Veteran cement carrier S.T. Crapo sold for scrapping

According to the Facebook page of Wayne Elliott, owner of International Marine Salvage, the long-inactive steamer S.T. Crapo will be towed from Green Bay to Port Colborne for scrapping some time in September.

Only the second bulk cement carrier built from the keel up, the 402-foot-long S.T. Crapo was built as hull # 256 in 1927 by the Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, MI.  The vessel was launched and christened July 7, 1927 for the Huron Transportation Co., division of Huron Portland Cement Co., Detroit, MI., becoming the first carrier launched with her boilers lit and the second self-unloader of her type ever built. The vessel was named in honor of Mr. Stanford Tappan Crapo, co-founder with Mr. J.B. Ford of the Huron Portland Cement Co. in 1907.

For many years, the S.T. Crapo was a perennial season opener for many Great Lakes ports with cargoes of cement products from Alpena, MI.

Throughout her tenure on the lakes, the S.T. Crapo has remained with the same fleet even though there were several parent company, fleet and vessel ownership changes. With the entry into service of the articulated tug/cement barge Jacklyn M (now G.L. Ostrander)/Integrity, the S.T. Crapo was removed from active service on September 4, 1996 and docked at the Lafarge facilities at Green Bay, WI for use as a stationary cement storage barge, which is where she remains.

Know Your Ships

Several shipyards on the Great Lakes receive MARAD grants

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced $19.6 million in grant awards to 24 small shipyards in 19 states through the Small Shipyard Grant Program. The funds will help awardees modernize, increase productivity, and expand local employment opportunities.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the American economy, and small shipyards play a critical role in America’s maritime industry, helping us get the goods we depend on every day,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These grants will help modernize small shipyards in communities across the country, creating and protecting local jobs, strengthening America’s maritime industry, and securing our economic future.”

MARAD’s Small Shipyard Grant Program has awarded $282.2 million since 2008 to nearly 300 shipyards in 32 states and territories throughout the U.S.

“These grants will allow small businesses to do what they do best, which is to build essential infrastructure while creating long-term and well-paying jobs for Americans,” said Maritime Administrator Ann Phillips. “Better equipment means increased productivity and more ships and watercraft moving through our small shipyards. Growing this industry further supports and strengthens our domestic maritime industry.”

Below is a complete list of Great Lakes shipyard grant recipients from Fiscal Year 2022:

MICHIGAN:

Moran Iron Works, Inc., of Onaway, MI, will receive $500,561 to support the purchase of a CNC Fabricating System. This project will greatly enhance automation of complex fabrications and drastically reduce time of production.

OHIO:

McGinnis, Inc, of South Point, OH, will receive $770,250 to support the purchase of a 110 Ton Crane to shorten the time it takes to complete major construction, renovation, fabrication, or re-power projects and improve material handling capabilities.

Great Lakes Towing Company of Cleveland, OH, will receive $781,627 to support the purchase package of tooling and equipment to improve the shipyard operations and to foster efficiency, competitive operations and quality ship construction, repair, and maintenance.

WISCONSIN:

Fincantieri Marine Group, LLC – Bay Shipbuilding of Sturgeon Bay, WI, will receive $1,200,000 to support the modernization of their graving dock pumps.

gCaptain

Museum features Detroit company’s 74-year history of ‘pail mail’

In a world where technology is growing by leaps and bounds, old-fashioned mail service continues to be a mainstay on the Detroit River not far from the west end of Lake Erie.

The J.W. Westcott Co. and its flagship vessel, the J.W. Westcott II, runs deliveries of mail, packages, supplies and crew to lake vessels passing through the narrow passage, allowing commerce to flow smoothly and keeping crews connected to the mainland. Jim Hogan, company president, is proud that the maritime firm has continued the service that his great-grandfather, John Ward Westcott, established in 1874.

While the company has built its reputation around deliveries by water and land, it’s the mail service for which it may be the most well-known. And it’s the way the mail is delivered that remains unchanged over the years: in a pail hauled up by a rope. The practice is known as “pail mail.” High-tech it’s not.

Since 1948 the company has held the government contract for postal services — originally with the U.S. Post Office Department and since 1971 with the renamed U.S. Postal Service — on the river. The J.W. Westcott II is the only nonmilitary ship to have its own ZIP code: 48222. “We are the longest-serving contractor in continuing service with the Postal Service,” Hogan said.

The company is among several featured in a temporary exhibit at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo through Aug. 14. The exhibit, “By the Pail: J.W. Westcott and Great Lakes Service Vessels,” offers a look at the many service vessels on the Great Lakes since the 19th century. The most well-known is the Westcott firm. The exhibit reviews how, beginning in 1895, at least three predecessors delivered mail on the Detroit River prior to Westcott. But none has served as long as the J.W. Westcott II, which has been on the job for more than 70 years.

The company commissioned Paasch Marine Service of Erie, Pennsylvania, to construct it in 1949. It is named in honor of the company’s founder. Hogan is the fourth generation of his family to run the company. It operates its ships from early April to late December, closing down each year just before Christmas.

Today, the Westcott II meets as many as 20 or so vessels a day. The 45-foot ship leaves the company dock along the river on a more or less perpendicular route toward a cargo vessel seeking its service, only to pull up and then travel parallel to it, matching its speed.

Large packages are hoisted via rope. Smaller items, like mail, are placed in a pail. Crew exchanges occur via a ladder. An exchange takes just a few minutes.

Since Hogan joined the firm in 1974 he has adapted the company’s services to meet changing needs. Deliveries today include those for online-ordered goods, groceries, parts and supplies and food from local restaurants for a change of pace for the crews.

He said the nature of the service business has changed, with fewer ships on the Great Lakes because of the prevalence of larger vessels including the mammoth 1,000 footers. But Hogan has managed to keep the business competitive and is preparing his son, Jimmy, vice president, to eventually become the fifth generation to oversee operations.

The exhibit is located in a room near the museum gift shop. It includes artifacts from service vessels, explanatory banners examining their history and even a small collection of collector-inspired covers developed by the Motor City Stamp and Cover Club bearing pictorial postmarks that mark the opening and closing of shipping seasons.

More information, including hours of operation and entrances fees, can be found online at nmgl.org.

The Chronicle

The Boblo boats still exist and a documentary about them is hitting theaters

DETROIT, MI – The roller coasters gave their last thrills and the historic ferries gave their last rides to and from the island amusement park nearly 30 years ago. A documentary is now set to hit theaters looking at the history of Boblo Island amusement park and the two oldest surviving passenger steamboats in the U.S.

“Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale,” will be in select Michigan theaters this September. The film is narrated from the perspective of the SS Columbia, one of the Boblo boats, and follows the efforts to save her sister ship, the S.S. Ste Claire. Motown legend, Martha Reeves, voices the Columbia in the movie.

“Boblo Island and the boats that took us there hold a special place in the hearts of many metro Detroiters, but this isn’t just a nostalgia exercise,” said the Freep Film Festival’s artistic director, Kathy Kieliszewski. “This film is about now and the people dedicated to preserving history and memories despite some extreme hurdles.”

The restoration team has completed rebuilding the first three decks which fire destroyed. The rest of the structure is expected to be completed by the end of this year. As for the SS Columbia, it’s currently owned by a New York-based nonprofit which is restoring the ferry into a traveling museum and event space in Buffalo. Read more on those restoration efforts here.

“Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale” opens in select Detroit area theaters on September 16 and will expand to more locations in the following weeks.

The film will also have an extended run at The Mariner theater in Marine City where it will be accompanied by a special Boblo museum exhibit for the entire month of September.

To view the trailer click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBNQruzxkNI

MLive

New Lock at the Soo Phase 1 construction nears completion

SAULT STE MARIE, MI – With only closeout items remaining the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District’s New Lock at the Soo substantially completes its first phase of construction.

“We are waiting on final survey results and anticipate they will show the deepened areas as complete, really only have some punch-list type items, groundskeeping and site cleanup remaining,” said project Supervisory Civil Engineer Rachel Miller.

Trade West Construction, Inc., of Nevada, a small business, began deepening the upstream channel May 4, 2020.

“The New Lock was first authorized in 1986. That’s 36 years ago,” said New Lock at the Soo Chief Mick Awbrey. “It went through a series of changes and reauthorizations, then the Corps of Engineers was able to begin construction in 2020. Reaching substantial completion of this first phase of construction is a monumental milestone!” Using a submergible excavator attachment called a hydraulic ripper, Trade West broke up bedrock approximately six feet thick over a three-quarter mile long stretch, primarily sandstone, from the north channel to a 30-foot depth. The channel depth is needed to accommodate the large Great Lakes freighters.

In all, around 300,000 cubic yards of material, including bedrock and overburden was removed using the ripper, stone grinders and excavator buckets. These operations were all done from barges. The material removed from the channel was placed onto the Northwest Pier’s west end to act as a windbreak for passing ships. The largest rock weighed 55 tons, about the same weight as an adult humpback whale.

Two major phases of the project remain for the New Lock. Phase 2, rehabilitating the upstream approach walls, began in 2021. Following the winter downtime, season two work began again this year in mid-April. This work stabilizes the existing approach walls to allow modern vessels to tie up and wait their turn to pass through the New Lock. The Phase 2 contractor is Kokosing- Alberici LLC, a joint venture of Kokosing Industrial of Ohio and Alberici Constructors of Missouri. They are on track for completion by summer 2024.

The Detroit District awarded Phase 3 on July 1. It is the largest and most complicated phase and involves constructing the new lock chamber and rehabilitating downstream approach walls.

Over 88% of commodity tonnage through the Soo Locks is restricted by vessel size to the Poe Lock. The new lock project will construct a second Poe-sized lock, 1,200 feet by 110 feet on the site of the existing decommissioned Davis and Sabin locks. “We’ll build coffer cells to block off and dewater the construction site,” said Miller. “Power needs to be rerouted through the facility, the Sabin Lock chamber demolished, a new 1,200 foot by 110-foot chamber constructed, the Davis Lock filled in, a new pump well installed and the downstream approach walls rehabilitated.”

The Soo Locks are situated on the St. Marys River at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and allow vessels to transit the 21-foot elevation change at the St. Marys Falls Canal. According to a 2015 Department of Homeland Security study on the impact of an unexpected Soo Locks closure, the Soo Locks are nationally critical infrastructure and the reliability of this critical node in the Great Lakes Navigation System is essential to U.S. manufacturing and National Security.

For more information about the New Soo Lock project, visit our website: https://www.lre.usace.army.mil/About/Highlighted-Projects/New_Soo_Lock/

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit

Northshore to stay idle until at least April of next year

Idled in the spring, Northshore Mining is going to stay down for longer.

That’s the update from Lourenco Goncalves, CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs, during Friday’s earnings call. He said it will remain idle until at least April of 2023. Goncalves said this is due to less need for pellets, as they are using more prime scrap. “The pellets at Northshore are not needed at this time.”

The mine is in Babbitt, the plant is in Silver Bay. Between the two, there are around 600 employees. About 170 remain on the payroll during the idle. Mayor Wade LeBlanc, from Silver Bay, said he felt really deflated when he heard the news. “Kind of hopeless. It’s not good news, for a small town, and it’s biggest employer. Especially with inflation.”

His counterpart in Babbitt, Mayor Andrea Zupancich, said the same thing. “With property taxes going up, fuel oil, groceries, it’s just a lot. The employees were worried about the idle going longer.” 

Unemployment has a limit of 26 weeks in Minnesota. But Rep. Rob Ecklund said he’s already working on language of a bill that would call for an extension. “We need to take care of these workers,” he told us. Rep. Dave Liselgard said, “With the current UI benefits set to expire for many workers in Novembe, an extension is another reason why it’s imperative for lawmakers to return to the capital for a special session. Today‘s development is heartbreaking.”

WDIO 

Great Lakes cruises bring passengers, revenue to Muskegon

MUSKEGON, MI – West Michigan welcomes tens of thousands of visitors from around the world every summer and many of them travel by cruise ship. Cruise the Great Lakes expects about 150,000 visitors into ports around the Midwest and Canada in 2022. There are 4 cruise lines serving Great Lakes ports, generating more than $120 million this season. One of those ports is Muskegon.

The Pearl Mist docked in Muskegon on a beautiful summer morning, bringing nearly 200 passengers into town for the day, including Darryl Steinert from Caseville. He says, “We decided to take this cruise for two reasons. One we had never seen Georgian Bay and two, even though we’ve lived on the Great Lakes virtually all of our lives, we had never seen the land from the water side.” This 11-day journey starts in Toronto and ends in Milwaukee – with stops in ports like Mackinac Island, Sault Ste Marie and of course, Muskegon.

Read the full story at this link: https://www.fox17online.com/news/morning-news/great-lakes-cruises-bring-passengers-revenue-to-muskegon?fbclid=IwAR28JB8yOyk9EqngwDgKxWRy37BneuxGHVAv4gwIL-Md2QW_6uRvCtHOs3o

Fox 17

Help Wanted – LMC

Lake Michigan Carferry is seeking QMED’s for placement in the engine department aboard the historic S.S. Badger.  Candidates must possess a Merchant Mariner Credential with QMED endorsement, a current Medical Certificate and a valid TWIC card.  QMED will expect to live aboard and stand a 4 hour watch, twice a day, 7 days a week for the remainder of the 2022 sailing season (as soon as possible to Oct 16th, 2022) QMED wage is $28.91p/hr with guaranteed 16 hours of overtime per week at $43.37 per hour.

Visit our web site at http://www.ssbadger.com > Join the Crew to fill out an online application or email lbialochowski@interlakems.com for more information.

U.S. grain, coke exports drive Great Lakes-Seaway shipping activity in June

U.S. grain and coke exports boosted overall shipping volumes through the St. Lawrence Seaway in June.

Total cargo tonnage shipments (from March 22 to June 30) via the St. Lawrence Seaway totaled 11.9 million metric tons, down 8.3% compared to 2021 but gaining ground in comparison to April, when it was down 18% at the start of the season. Other system-wide highlights include an increase in project cargo such as wind energy components and a 55% increase in coke shipments, including exports to Europe for cement production.

U.S. grain shipments via the Great Lakes-Seaway system totaled 414,000 metric tons from March 22 to June 30, up 37% compared to the same period in 2021. Much of the increase is due to exports of corn and soybeans. The rise in shipments, which are predominantly heading to Europe and North Africa, are in part due to shifting global grain trading patterns as the conflict between Russia and the Ukraine — both major grain exporters — continues.

“International trade has been a major driver of Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway shipping this season, with corn, soybeans, coke and containerized goods heading out and steel and wind energy components being shipped in,” Bruce Burrows, president and CEO, Chamber of Marine Commerce, said in a statement announcing the June numbers. “American businesses recognize that it is more important than ever to have this reliable, cost-efficient trade and transportation route, particularly in these high-inflation, uncertain times.”

June 2022 was a strong month for the Port of Toledo as shipments for the year surpassed 4.5 million short tons, up 22% over the same period in 2021. “We enjoyed increases in every cargo category other than liquid bulk,” said Joseph Cappel, VP of business development for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. “Our grain tonnage is more than double what it was at the same time last year and iron ore and coal are also up significantly. With all three of our major staple commodities ahead of last year, we should expect a strong second half of our shipping season.”

The port also shipped petcoke to other U.S. ports as well as Portugal, the Netherlands and Ontario. The Port of Toledo is also in peak construction season with capital improvement projects occurring at the Toledo Shipyard, general cargo facility, and dredge material processing center. The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority is also working with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources on several water quality improvement projects involving the creation of wetlands in the Maumee River and its tributaries.

At the Port of Duluth-Superior, limestone and general cargo shipments provided the June highlights. For the month, Duluth-Superior welcomed 433,143 short tons of the versatile chalky rock from Michigan, which pushed the season-to-date limestone total above 1 million short tons and 14.3% ahead of the five-season average. Limestone has numerous purposes, including being used as a building stone for construction and in the manufacturing of cement.

Inbound wind energy cargoes and bagged minerals delivered a general cargo boost in June, with nearly 13,000 short tons arriving at the Duluth Cargo Connect facilities. That float lifted the season-to-date general cargo tonnage total past 27,280 short tons, which exceeds the five-season average pace through June 30 by a robust 33%.

WorkBoat

Wind towers, manufactured in Monroe, are afloat at the Port of Monroe

MONROE, MI – During the 2022 shipping season, Port tenant Ventower Industries and DRM Terminal Services are working to develop and expand new renewable energy supply chain opportunities.

Currently, the Port and DRM are loading wind tower sections for outbound shipments on U.S. flagged barges. Made by Ventower, the wind towers will be transported by Michigan-based tug company Ashton Marine Corporation to the Port of Oswego in New York. The utility-scale wind turbines will then be staged with other components for delivery to a project site in upstate New York.

Made from tubular steel, the tower supports the structure of the turbine. Towers usually come in sections and are assembled on-site. Wind speed increases with height, therefore taller towers allow turbines to capture more energy and generate more electricity.

Scott Viciana, vice president in charge of sales and development at Ventowers, said the first shipment of wind towers left port on June 29. Each shipment weighs approximately 950 tons and there will be an estimated 90 sections shipped for the project before it is completed this summer.

Established in 1932, the Port of Monroe is Michigan’s only port on Lake Erie. The marine terminal provides access to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway and it serves 17 states.

Six years ago, the Port of Monroe was designated as part of the Marine Highway Route M-90 by the U.S. Maritime Administration.

“In a single project, we have Michigan manufactured renewable energy components, built right here at the Port of Monroe, being transported under the American flag on a designated Marine Highway Route,” said Capt. Paul C. LaMarre III, Port Director at the Port of Monroe in a written statement provided to The Monroe News. “The Port of Monroe is proud to be at the forefront of domestic cargo diversification which will ultimately benefit the system as a whole.”

Ventower Industries is the only active wind turbine tower manufacturer in the United States located at the Port. The relationship between the Port and Ventower has been critical in developing these new supply chains.

“We, along with Ventower and DRM, have carved out a niche for projects like this. Everybody is excited to be involved with this project and happy that it’s moving forward,” Port Development Coordinator Samuel Hankinson said. “We’re excited to be Point A in the cargo operation and to be able to contribute to the Great Lakes shipping industry and to the success of other ports because we’re all stronger together.”

Monroe News

Great Lakes shipping on the rise, study finds

In a presentation to the Great Lakes Economic Forum in Chicago, the Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA Ports) highlighted the increasing viability of short sea shipping to move goods between some of the Great Lakes region’s biggest cities.

Preliminary research conducted by Fluid Intelligence, a data analysis partnership of HOPA Ports and the McMaster Institute for Transportation and Logistics, is beginning to uncover candidate routes and commodities where short-sea shipping can supplement long-distance and cross-border truck routes.

Short sea shipping refers to city-to-city shipments using the Great Lakes as a marine-highway alternative to road-based transportation. The marine option has a number of advantages, including a significantly lower carbon footprint, along with the ability to bypass congested highways.

Replace truck trips

Fluid Intelligence’s preliminary results show that half a million tonnes of goods are currently making trips longer than 100 kilometres every week between key origins and destinations in Southern Ontario and the U.S. Midwest, representing approximately 2.5 million heavy truck trips per year. Short sea shipping could accommodate some of that traffic on a greener, less congested water route.

“Short sea shipping on the Great Lakes is one of those ideas that’s been simmering for a long time, but recently, the stars are starting to align,” explained Larissa Fenn, HOPA’s director of public affairs.

“Population growth and highway congestion, driver shortages and fuel costs are all part of the equation making marine a more appealing alternative to road transportation. And of course, organizations are looking to lessen the carbon footprint of their supply chain. Short sea shipping helps tackle all of those problems.”

CO2 reductions

One marine vessel can carry the same amount of cargo as 963 transport trucks, and in moving the same amount of cargo, trucks emit 558 percent more CO2  per tonne/km.

The forthcoming paper, Foundational Study on Cross-Border Short Sea Shipping Opportunities, will provide indications of the commodities that present the greatest opportunities.

Primary plastics, newsprint and other types of paper, metal products and tires are just a few of the commodities occupying tens of thousands of trucks on the region’s highways each week.

The Great Lakes Economic Forum presented an opportunity for HOPA Ports to engage Great Lakes leaders about the potentially expanding role for short sea shipping. “Our intention is to generate renewed interest and discussion about an idea whose time has come,” said Fenn.

The final Fluid Intelligence report is expected to be released this fall.

InsideLogistics

Governor Whitmer signs legislation growing Michigan’s maritime economy

LANSING, MI – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a legislation to expand Michigan’s commercial maritime ports, growing Michigan’s economy.

“In Michigan, our waters define us, and we every Michigander is committed to protecting lakes—Great and small—for future generations,” said Governor Whitmer. “Today, I am proud to sign bipartisan legislation to grow Michigan’s maritime infrastructure and economy. Getting this done will help us stay focused on growing Michigan’s economy, creating good-paying jobs, and lowering costs. I will work with anyone to protect Michigan’s waters and invest in every region of our great state.”

Maritime and Port Facility Assistance Grant Program Act

Together, Senate Bill 744 and House Bill 5291 establish the Maritime and Port Facility Assistance Grant Program Act, to award grants to owners of port facilities and expand Michigan’s commercial maritime ports, growing Michigan’s economy. The Maritime and Port Facility Assistance Office in the Michigan Department of Transportation will create the Port Facility Improvement Fund to implement and administer the program. Michigan’s ports are an underutilized asset that could contribute to the state’s growing economy if given more investment.

“Our bipartisan bills present a historic opportunity for Michigan to become more competitive with other states by investing in the maritime industry,” said Sen. Stephanie Chang, D – Detroit. “I serve much of the Detroit Riverfront and know that Michigan’s location near the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Seaway System is a competitive advantage we need to take care of. These bills signed into law by Governor will provide maritime improvement grants to allow ports to make necessary infrastructure upgrades, while also incentivizing port terminals to protect local communities, our water and our air.”

“It has taken nearly a decade of advocacy to reach this monumental accomplishment for the sustainability of Michigan’s Ports and commercial shipping industry,” said Paul LaMarre, Port Director – Port of Monroe. “Through Senator Chang’s leadership and advocacy of Senator Zorn and Representative O’Malley our legislature has shown that the Great Lakes shipping industry merits bipartisan support and is critical to our State’s economic prosperity.

“Governor Whitmer’s memorialization of this legislation is a testament to the many people of the “Great Lakes State” who have championed our cause and begun a new chapter in Michigan’s freshwater legacy,” continued Paul LaMarre, Port Director – Port of Monroe. “As the Chairman of the Governor’s Port Advisory Committee, it is my humble honor to express our sincerest thanks as a committee, port, and industry. I salute the Governor for all she has done to ensure that our State’s ports prosper and continue to serve as vital links to our regions broader transportation network.”

“This legislation is a game changer for Michigan ports and will allow the state to be more competitive in the shift toward greener modes of transporting goods and building a more resilient and innovative supply chain,” said Jonathan C. Kinloch, Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority Chairman. “Our thanks go out to Senators Chang and Schmidt and Representative O’Malley, and of course Governor Whitmer, for their leadership on behalf of marine transportation in Michigan.”

michigan.gov

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

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

Corps of Engineers promotes LeighAnn Ryckeghem to Operations Manager, Soo Project Office

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District hires LeighAnn Ryckeghem to the newly named Operations Manager position at the Soo Locks, effective July 1.

The Operations Manager, formerly known as the Area Engineer, is responsible for overseeing all Corps of Engineers operations and maintenance activities as well as stakeholder outreach from the Menominee River Watershed in Wisconsin, East across northern Lake Michigan and Huron to the St. Marys River, then West along Lake Superior to Munising, Michigan. The area of responsibility includes maintenance of 13 harbors and offshore channels, maintenance of approximately 70 miles of Federal Navigation Channel in the St. Marys River, and Operation and Maintenance of the Soo Project Office which includes Hydropower, a Class I Visitor Center and the Soo Locks.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District

Thunder Bay hosts 60th anniversary parade for Canadian Coast Guard Day

THUNDER BAY, ON – A parade and ceremony will took place in Thunder Bay in recognition of 60 years of Canadian Coast Guard service in Canada. The event celebrated the critical contribution and role of the Canadian Coast Guard in maintaining and policing the waterways of the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Seaway System since 1962.

Thunder Bay’s vibrant maritime industry has benefited from the Canadian Coast Guard’s services including icebreaking, aids to navigation, lighthouse keeping (historical – now automated), ship inspection, and saving of lives. The event honored and celebrated the Canadian Coast Guard’s unique tie to Thunder Bay’s history, community, growth, and prosperity.

Thunder Bay also acknowledged the 64th Birthday of CCGS Alexander Henry, one of only a few pre-1962 Coast Guard ships still in existence.

Lake Superior News

Lost shipwreck resurfaces in Lake Michigan nearly 200 years after sinking

SAUGATUCK, MI – A West Michigan couple believes they’ve located a once lost shipwreck in the shallow waters of Lake Michigan.

Kevin Ailes and his wife, Amy, share a passion for preserving shipwrecks. “My main focus is preservation,” Ailes said. “But in the process of preservation we come across a lot of information which is quite intriguing to go find something.”

In the last decade, Kevin Ailes has located 4 shipwrecks once considered lost across the Great Lakes. He now has another wreck to add to the list.

Ailes began researching the wreck of the Milwaukie, a ship that went down in a fierce winter storm near Saugatuck in November of 1842. It’s one of the earliest known shipwrecks along the West Michigan lakeshore.

Using historical accounts of where the ship went down, Ailes used archive satellite imagery on Google Earth to scan the area of interest. Water conditions, sun angle, and several other factors at the time satellite imagery is captured plays a big role.

An archive satellite image from March 2021 revealed just what Ailes was looking for, just a few hundred feet from the shoreline. “I just couldn’t believe when I saw it there,” Ailes said. “You can even see the bow pointing not straight at shore, but about a 45 degree angle at shore.”

With a new point of interest to investigate, the couple first visited the site by boat during Spring 2022. Using a magnetometer and sonar on board, they verified what had been seen on the satellite scans. “Every one to two feet the detector would register a hit, and that matches up with the spikes which hold a ship together,” Ailes said.

Underwater images reveal what lies against the innermost sandbar along the Saugatuck Dunes State Park shoreline when waves and sand cooperate. “Clearly a keel, a little bit of ribs there,” Ailes said. “It’s definitely a shipwreck.”

The dimensions match up to the Milwaukie’s 113 foot length, he added.

While not much remains of the nearly 200-year-old vessel, the story behind its final resting place is quite the tale.

Read the rest of the story at this link: https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/shipwreck-boat-sinks-lake-michigan-saugatuck-milwaukie-divers-exploration-ailes-kevin?fbclid=IwAR1qlXQD39SzFi47jLrtI-GBfc-FAB2E9ToeBbeMuCdxDdF12ACXt-jPsKw

Up North Live

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

View the image gallery to learn more about the event and how to purchase tickets

Port of Green Bay reports ‘blockbuster month’ for shipping

GREEN BAY, WI – The Port of Green Bay says June was an “outstanding” month for shipping.

Cargo shipments hit 328,734 tons last month, one of the highest monthly totals in recent years, the Port of Green Bay said in a statement Friday. By comparison, last month’s total was 179,058 tons. A year ago, June shipping reached 149,019 tons.

“After a relatively slow start to the 2022 shipping season, it was exciting to see the ship traffic that we had in June,” said Dean Haen, Port of Green Bay Director. “We know there are many ups and downs during the typical shipping season on the Great Lakes, but we certainly hope this is a sign of good things to come for the Port.”

Imports of foreign and domestic salt led the way in June, reaching nearly 150,000 tons. It was also a good month for limestone imports (53,355 tons), cement imports (48,702 tons), and coal imports (47,679 tons). When it comes to petroleum products, the Port saw 22,821 tons of imports, while 6,258 tons were exported.

Overall, a statement from the Port says tonnage is running 10% ahead of last year when final totals reached nearly 2 million tons. A total of 24 ships, including four Canadian ships and two foreign vessels, moved through the Port in June, bringing the 2022 total to 53.

June also saw the first cruise ship visit to the Port of Green Bay. The Ocean Navigator made overnight stops at Leicht Park on June 16 and June 30.

NBC 26

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

Corps of Engineers begin next phase of construction on new Soo lock

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District anticipates phase 3 of construction on the new Soo lock project will start this summer after the $1.068 billion contract was awarded earlier this month.

Kokosing Alberici Traylor, LLC, a joint venture headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, will begin constructing the largest phase, the new lock chamber and rehabilitation of the downstream approach walls. The recently announced contract allows the contractor to begin work.

With continued funding, the remaining work, valued at $803.95 million, may be awarded over the next three years. Corps of Engineers officials expect phase 3 construction to take seven years.

“The Corps of Engineers looks forward to beginning construction on the new lock chamber later this summer, and we continue to work hard to maintain the pace and continue to make progress toward New Lock at the Soo total project completion in summer 2030,” said New Lock at the Soo Project Manager Mollie Mahoney.

With phase 1 nearly complete and phase 2 scheduled for completion in summer 2024, officials said the third construction phase is a big milestone for the project. A major cost increase led to a five-month contract award delay while the Corps of Engineers developed necessary reports to deliver a new cost estimate for reauthorization to Congress. They said the root causes for the cost increase are changing market conditions, inflation, a nationwide labor shortage, design modifications and early estimate assumptions.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Great Lakes iron ore trade down 32.6 percent in June

CLEVELAND, OH – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 3.9 million tons in June, a decrease of 32.6 percent from 2021. Shipments were 29.5 percent below the month’s 5-year average.

Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 13.8 million tons, 33.5 percent below the previous year’s total of 20.7 million tons.  Iron shipments are below their 5-year average by 30.9 percent for the first half of the year.

Lake Carriers’ Association 

Corps of Engineers awards contract to dredge Duluth-Superior Harbor

DETROIT, MI – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, awarded a contract for dredging at Duluth-Superior Harbor in western Lake Superior on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, to begin early August.

The $2.72 million contract is awarded to Roen Salvage Co., from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The contract is to mechanically dredge about 76,000 cubic yards of material from the harbor. The dredged material will be placed at Erie Pier Confined Disposal Facility (CDF) and the 40th Avenue West Placement Area. Dredging will begin in early August and will be complete by November 1, with Erie Pier site work complete by March 2023.

“Maintenance dredging executed under this contract will allow ships to safely navigate in the Duluth-Superior Harbor and approximately half of the material will be beneficially used for habitat restoration at the 40th Avenue placement site,” said Project Manager Stephen Rumple.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District

Obituary: Max Hanley

Max Hanley, age 65, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, passed away on June 30th, 2022.

Max was born in Ludington, Michigan, to Lyle and Chieko Hanley on May 1, 1957. He attended school at Ludington High School and Baker College in Muskegon, Michigan. On October 12th 1991, Max married JoLynn Dale Hanley in Ludington.

After 25 years of working at Great Lakes Castings Corporation, he took early retirement and landed his dream job at Lake Michigan Carferry where he was able to work in information technology and use his talent and unique eye to photograph and sail on the ships that he was crazy about. Additionally, he dived into the C&O Carferries and the Pere Marquette Railroad archives, fulfilling the great desires of his historian’s heart.

Read more or leave condolences and memories at https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/max-hanley-obituary?id=35719779&fbclid=IwAR1PZsS0Lmm8HVG_i_yrVR7_HiksSfeYr1bHgAlp63q9tCtDdvWf3Zk5EiM