Canada’s Groupe Desgagnés fleet recently added another vessel, the BBC St. Petersburg (IMO 9736200), which will soon be renamed Johanne A. Desgagnés. It is currently in Quebec City. The vessel was built in 2020 and is 482’ long.

OSWEGO, NY – On Saturday, June 6, 2026, the H. Lee White Maritime Museum and New York Sea Grant will host the Lake Ontario Waterfront Festival. The event will take place from Noon to 4 p.m. in the Historic

Maritime District of Oswego, NY. The festival will feature a variety of family-friendly activities related to local maritime history and recreation, the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary, environmental protection and research, seafaring singing and dancing, and local tourism.

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, there will be a special children’s educational activity focused on the Maritime Museum’s World War II tug, the LT-5.

Fred Legawiec built his first ham radio and passed the Novice Class ham operator’s license test at age 8. Ever since that day, and now as an extra class operator, Legowiec has been talking to locations across the U.S. and around the world, including to operators aboard historic battleships, aircraft carriers, and submarines.

As part of the festival, Legawiec will be talking to historic ships from aboard Derrick Boat No. 8 alongside the National Historic Landmark LT-5 tugboat used in the 1944 D-Day landing of Allied forces at Normandy during World War II. Legawiec’s station during the festival will have information on the storied career of the LT-5.

The June 6 festival date coincides with the Museum Ship Weekend Event organized by the Battleship New Jersey Amateur Radio Station. The event places amateur ham radio operators aboard museum ships worldwide with a special call sign to speak to one another. “Hams” interested to participate at Oswego are welcome to set up along the 1 West First Street Pier to operate from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more details, contact Legawiec at W2LGA@yahoo.com.

More than eighty museum ships from around the world have already registered for the 2026 weekend include historic U.S. naval and seagoing ships, including the U.S.S. The Sullivans in Buffalo, New York; submarines; lightships; icebreakers; a fishing schooner; the RMS Queen Mary oceanliner; and other vessels notable in American and international history. The participant list is updated regularly at nj2bb.org/museum/index.html.

One of Legawiec’s favorite memories is connecting a U.S. Navy veteran with “his ship,” the U.S.S. Wisconsin Iowa class battleship, on the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Oswego. Legawiec also provides radio support to many area events, including the Syracuse St. Patrick’s Day parade, and during weather and civil emergencies.

The family-friendly Lake Ontario Waterfront Festival in 2026 will highlight New York’s maritime history; the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary; water recreation opportunities and safe boating practices for people and pets; New York Sea Grant research, education, and extension programs; aquatic science; and water conservation. The festival hours are 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission to the festival in Oswego’s Historic Maritime District is free.

Workers at Bay Shipbuilding Co., Sturgeon Bay, WI, were busy Tuesday hoisting the Edgar B. Speer’s new engines on to the ship. She is being repowered by two MAK 2 MAN 6L48/60CR diesels which will deliver 19,310 bhp. More photos in the gallery (click on the headline above to access images).

Rosann Hollinger

GREEN BAY, WI – It’s projected to be another week before cargo ships can safely navigate the Fox River, meaning it will be almost one month for the Port of Green Bay being closed, costing area businesses millions of dollars.

The tanker Algotitan, from Sarnia, ON, is anchored north of the channel entrance, with the Edenborg and the Erieborg. Eeborg is in the St. Clair River on its way to join them. The latter three are loaded with Finnish wood pulp. Tug/tank barge Albert/Margaret waited for a while last month but then diverted to Milwaukee as did the Amrize cement boats. They are currently on a trip to Montreal until Green Bay can reopen.

The Port of Green Bay brings in an estimated $217 million to the area economy each year. The activity has been on pause since April 18th and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says May 15th is the earliest it could resume.

“Right now in real time we’re seeing some of the challenges when you have the port not operating as effectively as you’d like,” said Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach.

Winter Storm Elsa in March and last month’s record rainfall are being blamed for high water levels and flow velocity on the Fox River. The conditions have left cargo ships without great options, like the Erieborg of the Netherlands. It’s been anchored in the bay for more than two weeks, waiting for the water to ease

“So there’s a variety of options – they’re all costly,” said Dean Haen, Port of Green Bay Director. “One is to sit and wait. Two is to just not do business in Northeastern Wisconsin or three is to use a different port and either use trucks or trains to get that product into the region.”

Haen estimates 12 to 15 vessel deliveries have been affected, costing port businesses between $15 to $20 million. “The trickle-down effect, I wouldn’t be able to put numbers on that,” said Haen. “But should for instance manufacturing facilities might have raw materials and have to stop production, that number is going to grow significantly.”

Haen says options were considered to at least temporarily ease conditions so ships could safely get in. That included adjusting dams that were opened to alleviate Lake Winnebago water levels. Ultimately, it was decided to just wait it out.

“In the end, none of that proved to be fruitful enough,” said Haen. “The best solution and the solution agreed upon by the port operators was just to keep the gates open and let’s get through it.”

WLUK Fox 11

DUNKIRK, NY – Each summer in the eastern basin of Lake Erie, a quiet but essential piece of technology is deployed about six miles offshore from Dunkirk Harbor. Known as BSU1, the Dunkirk Buoy, this Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) station sits anchored in 90 feet of water, delivering a steady stream of real-time data that anglers, boaters, scientists, and water managers rely on every day.

This year, its future and the future of similar systems across the country is uncertain. The Dunkirk buoy is more than just a floating instrument. Installed, monitored, removed, and maintained annually by the Great Lakes Center at Buffalo State University, it provides critical information including water temperature, water quality, air temperature, wind speed and direction, wave height, and wave patterns. These data are made freely available to the public through the GLOS data portal offering anyone a real-time window into Lake Erie’s conditions.

Operational support comes through grants via GLOS, with on-the-water assistance from the NYSDEC Lake Erie Fisheries Research Unit aboard the vessel Argo. Together, these teams ensure that the buoy remains a reliable source of information throughout the boating season.

For many here in Western New York, the value of this system is personal. Local anglers depend on the buoy to make informed decisions before heading out. It can mean the difference between a successful day on the water and a dangerous one. Charter captains, like those operating out of Dunkirk Harbor, routinely check buoy data to track wind shifts, wave conditions, and temperature breaks that influence fish behavior.

Beyond recreation, the buoy serves a much broader purpose. GLOS is part of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), a nationwide network that underpins safe navigation, supports commercial shipping, informs coastal resilience efforts, and aids water treatment facilities in monitoring lake health. The data collected help identify trends such as harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, and changing water levels–issues that directly impact ecosystems, economies, and public health.

Now, that entire system is at risk. The President’s proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget includes the elimination of IOOS Regional Observations — the backbone of systems like GLOS. If enacted, the cuts would significantly disrupt data collection efforts across the Great Lakes, including the Dunkirk buoy. The consequences could be immediate and far-reaching. Without real-time observations, boaters and anglers would lose a critical safety tool. Shipping operations would face increased uncertainty. Water treatment managers would have fewer resources to track and respond to changes in lake conditions. Tourism and coastal economies could also feel the impact. In short, losing IOOS funding would mean losing the data that help keep Lake Erie safe, productive, and understood.

There is precedent for action. Just last year, a similar proposal to defund IOOS was rejected by Congress on a bipartisan basis. In fact, lawmakers ultimately increased funding for IOOS Regional Observations in the final appropriations bill. That outcome was driven in part by public outreach–letters and advocacy from stakeholders who understood the system’s importance. We need to once again ask concerned citizens to speak up.

Those who rely on Lake Erie–whether for recreation, business, or research–are encouraged to contact their Congressional representatives and voice support for continued IOOS funding. More information, including how to take action, can be found here.

The Dunkirk buoy may be just one station in a vast network, but its impact is felt across an entire region. As budget decisions loom, its fate serves as a reminder that even the smallest signals can carry enormous weight, especially when they help keep a Great Lake safe and thriving.

The Observer – Dunkirk, NY
Check out the data from the Dunkirk Buoy here.

HAMILTON, ON – The medium icebreaker CCGS Vincent Massey arrived at Ontario Shipyards May 6 for her first major planned maintenance period since her delivery to the Canadian Coast Guard by Davie Shipbuilding in October 2022. While the full scope of a dry dock includes standard hull inspections and painting, the Massey’s current stay also involves mission equipment upgrades and standardizing systems to match Coast Guard operational requirements. Work will also involve preparing the vessel for summer buoy-tending duties and any needed repairs after intensive icebreaking operations in Thunder Bay, Midland and the St. Marys River earlier this year. The Massey is in one of three large floating, semi-submersible dry docks that allow the vessel to sail in, then be pumped dry to raise the ship for maintenance.

Janey Anderson – Ship Junkies

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – The 2026 cruise ship season is officially underway in Sault Ste. Marie. The Victory I recently spent several hours at the Carbide Dock with guests visiting downtown shops and attractions.

“This season, there are a total of 65 cruise ships between the Valley Camp and Carbide docks, with each ship ranging from 100-300 guests. Passengers are from all over the world, with a strong representation from the US southwest, Arizona, California, Texas, among others,” said Kyler Reattoir, harbor master.

Linda Hoath, executive director of the Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau, is excited about the number of cruise ships and guests that will make the Soo a destination.

“The newly rebuilt Carbide Dock is expected to significantly strengthen the economic impact of cruise tourism in Sault Ste. Marie is increasing the city’s ability to welcome more cruise ships and visitors. As additional ships choose to dock in the community, local businesses such as restaurants, shops, attractions, transportation providers, and hospitality services will benefit from increased visitor spending and longer visitor engagement. The enhanced dock also positions the city as a more attractive Great Lakes cruise destination, helping to expand tourism opportunities, support local jobs, and encourage continued investment in the downtown waterfront and surrounding community,” Hoath said.

The final cruise ship of the season, also the Victory I, is slated for Oct. 22. Reattoir said he expects to have three freighters unloading road salt in the fall at the Carbide Dock.

Soo Leader

TOLEDO, OH –  The National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL), in partnership with the Lake Erie West Regional Council (formerly TMACOG), announces the opening of a new micro exhibit, Lake Erie Starts Here: Northwest Ohio, on view May 1 through June 28, 2026. The exhibit is included with regular museum admission.

This collaborative exhibit highlights the connection between everyday actions in Northwest Ohio and the health of Lake Erie. Focusing on stormwater runoff, Lake Erie Starts Here illustrates how rainwater travels from neighborhoods into local streams and rivers before ultimately reaching Lake Erie – often carrying pollutants along the way.

Through accessible messaging and practical examples, visitors will learn how small changes such as proper fertilizer use, picking up pet waste, maintaining septic systems, reducing road salt, planting native vegetation, and keeping trash out of waterways can collectively make a significant impact on water quality.

“We are proud to partner with the Lake Erie West Regional Council to bring this important message to our visitors,” said Carrie Sowden, Director of Archaeology and Research at the National Museum of the Great Lakes. “Lake Erie Starts Here reinforces that the health of the Great Lakes is directly tied to the choices we make every day. This exhibit gives visitors clear, actionable ways to be part of the solution.”

Lake Erie Starts Here: Northwest Ohio offers a focused, timely look at environmental stewardship and complements the museum’s efforts to explore the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes story. It’s also the perfect pair to the museum’s current temporary exhibit, Currents of Change: The Living History of the Great Lakes, which explores the relationship between humans and nature in the region across centuries.

Find more information here.
National Museum of the Great Lakes

CLEVELAND – Iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes totaled 3.9 million tons in April, an increase of 5.3 percent compared to 2025.  Shipments were 9.4 percent below the month’s 5-year average. Year-to-date, the iron ore trade stands at 6.8 million tons, an increase of less than one percent compared to a year ago. Through April, iron ore shipments are 13.5 percent below their 5-year average for four months of the year.

Meanwhile, limestone shipments from U.S. ports decreased 27.5 percent compared to April 2025 to 1.1 million net tons.  Loadings were also below the month’s 5-year average by 35.4 percent. Year-to-date, the U.S. limestone trade stands at 1.2 million tons, a decrease of 26.6 percent from last year and 31.9 percent below the 5-year average.

As of April 2026, Canadian ports are no longer supplying information regarding limestone shipments.

Lake Carriers’ Association