Oshima Shipbuilding in Japan has received an order for four Handy-size bulk carriers for Fednav due for delivery in 2029. The 35,000 dwt bulk carriers will be capable of trading into the Great Lakes. They will be sisterships to the ones built 2-3 years ago such as Federal New York. They will also be sisterships to Federal Phoenix, currently heading for the St. Lawrence River on its maiden trip.

Marine News – Journal of the World Ship Society, April 2026 (Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp)

Federal New York, tug New York in 2025. [Sam Hankinson]

The bulk carrier Kaministiqua, recently aquired by the Algoma Central Corp., left lay up at Point Edward, ON, early afternoon Friday and headed downbound for Windsor. AIS shows she went to Sterling Fuels. This is her first trip since being bought by Algoma and the first one with the Algoma bear on her stack. Saturday she was back upbound on the St. Clair River and, after anchoring for several hours above Algonac for unknown reasons, went to Sarnia briefly and then departed upbound for Thunder Bay.

Also at Sarnia, the Robert S. Pierson’s stack has a scaffolding around it and the lower third has been painted black in preparation for getting Algoma colors. It did not appear there was any work being done on the Saginaw.

Kaministiqua downbound on Friday. [Roger LeLievre]

Kaministiqua’s new stack logo and house flag. [Roger LeLievre]

Robert S. Pierson’s stack being readied for its new logo. [Roger LeLievre]

Stewart J. Cort up at Mission Point on Wednesday. [Cody Ames]

UPDATE, NOON APRIL 9: Cutters Neah Bay and Judy LaMarsh are working to get the upbound James R. Barker through the ice-clogged turns in the East Neebish Channel. There are eight vessels upbound that will not be able to move until the Barker makes it through, some of which have been stopped above DeTour for three or more days. Mark W. Barker, headed for Superior, will be the next to check in, arriving later today. Downbound traffic has been moving, although ice is still a problem below the Rock Cut, especially at the Moon Island turn. Algoma Sault will be next to make the passage.

Listen to Boatnerd’s live Soo scanner here: https://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/40798

ORIGINAL REPORT: Stewart J. Cort finally made her way through the ice in the late Wednesday afternoon and locked through in the evening. James R. Barker stopped for the night at the lower end of Neebish Island.  Downbound Mesabi Miner made it through the Rock Cuit and ice below and was headed out of the system. CSL Laurentian and Algoma Sault are stopped in the Nine Mile Anchorage. There are now six upbound vessels stopped in the Pot Bay anchorage above DeTour. Most traffic has stopped for the night, although Presque Isle was coming downbound above the locks.

Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin assisted by USCG Spar recently. [USCG]

Visitors at Engineers Day 2025.

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District in conjunction with the City of Sault Ste. Marie, the Sault Ste. Marie Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Lake Superior State University Center for Freshwater Research and Education, Hospice of the Eastern Upper Peninsula, and Superior Health Systems are hosting open house events for the 2026 Soo Locks Engineers Day on June 26.

“Visitors will not be able to cross the locks this year due to increased construction activity and evolving security protocols,” said LeighAnn Ryckeghem, Soo Project Office Operations Manager. “There will be a variety of unique exhibits in the park for visitors to learn about the Soo Locks as well as several stakeholder and partner missions.”

This year, visitors are welcome into Soo Locks Canal Park from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Friday, June 26 for Engineers Day activities and new Corps of Engineers vessel dedications. Following the Engineers Day events, the viewing platform will remain open until 10 p.m., and the Soo Locks Visitor Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“The first Soo Locks Engineers Day took place on June 16, 1975,” said Soo Locks Archivist Natalie Humphrey. “Then mayor of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Frank Pingatore, declared the day as Army Corps of Engineers Day and urged all good people of the community to give recognition to the people who comprise the Corps of Engineers. Since 1975, the Soo Locks have hosted Engineers Day, except for 2020, welcoming all visitors to share in the Soo Locks history and mission.”

We are continuing the requirement for all bags coming into the Soo Locks Park to be clear. Clear bags will allow park security to quickly inspect bags and assist with making this a fun and safe event for everyone.

For our visitors bringing bags, the Engineers Day policy for the Soo Locks follows:

• Clear bags cannot be larger than 12 inches long, 6 inches deep and 12 inches wide.
• Diaper bags are not allowed.
• Medical bags are exempt.
• Wallets must not have a strap and cannot exceed 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches.

All people entering the Soo Locks are subject to a security search. Firearms, weapons – including knives of any size, drugs, pets (except service animals), skateboards and bicycles are not permitted.

We will be continuing one-way entry into the park through the main gate for security screening.

The Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau are closing a portion of Portage Avenue to focus on downtown city merchants and vendors. Downtown Portage Avenue will close to vehicle traffic and open for pedestrians and vendors between Ferris Street and Osborn Boulevard from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., June 26.

“The Soo Locks have long been a cornerstone of our community’s history,” said Linda Hoath, executive director of the Sault Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Engineers Day gives us the opportunity to honor both their legacy and the innovation behind them. In recent years, we’ve worked to expand Engineers Day into a celebration that engages the entire downtown. We’re excited to welcome both residents and visitors to join us downtown for this special event.”

Along with welcoming visitors to the Soo Locks Park, several other events will take place:

• Hospice of the Eastern Upper Peninsula and Superior Health Systems Arts, Crafts and Family Fun Fair at the City Hall grounds from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Lake Superior State University Center for Freshwater Research and Education will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

UPDATE 7 P.M. WEDNESDAY: Stewart J. Cort finally made her way through the ice in the late afternoon and has arrived at the locks. James R. Barker is below the Mud Lake junction buoy heading into the upbound channel with two USCG cutters ahead of her. She may stop in the channel for the night. Downbound Mesabi Miner is having difficulty below the Rock Cut at Moon Island. CSL Laurentian and Algoma Sault are stopped in the Nine Mile Anchorage. There are now six upbound vessels stopped in the Pot Bay anchorage above DeTour.

Listen to Boatnerd’s live Soo scanner here: https://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/40798

UPDATE 1:45 P.M.. WEDNESDAY: Thanks to dedicated efforts by U.S. Coast Guard cutters, the Stewart J. Cort is finally through the ice behind Neebish Island, however she still having difficulties in the channel north of the island. Interlake Steamship fleetmate Mesabi Miner is downbound out of the locks and plans to continue at least as far as Mud Lake.

UPDATE 11 A.M. WEDNESDAY: Although some progress was made Wednesday morning, the Cort is again beset. USCG Neah Bay and Biscayne Bay are on the scene working with the Cort. All upbound traffic is still at a standstill. Meanwhile, gale warnings have been issued for eastern Lake Superior though Thursday morning, which is bound to make a difficult situation worse. On the downbound side, Mesabi Miner was at the locks getting ready to pass through followed by CSL Laurentien.

ORIGINAL REPORT: ST. MARYS RIVER – Ice problems in the vicinity of the Stribling Point turn in the upbound channel behind Neebish Island proved too much for the Stewart J. Cort for the second day in a row. Despite icebreaker assistance, she was unable to make the turn and, as of 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, reported she was hove to in the ice until morning with the nearby USCG Mobile Bay echoing the same status. Until the Cort gets going, all upbound traffic is at a standstill. That includes James R. Barker, Algoma Guardian, Wilfred Sykes, the saltwater vessel Belzitza (bound for the Soo, ON, Export Dock) and tug Victory/barge Maumee, which are all stopped above DeTour. Downbound traffic was moving on Tuesday, with the Edwin H. Gott and CSL St. Laurent in the lower river as night fell, with the Paul R. Tregurtha in the locks and Rt. Hon, Paul J. Martin coming down behind her. Five vessels were stopped in the upper river Tuesday night and may not move until morning.  One vessel did pass upbound on Tuesday. The new U.S. Army Corps of Enginners tug R.J. Pearce was allowed to proceed up the downbound channel. The Neebish Island ferry is still out of service due to the ice.

New Corps tug R.J. Pearce headed up the downbound channel Tuesday at Barbeau, MI. [Neebish Island Leaflet]

Paul R. Tregurtha above the Poe Lock on Tuesday. [Cody Ames]

Ocean7 Ranger was Duluth’s first saltie of the season. [David Schauer]

Along with earning First Ship honors, the Liberian-flagged heavy-lift vessel also distinguished itself by delivering an especially sizable shipment of project cargo to Duluth’s Clure Public Marine Terminal. The manifest includes 33 pieces, the heaviest weighing approximately 130 short tons. Duluth Cargo Connect will perform ship-to-shore cargo-handling and logistics operations for the vessel, preparing the cargo for overland transport to Alberta, Canada.

The Dutch-built Ocean7 Ranger loaded and sailed from both China and Korea, navigating the Pacific Ocean, the Panama Canal and the Atlantic Ocean before entering the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System. Her visit to the Great Lakes included a recent stop at Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor, where the vessel delivered a dewatering drum for U.S. Steel Gary Works.

This year’s 43rd annual First Ship Contest winner is Sheri Dauplaise of Cloquet, MN, whose entry of April 8 at 7:15 a.m. was the closest guess to the vessel’s actual arrival time. The contest, co-sponsored by Visit Duluth and the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, invites participants to predict the exact arrival date and time of the season’s first oceangoing vessel, with a prize package of Duluth goods and experiences awaiting the winning entry.

Historical Notes: The latest arrival of the port’s first oceangoing ship was May 7, 2014 (Diana). The earliest was March 28, 2023 (Federal Dart). Last year, the season’s first saltie arrived April 21 at 6:05 a.m. (Federal Nagara).

Vessel locations can be tracked in real time at www.MarineTraffic.com and www.HarborLookout.com. Live video of the Duluth Ship Canal is available at www.DuluthHarborCam.com.

Here’s a video of the arrival: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8P4kq-w0R4&t=2s

defaultOcean7 Ranger arrived Wednesday morning with cargo for the port terminal. [David Schauer]

MANITOWOC, WI – Fans of the S.S. Badger can kick off its new season with a screening of a new film about the beloved Lake Michigan car ferry: “Railroad on the Water: The Legend of the SS Badger.” The film tells the story of the S.S. Badger — the last coal-fired steamship in operation in the United States — and explores the boat’s place in the history of railroads. The Manitowoc film premiere is set for 3 p.m. May 17 at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Manitowoc Campus Theater, 705 Viebahn St. That’s two days after the Badger’s season begins on May 15. The screening is timed to begin with the Badger’s daily schedule, giving attendees a chance to see the vessel in action. The Badger is scheduled to arrive in Manitowoc at noon May 17 and leave port at 2 p.m., giving visitors time to witness both before and after the film’s showing.

According to a news release, “Railroad on Water” gives a comprehensive look at the S.S. Badger while placing Manitowoc into the broader story of Great Lakes transportation. For decades, Manitowoc served as the western leg of a vital cross-lake rail and passenger network connecting Wisconsin industries to markets across the Midwest. The film traces car ferry operations from their 1890s origins through their early 20th-century peak and eventual decline, ending with the close of cross-lake rail service in 1990. The ferries, first operated by the Pere Marquette Railway and late the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, allowed railroads to bypass Chicago’s congested yards.

Sailing since 1953, the S.S. Badger was the largest railroad car ferry ever built, capable of carrying up to 34 railcars as part of a seven-boat fleet that crossed Lake Michigan thousands of times each year. The film features rare archival footage, along with interviews with historians, former crew members and maritime experts — bringing both technical achievement and human stories to life.

“This film has been a labor of love over the past three years,” said director and producer Drayton Blackgrove in the news release. “I’m excited to share this story with Manitowoc, a community that has played such an important role in the ship’s history.”

Badger at Kewaunee, WI, in 1989. [Wendell WIlkie]

Herald Times Reporter
https://www.htrnews.com/story/life/events/2026/04/03/ss-badger-documentary-railroad-on-the-water-premiere-manitowoc/89440562007/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRB4jtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe1V95zg1ii89Xd2s1dtLm6T4Jar9nO-uOZ-ZgCKPAKEsNdihN2rUHzxKyEKc_aem_Bi8SsA6L1dHyhn5nV1FOzQ

MILWAUKEE, WI – Soybean farmer leaders were in Milwaukee on March 31st in order to present a ceremonial check in the amount of $200,000 for the Phase II expansion of the Agriculture Maritime Export Facility at Port Milwaukee. The facility, owned and operated by The DeLong Company, the largest U.S. exporter of containerized agricultural products, originally became operational in 2023. The Phase II expansion, which will enhance the capacity to export U.S. soybeans and soybean meal, was completed on April 2, 2026.

In addition to officials from the Soy Transportation Coalition and The DeLong Company, ceremony attendees included representatives from Port Milwaukee, the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, the U.S. Maritime Administration, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

By investing in this project, soybean farmer leaders are addressing several major priorities of the soybean industry:

Increasing soybean meal export capacity: One of the significant developments in the U.S. soybean industry continues to be the investment in processing facilities in order to produce more soybean oil for renewable fuels. The additional production of soybean oil will result in an additional production of soybean meal. While much of this additional soybean meal will be consumed by the domestic livestock industry, it is increasingly essential to invest in additional export capacity to connect with international markets. The Phase II expansion will significantly enhance the capacity for exporting U.S. soybean meal and soybeans to global customers.

Increasing resilience of the supply chain: One of the axioms related to the supply chain is to avoid “putting all your eggs in one basket.”

While the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway is not a dominant launching point for soybeans and soybean meal onto the international marketplace, it can and should play a more prominent role, says the Soy Transportation Coalition. The more the U.S. soybean industry can diversify its supply chain – including by investing in Great Lakes infrastructure – the better positioned soybean farmers will be to remain profitable in an often unpredictable and uncertain future.

Diversifying international markets: Given the significant challenges confronting soybean exports due to the curtailment of the Chinese market, it is imperative to pursue “base hit” marketing opportunities for soybean meal and soybeans. The identified markets for the Agriculture Maritime Export Facility at Port Milwaukee via the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway are primarily Europe, North Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. In addition, the facility also affords the opportunity to load barges twelve months of the year and ultimately connect via the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers to Gulf export terminals.

Phase I of the Agriculture Maritime Export Facility was opened on July 18th, 2023, and primarily has been used to export DDGs to international markets via the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway. Soybeans and soybean meal have also been exported from the facility. This facility is capable of loading vessels between 8,000 – 22,000 metric tons.

Phase II of the project is resulting in the construction of two grain storage silos, electrical service upgrades, and additional handling equipment, which will significantly enhance the capacity to export additional soybean meal and soybeans. The Phase II project expansion was the recipient of a $9.3 million grant through the U.S. Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). According to the U.S. Maritime Administration, PIDP grants are awarded on a competitive basis to projects that improve the safety, efficiency, or reliability of the movement of goods into, out of, around, or within a port.

“In order for U.S. soybean farmers to be successful in the international marketplace, we not only require abundant supply and robust demand. We also require a transportation infrastructure that can connect what soybean farmers grow with our customers throughout the world,” said Raylen Phelon, a farmer from Melvern, Kansas, and chairman of the Soy Transportation Coalition and commissioner on the Kansas Soybean Commission during the presentation ceremony. “Ihe DeLong Company’s Agriculture Maritime Export Facility at Port Milwaukee is excellent example of an investment that will help farmers remain competitive. It is for this reason that farmer leaders from the Soy Transportation Coalition and the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board decided to invest $200,000 to help underwrite some of the pre-engineering, design, and research costs associated with this important project. We would like to express our appreciation to The DeLong Company, Port Milwaukee, the U.S. Maritime Administration, the State of Wisconsin, and the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation for investing in and supporting the supply chain that allows farmers like me to be successful.”

Andy Bensend, a soybean farmer from Dallas, Wisconsin, and director on the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, the Soy Transportation Coalition, and the United Soybean Board, explained during the ceremony, “Investments like The DeLong Company’s Agriculture Maritime Export Facility at Port Milwaukee allow farmers in Wisconsin and throughout the region to benefit from waterborne transportation, which is the most economical and environmentally sustainable mode. The Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board and the Soy Transportation Coalition are proud to join in on this important expansion.”

“We sincerely appreciate the support from U.S. soybean farmers on this important project,” said Brandon Bickham, vice president of exports for The DeLong Company. “We need to continue to promote ways to diversify our supply chain to connect with international customers. The Agriculture Maritime Export Facility helps achieve this. We look forward to continuing to work the Soy Transportation Coalition, the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, and the broader soybean farmer community in making the U.S. soybean industry to most competitive in the global marketplace.”

Marine Log

In March, rainfall across the Great Lakes Basin was 65% above average. The wet weather across all basins resulted in above-average water supplies for all the Great Lakes. Lakes Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario rose 3 to 7 inches from February to March. Lake Superior remained near its February level through March. All lakes are now within their periods of seasonal rise and are expected to remain rising through mid- to late- summer, depending on the lake.All lakes were below their long-term average monthly mean water levels for March, except Lake Ontario, which matched its long-term average.

Check out the most recent 6-month forecast of the Great Lakes water levels here: https://water.usace.army.mil/office/lre/forecast/mboglwl