Ohio Supreme Court affirms siting board ruling that allows Lake Erie wind turbine project to proceed

CLEVELAND, OH – A proposed six-turbine wind energy project in Lake Erie received a favorable decision from the Ohio Supreme Court which today ruled the project may proceed. The Court held the Ohio Power Siting Board properly issued a permit that allows construction of the project, dubbed Icebreaker Wind, to move ahead. Icebreaker is projected to have a $253 million local economic impact and create more than 500 jobs.

Writing for the Court’s 6-1 majority decision, Justice Jennifer Brunner explained that the siting board collected the necessary research to allow Icebreaker to begin construction, while also requiring more data before the company can operate the turbines. “Rather than requiring Icebreaker to resolve those matters before issuing the certificate, the board determined that the conditions on its grant of the application were sufficient to protect birds and bats and to ensure that the facility represented the minimum adverse environmental impact,” Justice Brunner wrote.

Today’s ruling provides the Lake Erie Energy Development Corp. (LEEDCo) additional certainty so that it can market Icebreaker’s power to potential customers. One-third of the power is already under contract with the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County and with its permit secure, LEEDCo can now focus on marketing the remaining two-thirds of the electricity it will produce.

Will Friedman, President and CEO of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, said the ruling – while expected – was nonetheless welcome news. “The Court’s decision preserves the economic potential this project can unlock for the region.” Friedman said. By one estimate, there will be $70 billion in the offshore wind business pipeline in the U.S. by 2030.

“Other states are nipping at our heels to attract offshore wind and its economic benefits. We don’t want to squander this opportunity and let 15 years of work slip away to other states eager to capture market share.”

Icebreaker Wind has faced unprecedented review from regulators for over a decade, and has now received the necessary approvals from more than a dozen local, state and federal agencies—as well as sign-off from the state’s highest court. The project has also overcome a number of obstacles – many of them placed in the project’s path by fossil fuel interests.

The Supreme Court challenge was presented by two residents which, as exposed in court records, were bankrolled by Murray Energy, which prior to bankruptcy billed itself as the biggest coal company in the country. Today’s opinion stated that the residents “have not shown that the (Power Siting) board’s decision to issue the certificate subject to conditions was unlawful or unreasonable.”

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb said he believes renewables like Icebreaker Wind bring “a great opportunity to grow the wind industry locally as well as provide access to renewable energy for businesses and residents of Cleveland and the region. This project has always been a win-win for our economy and for our environment. Let’s position ourselves to be a leader, not a follower, to other states.”

LEEDCo Board Chairman Ronn Richard, CEO of the Cleveland Foundation, said Ohio has no choice but to embrace the energy transition to meet the state’s power needs. He noted Intel’s decision to build the world’s largest computer chip factory near Columbus includes a commitment to power 100% of its operations with renewable energy. Other companies in Northeast Ohio and throughout the state have also set ambitious renewable targets.

“We’re pleased with today’s ruling from the Ohio Supreme Court,” Richard said. “The Cleveland Foundation has supported Project Icebreaker from its inception because this is about more than clean energy – this is about a healthy economy and a healthy community. Project Icebreaker shows that Northeast Ohio – and the entire state of Ohio for that matter – is open for businesses.

Port of Cleveland

Better get a swim in the Great Lakes; Water temperatures may have peaked

All signs are pointing to the warmest water on the Great Lakes occurring now or has just happened. It could be all downhill from here on the water temperature graphs.

Looking back at the long-term surface water temperatures on the Great Lakes, the highest average water temperature occurs around the eighth day of August. It looks like our peak water temperature may be right on time.

Read the full article at this link: https://www.mlive.com/weather/2022/08/better-get-a-swim-in-the-great-lakes-water-temperatures-may-have-peaked.html

MLive

Reserve now for MHSD’s Detroit River cruise on September 10

Join other members of the MHSD aboard the passenger vessel Diamond Queen, (captained by MHSD’s very own Mike Nicholls and with MHSD member Ken Borg as narrator) for a Detroit River cruise 1-4 p.m. Saturday, September 10. We will do our best to get up close to freighter traffic and, if conditions are favorable, go up the Rouge River (however, the Rouge is not guaranteed). Snacks and refreshments will be available on the boat.

Tickets are $28 ($30 at the dock if space is still available). Buy tickets online at BrownPaperTickets.com (put Marine Historical Society in the search box to find our event). 

By mail, send a check, payable to the Marine Historical Society of Detroit, to MHSD Cruise, 1020 Iroquois St., Detroit, MI 48214. Late orders will not be mailed – they will be held for you at the dock. We are limiting the number to 100 passengers so there will be plenty of room to move about the boat.

MHSD

Biggest construction project in Sault’s history is now underway

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – Algoma Steel Inc. has already spent more than $100 million on a two-year, game-changing technology upgrade that local building officials say will be the most expensive construction job in Sault Ste. Marie’s history.

The massive project, expected to cost $703 million, will replace Algoma’s existing blast furnace and basic oxygen steelmaking processes with two new electric arc furnaces (EAFs), allowing 3.7 million tons in annual raw steel production with an estimated 70% reduction in annual carbon dioxide emissions.

Michael Garcia, the steelmaker’s president and chief executive officer, says the job is on schedule and on budget. Foundation work is currently underway, Garcia says, and structural steel for new buildings should start to rise in late September or in October.

Algoma’s conversion to electric-arc steelmaking could end up costing more than the budgeted $703 million. Chief financial officer Rajat Marwah told investors during a conference call last week that an $80-million contingency fund has been assigned to the project and a small amount of that has already been committed. “We will see a large part of the spending coming in the coming two quarters, up to December,” Marwah said.

Detailed engineering work on the EAF project won’t be completed until later this year, he added. CEO Garcia mentioned during the same investor presentation that foundation and pilings work is currently underway.

“We expect to start erecting buildings — or things above the level of the ground — on October, late September.”

The project will also include a new water treatment plant.

Northern Ontario Business

Reserve now for MHSD’s Detroit River cruise on September 10

Join other members of the MHSD aboard the passenger vessel Diamond Queen, (captained by MHSD’s very own Mike Nicholls and with MHSD member Ken Borg as narrator) for a Detroit River cruise 1-4 p.m. Saturday, September 10. We will do our best to get up close to freighter traffic and, if conditions are favorable, go up the Rouge River (however, the Rouge is not guaranteed). Snacks and refreshments will be available on the boat.

Tickets are $28 ($30 at the dock if space is still available). Buy tickets online at BrownPaperTickets.com (put Marine Historical Society in the search box to find our event). 

By mail, send a check, payable to the Marine Historical Society of Detroit, to MHSD Cruise, 1020 Iroquois St., Detroit, MI 48214. Late orders will not be mailed – they will be held for you at the dock. We are limiting the number to 100 passengers so there will be plenty of room to move about the boat.

MHSD

Mark W. Barker makes first transit through Detroit River

DETROIT, MI – Interlake Steamship Co.’s Mark W. Barker made its first transit down bound on the Detroit River on Sunday night. The Barker was loaded with sand bound for Buffalo, NY. 

Click on this link to view photos of the night transit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/74265040605/permalink/10160601393075606/

Prescott ship ambassador Joanne Crack to be honored Wednesday

PRESCOTT, ON – There will be a special dedication ceremony Aug 10th at 2:30 pm in honor of Joanne Crack at Prescott’s Port of Call.

At Prescott’s recent Community Awards ceremony, a special plaque was unveiled in memory of Joanne, whowas a local ambassador of the St. Lawrence Seaway and founder of the The Prescott Anchor Facebook page. Her efforts provided the public with an amazing window into the seaway’s shipping and boating traffic.

The plaque will be mounted at the base of an authentic ships anchor; to be installed at Prescott’s Port of Call, located at the bottom of Centre St. just west of RiverWalk Park.

Prescott Anchor Page

Reserve now for MHSD’s Detroit River cruise on September 10

Join other members of the MHSD aboard the passenger vessel Diamond Queen, (captained by MHSD’s very own Mike Nicholls and with MHSD member Ken Borg as narrator) for a Detroit River cruise 1-4 p.m. Saturday, September 10. We will do our best to get up close to freighter traffic and, if conditions are favorable, go up the Rouge River (however, the Rouge is not guaranteed). Snacks and refreshments will be available on the boat.

Tickets are $28 ($30 at the dock if space is still available). Buy tickets online at BrownPaperTickets.com (put Marine Historical Society in the search box to find our event). 

By mail, send a check, payable to the Marine Historical Society of Detroit, to MHSD Cruise, 1020 Iroquois St., Detroit, MI 48214. Late orders will not be mailed – they will be held for you at the dock. We are limiting the number to 100 passengers so there will be plenty of room to move about the boat.

To view the flyer, scroll down to the image gallery.

MHSD

Marquette to Muskegon: Cruise ships bring big tourism dollars to the Great Lakes

The Pearl Mist cut through the smooth water of Muskegon Lake on a cloudy early June morning.

Six decks lined with dozens of private balconies towered over Heritage Landing as about 200 people walked down a ramp ready to explore the small lakeshore town that’s bursting with local art, breweries and cultural landmarks.

This was the first cruise ship to dock at Muskegon in two years.

“Everyone is so ready to get out and travel,” said Cindy Larsen, president of the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce.

Muskegon is one of 27 Great Lakes ports that is welcoming passengers back after cruises were grounded for two years due to the pandemic. Pent-up demand and the growing popularity of Great Lakes cruises are making this a record-breaking year and bringing millions of dollars to local communities.

Read the full article at this link: https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2022/08/marquette-to-muskegon-cruise-ships-bring-big-tourism-dollars-to-the-great-lakes.html?utm_campaign=grandrapidspress_sf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR1dMneniLpK-Iaevv2TSQEEUVEl1xNQm_cKQ0H65lHeQvs5oQrCMEAcH14

MLive

World Ship Society Report for August

Vessels with Great Lakes / Seaway connection – reported as a casualty or sold for demolition taken from August 2022 issue of Marine News – Journal of the World Ship Society:

Casualty:

YULIA (9459967) – 1st seaway transit 2013 – (Harlequin-11) – 19,814 / 2011 – bulk carrier, Liberian flag – owned by MINSHIP Ship Management GmbH, Germany suffered engine failure 5.05.2022 and started drifting in the Thracian Sea 17 miles off Nisos Thasos, Greece at 40.19.16N, 024.41.20E.  Two days later, tug CHRISTOS LI (9041368) 267 / 1993 – took her  in tow for a safe anchorage at Kavala, Greece

Demolitions: None to report

Report prepared by Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp

Reserve now for MHSD’s Detroit River cruise on September 10

Join other members of the MHSD aboard the passenger vessel Diamond Queen, (captained by MHSD’s very own Mike Nicholls and with MHSD member Ken Borg as narrator) for a Detroit River cruise 1-4 p.m. Saturday, September 10. We will do our best to get up close to freighter traffic and, if conditions are favorable, go up the Rouge River (however, the Rouge is not guaranteed). Snacks and refreshments will be available on the boat.

Tickets are $28 ($30 at the dock if space is still available). Buy tickets online at BrownPaperTickets.com (put Marine Historical Society in the search box to find our event). 

By mail, send a check, payable to the Marine Historical Society of Detroit, to MHSD Cruise, 1020 Iroquois St., Detroit, MI 48214. Late orders will not be mailed – they will be held for you at the dock. We are limiting the number to 100 passengers so there will be plenty of room to move about the boat.

To view the flyer, scroll down to the image gallery.

MHSD

Windsorites reflect on vessel that capsized underneath Ambassador Bridge 60 years ago

DETROIT RIVER – It took months to remove the vessel from the Detroit River

Even though Neil Cornwall was only nine years old, he remembers how big of a spectacle it was when a large freighter capsized on its side in the middle of the Detroit River 60 years ago.

On July 30, 1962, a British freighter called the M.V. Montrose hit a barge in the shipping lane of the Detroit River as it was backing out of the Detroit Harbour Terminal.

The collision created a huge hole in Montrose’s hull causing water to pour in and the propeller rose out of the water, causing the freighter to become stranded underneath the Ambassador Bridge.

In the months it took for the vessel to be removed from the waterway, it drew large crowds of people from both sides of the border who wanted to take in the unusual sight. “Everybody and anybody wanted to go and see this thing that was sunk in the middle of the river,” said Cornwall, who previously worked at CBC News.

At the time, pedestrians could pay to walk across the Ambassador Bridge and that’s exactly what Cornwall and his brothers did. “It was bizarre. You walked out there and you leaned over and here was this ship literally on its side you can see the hull, you can see there was stuff that had come out of it that was floating around, but it was just a bizarre, bizarre circumstance,” he said.

The 122-metre, 7,000-ton ship was new and cost between $6 million and $8 million. It cost $750,000 to salvage the freighter, which stayed on its side in nine metres of water until October. It left Detroit on Nov. 9, 1962.

Windsor Port Authority harbour master Peter Berry said that although he didn’t experience the Montrose situation first-hand, he’s familiar with the story.  “During those times it was much more common for vessels to get into trouble, but for a collision of this type, very, very unusual,” he said.  He said it likely slowed down shipping traffic in the Detroit River, but wouldn’t have stopped it completely as it wasn’t large enough to do so.

This event, he said, changed the way ship traffic was managed in that area where they focused more on navigation in the channel.  “You can hear now as the vessels go under the bridge, the horns, the three horns as they go by, indicating they are passing underneath the bridge and coming to that turn so everybody’s aware that there’s another vessel or there’s a vessel coming,” he said.

In the end, Berry said the Montrose did sail again under a different name. But, he added, it ended up sinking a second time in Cleveland and that it eventually became a barge.

CBC News

Cruise planners in historic Great Lakes Inside Passage exploration

Planners from six cruise lines participated in what’s being called a historic exploration of the Lake Superior North Shore Inside Passage.

‘This extraordinary and historic navigation exercise took five days to complete and was the first time that a formal commercial investigation has been made of the northern Lake Superior shoreline,’ according to Stephen Burnett, executive director, Great Lakes Cruise Association. Burnett explained the north shore has not seen regular commercial shipping for over 50 years and before the road system was built, the last passenger traffic was in 1942. ‘The absence of commercial traffic is one reason for the rugged untouched beauty of this area,’ he said.

Planners from The Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection, Hurtigruten Expeditions, Ponant Cruises, Lindblad Expeditions and Scenic Cruises took part in this destination development exercise. 

Burnett stressed the historic nature of their expedition: ‘There has been zero commercial traffic along this magnificent stretch of coastline and this exploratory trip has actually kickstarted the process.’

Wearing Mustang dry suits the group traveled in an oceangoing rigid inflatable boat and took an active part in recording this cruising opportunity.

This destination research was planned in 2019 but postponed by the pandemic until last week. It was conceived by Burnett, who leads the Great Lakes Cruise Association, an organisation focused on building cruise traffic for Canadian ports on the Great Lakes.

Capt. Sean O’Donoughue was made available by the Great Lakes pilots to lead and record the navigation, and Capt. Greg Heroux from Sail Superior provided daily local tourism input and outlined the cruise tourism potential along the Lake Superior North Shore Inside Passage.

The journey started in Thunder Bay, Ontario, visiting the nearby Sleeping Giant land mass and the abandoned, submerged mine at Silver Islet, in its day the world’s largest silver mine. That was followed by an open water journey to Red Rock, Ontario, and the nearby town of Nipigon to see petroglyphs and hike the Casque Isles Trail, continually charting the depths for cruise navigation inside the many deep water passages of this archipelago.

The journey continued east to the charming village of Rossport, Ontario, and nearby Battle Island where a hike to the working lighthouse was a highlight. The final segment of this exploration was a visit to the Slate Islands with its resident herd of woodland caribou. During the winter months when the straits between the Slates and nearby Terrace Bay freeze over, a wolf pack has been known to cross the ice and hunt members of this herd.

Burnett said the expedition planners were impressed by the extraordinary scenery, the navigable deep water passages and the warmth and curiosity of the residents plus attractions waiting to be discovered.

The trip was an ‘eye-opener for the planners and the host team,’ Burnett told Seatrade Cruise News. ‘We knew we had magnificent scenery, wonderful and unusual attractions ashore. What we did not know was how the guests would react and that was quite amazing.’

Burnett expects at least two new ships coming to the region in 2024.

Seatrade Cruise News

Great Lakes’ water temperatures show Lake Superior is odd lake out

We can usually expect Great Lakes’ water temperatures to mimic the summer air temperatures. This is mostly true this summer, except for Lake Superior.

The following graphs show this year’s average water temperature on each Great Lake. Lakes Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario all are amazingly close to the long-term average water temperature. Usually some part of the year has temperatures deviating significantly from the normal. The big deviation from normal really hasn’t happened this year on those four lakes.

Read the full article at this link: https://www.mlive.com/weather/2022/08/great-lakes-water-temperatures-show-lake-superior-is-odd-lake-out.html

MLive.com

Atlantic Huron, tanker collide at Quebec port

PORT OF QUEBEC – An incident July 31 at the Port of Quebec between Canada Steamship Lines Atlantic Huron and NCC Qamar, an oil/chemical tanker sailing under the flag of Saudi Arabia, resulted in damage to both vessels, as shown in photos on social media. At this time there is no further information available.

CCGS George R. Pearkes headed to Hamilton for refit

The Canadian Coast Guard has awarded a $36.14 million vessel life extension contract for the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) George R. Pearkes to Heddle Shipyards, Hamilton, Ontario. The vessel will be dry-docked and enter an extended maintenance period designed to increase its operational life.

The ship primarily performs light icebreaking and buoy tending, and is available for search and rescue and environmental response operations on Canada’s east coast.

The vessel life extension work includes:
– steel hull reinforcement;
– hull, superstructure, deck and mast recoating;
– galley modernization;
– replacement of the bow thruster, cycloconverter, propulsion generator and the internal communication system;
-tail shaft and rudder inspections;
domestic and auxiliary system upgrades.

While the ship undergoes vessel life extension from Winter 2023 to Spring 2024, the Canadian Coast Guard will reallocate its other maritime resources to ensure Canada’s waterways continue to be safe for all seafarers in Canadian waters.

CCGS George R. Pearkes entered into service in 1986. Stationed in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, CCGS George R. Pearkes is primarily a light icebreaker and buoy tending vessel named for Victoria Cross recipient George Randolph Pearkes.

Although the vessel is primarily used for buoy tending and icebreaking, it also performs search and rescue, scientific research and environmental response.

Autonomous research equipment headed to Lake Superior

LAKE SUPERIOR – The U.S. Coast Guard is working with Saildrone Inc. to operate two uncrewed surface vehicles called Saildrones to study fish populations in Lake Superior waters. The Saildrones are scheduled to be launched from Ashland, Wisconsin on Aug. 8 and will transit through the central and western areas of Lake Superior through Sept. 30.

Saildrone Inc. requests that vessels transiting in vicinity of the Saildrones proceed with caution and remain more than 500 meters away from the research equipment. This will ensure the drones can collect data without human interference and prevent any collisions.

The drones will have track lines nearshore and offshore throughout Lake Superior. Sampling sites include Wisconsin near Madeline Island, Devils Island, Sand Island, Port Wing; Michigan near the upper entry of the Keweenaw Waterway, Ontonagon; Minnesota near Grand Portage, Hovland, Grand Marais, Taconite Harbor, Two Harbors and Duluth. Other sites are near Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.

USCG

Lake Michigan water levels down significantly

Just a couple of years ago we had houses falling into Lake Michigan from record high water levels along the lakeshore. Homeowners were shoring up their foundations and in some cases, even physically moving the house back from the lakeshore to prevent damage or catastrophe.

Fast forward to now, July 2022, and Lake Michigan water levels are now significantly down from their high point just two years ago.

We should note that Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are considered one basin, since they’re connected through the Straights of Mackinaw. A one inch rise in these lakes means 790 billion gallons of water! So keep this in mind, the basin is down 25 inches from its high in July 2020. That’s a whopping 19,750,000,000,000 gallons of water. Or to say it…19 trillion 750 billion gallons! Quite the staggering amount.

Read the full article at this link: https://www.fox17online.com/weather/lake-michigan-water-levels-down-significantly

Fox 17 News

StreamTime LIVE sets Port Huron event Aug. 19-22

See the gallery below for details.

Could the Great Lakes solve US shipping woes?

Lake Erie – one of five connected bodies of freshwater that make up the Great Lakes system along the US-Canada border – might not seem like a solution to America’s supply chain issues. But it might just be exactly that.

Connected to the Atlantic Ocean via a system of canals and locks, the Port of Cleveland is one of several Great Lakes shipping centres experiencing a revival. Last year, the total tonnage handled by the port increased by 69% from 2020. April’s tonnage numbers were double that of the same month in 2021. “We’re getting a lot more calls from people – shippers, cargo owners – that typically wouldn’t want to consider using a smaller, inland port to move their cargo,” said David Gutheil, chief commercial officer at the port.

With major ports along the US east and west coasts struggling with cargo backlogs due to knock-on effects from supply chain issues caused by everything from China’s Covid lockdowns to Russia’s war in Ukraine, shippers are looking to long-ignored ports as a way to get supplies into and out of America. Global shipping companies were among the first to spot the Great Lakes’ potential.

In August, a Dutch shipping company added an additional vessel to its Antwerp-Cleveland route to meet growing demand. One ship even sailed all the way from Shanghai to Cleveland last November – a forty-day journey that bypassed major ports in southern California, Virginia and New Jersey – to avoid the backlogs plaguing those locations.

It’s not just incoming international cargo companies that are looking to the Great Lakes ports to handle their wares. The Port of Cleveland is working with a Texas-based company trucking cargo from the Gulf of Mexico up to Lake Erie – a 1,000-mile journey – to get its products shipped out to Europe. “They can’t get vessel or container capacity down there (in Texas),” said Mr Gutheil.

While ports situated on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans dominate America’s shipping industry today, that wasn’t always the case. The Great Lakes ports once served as a crucial North American maritime highway for transporting agricultural and other bulk products such as iron ore, coal and limestone throughout the 1800s and 1900s.

The deregulation of the rail and especially the trucking industries in 1980, combined with the offshoring of manufacturing to Asia and elsewhere, however, saw the decline of the Great Lakes ports.

Located more than 2,200 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, the Port of Duluth-Superior was at its peak in the 1950s, when it handled about 70 million tonnes of goods such as iron ore and agricultural grain, making it the largest freshwater port in the world. By 2017, the amount of cargo it handled had fallen by more than half.

But today, as America’s major coastal ports struggle to meet demand, the Great Lakes has the potential to expand capacity of the country’s shipping industry. The Port of Cleveland, for example, is currently only moving about 10,000 containers a year but could potentially handle about 100,000 containers.

Six hundred and thirty miles northwest of Cleveland, the Port of Duluth-Superior – the largest in the Great Lakes – has expanded its facilities to include a customs station that now allows it to handle international cargo. Its first overseas shipment of containers – 200 containers of bagged kidney beans destined for Italy, France, Germany and Hungary – set sail in late May.

And yet it’s not all smooth sailing for the northern ports. Reports of a shortage of icebreaker ships hampered shipping activity last winter, as lakes froze. Moreover, the 15 canal locks that allow ships to move between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean are not maintained and kept ice-free by their American and Canadian operators during the winter months. That means that even if sections of southern Great Lakes such as Lake Erie and Lake Ontario don’t freeze over in winter, access between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic wouldn’t be possible.

“One of the major hurdles to overcome is the seasonality issue; the Great Lakes are not open 12 months (of the year),” said Daniel Rust, an associate professor of transportation and logistics management at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

“Supply chain managers want to always ship a certain way and to have a reliable supply chain for 12 months of the year”.

Another challenge is that the locks can only facilitate vessels that are no wider than 78 feet (23.8 metres), which means that many ships cannot pass through. Industry experts say these issues could be overcome.

Establishing a feeder or shuttle service of smaller vessels would bridge that gap, say observers, and it’s a move several Canadian ports have recently pursued. In June 2021, the Canadian maritime transport firm, Desgagnés, started a feeder service that ships close to 300 containers between Hamilton, Ontario, and the Port of Montreal.

With labour disputes possibly leading to backlogs in West Coast ports, and railroad congestion creating bottlenecks this summer, Americans may be facing more supply shortages in the months ahead.

As Mr Gutheil put it: “If you have 10 or 20 ports … that handle as much as we do, then you start talking about meaningful change in the supply chain world”.

BBC News

Festival of Sail set to sail again in Two Harbors

TWO HARBORS, MN – Festival of Sail organizers and city incident command team members are in the final stages of preparing for the tall ships to come to Agate Bay next week. According to Two Harbors Police Chief Rick Hogenson, public safety has been at the forefront of the event’s planning for both event attendees and the city’s residents.

This is the first time Two Harbors has hosted the event, which is held every three years and was last held in Duluth in 2019. Nine ships, the World’s Largest Rubber Duck and over 100 vendors are confirmed.

“It’s certainly an exciting time for Two Harbors,” Hogenson said. “I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a little anxiety and nervousness, but I think we are well-prepared for this event.”

Read the full article at this link: https://www.inforum.com/news/minnesota/festival-of-sail-set-to-sail-again-in-two-harbors?fbclid=IwAR06LyE72ai4BlU-tLaYEsqsB-V2Qjj-3hyIyFb90xSlasHrFeWSkFuwqJ0

Inforum

Nunavut teen sails Great Lakes tall ship over summer

Reuben Qaunaq arrived in Iqaluit recently after more than a week of changing sails and battling windy days as a petty officer aboard a tall ship.

After spending time last summer on a tall ship, the teenager returned to sail through the Great Lakes this year. “This journey has really changed my life,” Qaunaq said.

He is part of a program run by Tall Ship Expeditions Canada, where Canadian teenagers become crew members aboard the St. Lawrence II tall ship for trips across the Great Lakes that take close to a week to complete. The purpose of the expeditions is for young Canadians to learn skills such as leadership, teamwork and self-confidence.

The nearly 22-metre-long St. Lawrence II was built in 1953 to carry a crew of 25. The program’s website says it is outfitted with a full, modern navigation suite including GPS and electronic chart system. It’s a brigantine class ship, meaning it has two masts.

Qaunaq, who is from Arctic Bay, joined the expedition as a trainee last year on the recommendation of his high school teacher. He returned this year as a petty officer, which means he is teaching the trainees about the skills needed to be on the boat. Some of those skills include tying boating knots, climbing up the ship’s rigging and learning how to unfurl the sails, Qaunaq said.

The challenge of doing his job included working in high winds with tasks such as changing the sails in those conditions to ensure the boat moves properly. Four of the trainees he taught were fellow Nunavummiut.

As a petty officer, Qaunaq said he spent most of his time with the other officers since he was living and eating with them while on the boat. “They were like family,” he said.

Nunatsiaq News 

Help save the United States post office at the Soo Locks

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – The United States Postal Service (USPS) is considering shutting down the post office for sailors at the Soo Locks due to a “lack of usage”. 

If you know a sailor or are feeling kind, consider sending a letter or a post card to that sailor or a favorite boat of yours. Any mail will help keep this service available to the sailors on the Great Lakes.

If you’re interested in sending mail then follow this format:

Person’s name

C/O name of boat

Marine Post Office

Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

Coast Guard Festival returns to Grand Haven

GRAND HAVEN, MI – The Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival is back with a week-long event reflecting and celebrating the rescue military service branch.

Grand Haven, also known as Coast Guard City, USA, will be filled with people visiting across the state and country beginning Friday.

“There is excitement for festival starting and you can kind of start to feel the buzz and the vibe around town,” Lt. Paul Larouche, the commanding officer of Sector Field Office Grand Haven, said. “It’s really inspiring to see how much the city of Grand Haven backs the Coast Guard and supports the Coast Guard and it really does have a direct impact on just the morale of those at the unit. You can tell that they know that the city of Grand Haven supports them.”

“Our relationship with the Coast Guard goes back to 1924, which started as a picnic on the far side of the river and then developed into this 10-day celebration celebrating our men and women of the Coast Guard,” Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival executive director Mike Smith said.

To kick off the event, you can check out the lighthouse quilt show from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Church, located at 901 Columbus Ave. There will be over 100 antique quilts on display, and you’ll get to hear stories about each. The cost of admission is $7.

You can take a ship tour beginning Monday, Aug. 1, and organizers say you can’t miss the National Coast Guard Memorial Service, which pays tribute to personnel who have died in the line of duty during the past year.

Tim Riley, the general manager of Kirby House restaurant, says the festival always gives a boost to the economy. “It’s everything we plan for, for the summer, and it’s an important part of our year,” Riley said.

Riley thinks the designated area for the social district will be beneficial to businesses. “It just adds to the whole feel it give people more options, more places to go while they’re down here,” Riley said.

The festival will run through Aug. 7.

Wood TV News 8

Coast Guard investigating laser strikes on Lake Ontario search and rescue boats

The U.S. Coast Guard and local law enforcement are investigating two recent laser strike incidents against two USCG small boats participating in search and rescue operations in Lake Ontario.

The incidents took place June 11 and July 12. The Coast Guard said the first incident originated from Moon Beach, New York and the second from nearby Oswego. Attempts to locate the suspects remain ongoing.

In both cases, high-powered laser illuminated the small boats numerous times, striking the crew in the eyes. No injuries were sustained, but the Coast Guard warns that these types of actions are illegal and can cause severe effects to its safety and missions, not to mention eye injury.

“In every instance that a U.S. Coast Guard small boat is observed on the water, they are either performing a mission, training, or transiting,” said U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Mark Kuperman, Commander, Sector Buffalo. “As with all emergency responders, the work they do is in the best interests of the public. When struck by a laser, they cannot perform their job, and may in fact have suffered eye injuries.”

Laws have been on the books making it felony to aim a laser pointer at an aircraft, with penalties of fines or imprisonement of not more than 5 years, or both. But a new law was passed in 2021 under the Elijah E. Cummings Coast Guard Authorization Act (CGAA) of 2020 states that aiming a LASER Pointer at vessels is a violation under title 46 U.S. Code, Section 70014, which makes it unlawful to “cause the beam of a LASER pointer to strike a vessel operating on the navigable waters of the United States.’’ The offense carries civil and criminal (felony) penalties as well.

Coast Guard Investigative Service Special Agents are working with local law enforcement to investigate the recent incidents.

“Just as a citizen would not intentionally endanger an ambulance or a firetruck moving at high speed to provide urgent care, Coast Guard boat crews are responding to life-threatening situations on the water,” said Kuperman

Anyone with information about the cases is encouraged to contact U.S. Coast Guard Sector Buffalo at 716-843-9391 or can make an anonymous report through CGIS Tips at the following CGIS TIPLINE website: https://www.p3tips.com/878.

gCaptain

The Great Lakes could help solve some ongoing US supply chain issues

A U.S. inland system of lakes could surprise many as it appears to hold some major possibilities when it comes to ways to help solve the ongoing supply chain issues plaguing the country amid growing inflation.

The U.S. Great Lakes are a handful of freshwater bodies that make up a system of lakes along the U.S.- Canada border that are connected to the Atlantic Ocean.

David Gutheil, chief commercial officer at the Port of Cleveland, said, “We’re getting a lot more calls from people, shippers, cargo owners, that typically wouldn’t want to consider using a smaller, inland port to move their cargo.”

The BBC reported that a Dutch shipping company decided to add an additional shipping vessel for its Antwerp, Belgium to Cleveland, Ohio route because of increased demand. And another ship last November traveled from Cleveland to Shanghai in China. The trip lasted 40 days and bypassed major ports in California.

A major waterway making it possible is the St. Lawrence Seaway, impressively stretching from the Atlantic Ocean into the Great Lakes. It moved 38.19 million metric tons of goods or cargo, delivering it to ports in Canada and the U.S. last year, and has maintained that as a yearly average, apart from dips during the height of the pandemic.

WXYZ Detroit

MacArthur Lock should reopen this week after unexpected repair

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – An unexpected closure at the Soo Locks shipping complex is expected to wrap up this week, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The MacArthur Lock closed on Monday, July 25 for an unanticipated repair to its tainter gate valve machinery, forcing all shipping traffic to transit using the adjacent Poe Lock.

The bottleneck at the Poe Lock has caused some backups for ships moving between Lake Superior and Lake Huron using the Soo complex. Depending on their size, freighters have shared the 1,200-foot long by 100-foot wide Poe Lock with smaller boats, such as tour boats and patrol boats.

“They have been doing a good job of fitting as many ships as they can into the Poe,” said Carrie Fox, Soo Locks spokeswoman with the Army Corps Detroit District.

Read the full article at this link: https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2022/07/macarthur-lock-should-reopen-this-week-after-unexpected-repair.html

MLive

Clipper captain to celebrate 100th birthday aboard ship

MUSKEGON, MI – Docked in Muskegon Lake is a piece of history called the S.S. Milwaukee Clipper. The preserved steamship is a national historic landmark. It shut down back in 1970, but it still has a captain at its helm.

Believe it or not, that captain is 99 years old, and he still visits his beloved boat just about every day, and he’s about to celebrate a big milestone.

Captain Bob Priefer spent most of his life on the clipper. “24 hours, 7 days a week. When you’re the captain, you’re on watch all the time,” said Capt. Priefer.

“It’s just good genes, I guess. He comes down to the ship, I mean he has more energy than me sometimes. I’ll see him working up towards the bow and here I am out of breath I’m just doing a chore and he’s ready to walk around the ship again. I don’t know how he does it, but he does,” said Brock Johnson, volunteer coordinator at the S.S. Milwaukee Clipper.

Johnson is the captain’s apprentice if you will, the ship’s next generation. “All of us are getting a little bit tender, I don’t want to say aged,” said Priefer. But he won’t leave Brock to tend the ship before she imparts what he calls some old “fish tales.” 

“Just walking through the rooms, he has those memories of what used to happen aboard the ship and we’re just happy that he has those memories, and one day I hope to have those memories as well,” said Johnson.

Priefer is a World War II veteran who started on the luxury vessel right after the war. Taking trips from Chicago to Muskegon and Milwaukee, at the time the boat was the equivalent of flying first class. “Back in the 40s to go from Milwaukee to Muskegon was like today’s taking a cruise to Hawaii,” said Priefer. He added, “we were the first commercial vessel to get radar.”

Not only did he spend much of his life aboard, he forged many family memories too, “my granddaughter, I married them aboard this ship. My granddaughter, and now I’ve got a great granddaughter, she was down here the other day.”

The almost-centenarian still somehow has a to do list aboard. “I would still like to do a lot of things on the ship. But the mind is willing, but the body is weak.” Before he gets going on all those tasks, his crew thinks birthday celebrations are in order first. “8-8-22. Next month I’ll be 100. I never thought of it as that. It’s just another day. I’m looking for 100, I’m looking for 110! Nobody in the family ever lived to be 100,” said Priefer.

We asked Priefer to sum up the days, the hours, the months’ worth of trips on the big lake and beyond, and he couldn’t quite calculate. But he did share this, “That doesn’t make any difference how many days, it’s how much you accomplish, what you did. We’ve done pretty well I think.”

You are invited to Captain Priefer’s 100th birthday party! It is Saturday August 6 from 6 to 9 aboard the ship. It’s completely free to come out and take a tour and give your captain some well wishes on his milestone celebration.

The S.S. Milwaukee Clipper is docked at 2098 Lakeshore Drive, Muskegon MI. For more information on the party: call 231-683-1590 or visit https://www.milwaukeeclipper.com/

Fox 17