30

Mark your calendars for Soo Boatnerd Picnic and Freighter-Chasing Cruise

Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Picnic and Freighter-Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River during the annual Engineers’ Day weekend at Sault Ste. Marie June 29-30. Find details on both events here: https://www.boatnerd.com/boatnerd-soo-gathering-june-29-30-2023/

Titanic-era steamer Keewatin towed down St. Clair and Detroit rivers Wednesday

 Port Huron, MI – A ‘last-of-its-kind’ iconic steamship made its way down the St. Clair River glimpse of history. The century-old S.S. Keewatin passed under the Blue Water Bridge just before noon, on its way to be permanently relocated from Port McNicoll to the Maritime Museum of the Great Lakes in Kingston, Ont.

Pulled by the Molly M1 – one of three tugs to assist along the route – the 300-foot Keewatin is the world’s last Edwardian (Titanic-era) passenger steamship.

A pilot exchange was expected to take place in Port Huron, while the tug Manitou will assist from Port Huron to the lower Detroit River, while the Vigilant 1 was expected to be the tail tug for the Welland Canal.

The tow is bound for the Heddle Marine shipyard at Hamilton, ON. After drydocking, the Keewatin will be towed to her hew home in the transportation collection of the Maritime Museum of the Great Lakes.

Formerly owned by CP Rail and built in 1907 by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd. of Glasgow, Scotland, CP Rail steamships such as ‘The Kee’ ferried tourists, settlers, and cargo throughout the Great Lakes until their retirement in the 1960s. This ship is the last of its kind, with its sister ship having been scrapped in 1970 following a fire.

The Keewatin made its way past Belle Isle around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. T.J. Gaffney, a Port Huron native and self-proclaimed history buff who volunteers with several organizations for historical work, has been keeping tabs on her voyage.

Gaffney told WWJ’s Beth Fisher that he learned that the ship would travel through the Blue Water Bridge area and to the St. Clair River by tug on Sunday. He immediately jumped to let other enthusiasts know on social media.

“For local folks in Port Huron: this is a site you will NEVER see again,” he wrote early Wednesday morning. “The chance to get a picture of a passenger boat five years older than Titanic coming by Fort Gratiot Lighthouse and under the Bluewater Bridges.”

Gaffney told Fisher that he and a few other spectators were at the lighthouse earlier in the morning, watching the SS Keewatin under tow by a couple of tugs. “She’s pretty dramatic against the skyline,” he described. “She has a bright white hull and a yellow and black smokestack, so like I say, she stands out in comparison with everything else.”

The Keewatin was built in Glasgow, Scotland and set out on her maiden voyage in September 1907, docking in Quebec. She spent nearly 60 years carrying passengers on the Great Lakes, often docking at Port McNicoll, Ontario. Port McNicoll was known as the “Chicago of the North” for some time until trains and ships stopped coming through in 1965 due to the completion of the Trans Canada Highway.

After coming out of service that same year, the Keewatin permanently docked in the Kalamazoo Harbor in Douglas in 1968, across from the summer resort town of Saugatuck.

The ship became a museum and sat in the harbor for more than 40 years, when it was towed out of the river back to Port McNicoll in June 2012. Her departure that summer was a big event, with large crowds gathering to see the historic ship make its way out of Saugatuck one last time.

The Keewatin is expected to arrive in Kingston sometime this fall. The exact time she is expected to pass by Detroit is not clear, though the ship had nearly made its way to the lake late Wednesday afternoon.

WWJ, Audacity

U.S. Brig Niagara gears up for 2023 sailing season

It’s springtime at the Erie Maritime Museum which means it’s rigging time on the U.S. Brig Niagara.

After being put away for the winter and maintenance, it’s time for the U.S. Brig Niagara to be put back together for the sailing season. This past week, the Niagara had its winter cover removed along with other projects like putting the bowsprit and mast into place.

James Hall, the site director of the Erie Maritime Museum, said the ship should be ready to sail by the end of May and open to the public by June.

“We’ve got some sail training programs going on this year where the public is actually going to come out and take week-long sails on the ship. The ship will also be available for day sails around here on Presque Isle Bay and out into the lake ” said Hall.

Starting April 26, the museum will be open five days a week Wednesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

yourerie.com

‘The timing of it is not ideal’ Pelee Island ferry dry docked longer than expected

The Pelee Islander II is staying out of service longer than expected this spring due to ‘an unforeseen technical issue’ found during a scheduled out-of-water inspection.

Local officials are concerned the delay will hinder the region’s ability to prepare for the upcoming busy season on the Lake Erie Island.

“The timing of it is not ideal,” said, Cathy Miller, Mayor of Pelee Island.

“It just for us only highlights the need for there to be a real two vessel solution.”

Read the full story here: https://windsor.ctvnews.ca/the-timing-of-it-is-not-ideal-pelee-island-ferry-dry-docked-longer-than-expected-1.6369253?cid=sm%3Atrueanthem%3Actvwindsor%3Apost&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A%20Trending%20Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR2MRM-ZAtW2y7-g0pvdYWLCzLLCGWnauSiQeX3FKA0T1ssGTxAdS5fMkls

Windsor CTV