Alpena Steams Into Her 84th Season

CLEVELAND, OH – The steamer Alpena departed Cleveland for her namesake port on Thursday to load cement, thus beginning her 84th season of sailing. She arrived at Detroit in thge evening and will lay there for weather. The vessel, a favorite of boatwatchers, was built by Great Lakes Engineering Works, Rouge River, MI, and was launched Feb. 28, 1942 as the Leon Fraser for the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. She and many other smaller ships became surplus tonnage after the advent of the 1,000-footers and so was laid up at Lorain, OH, in 1982. Shortened 120 feet in 1990 by Fraser Shipyards, she reentered service in shortly thereafter as the self-unloading cement carrier Alpena for Inland Lakes Transportation, Inc. (Lafarge), Alpena, MI (now Inland Lakes Management, managed by Andie Inc. ( a subsidiary of Mainstay Maritime).

 National Museum of the Great Lakes
Offers Spring Lecture Series

TOLEDO, OH – The National Museum of the Great Lakes has announced its spring programming. Coming up soon is the Spring Lecture Series, featuring three engaging speakers; the Lil’ Scupper’s Kids Club, featuring new community partnerships; and a special Sensory Friendly Weekend in partnership with Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

Check out the press releases in the gallery below for all the details.

The 2025-2026 winter layup list, now being updated as vessels resume operations for the new shipping season, can be found at  https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026

The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at  https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026

Cruise ship terminal in the works for the heart of Toronto’s waterfront

     Toronto, ON – A new marine terminal could soon welcome cruise ships and other large vessels at the foot of Toronto’s longest street.
    The Toronto Port Authority (formerly Ports Toronto) is pursuing plans to construct a new “multi-use marine terminal” at the south end of Yonge St., potentially bringing a major new influx of tourism to the city’s bustling central waterfront.
   The Port Authority issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on March 5, seeking bids from firms or consortia “with the necessary experience, qualifications, and resources to deliver a comprehensive business plan for the development of a new multi-use Marine Terminal at the Yonge Street Slip.”
   The RFP seeks submissions with a deadline of April 2 for a new marine terminal and pier extending from the foot of Yonge St.
   Local tourism organization Destination Toronto calls the marine terminal “a new Great Lakes gateway, noting that the “transformative infrastructure project would serve as both a multi-use marine transportation hub and an iconic gateway to the city.”
   Though plans are still in their earliest stages, Destination Toronto notes that “the development will include a new marine terminal, public plaza, and pier anchored by a signature architectural landmark.”
   The new terminal would support tourism through accommodating passenger cruise ships, marine transit services, and other recreational boaters.
   Currently, the site of the planned pier’s land side is occupied by a surface parking lot envisioned to be transformed into a future City of Toronto park.
   For decades, the Yonge St. slip was the site of the infamous Captain John’s floating seafood restaurant. The ship (the former ferry Normac) that housed the former restaurant was finally hauled away from the site in 2015, destined for the scrap yard.

[Blong TO Via Ship Junkies – Lakes, Locks & Rivers (LL&R)]

St. Lawrence Seaway 2025 Traffic Report

You can read the full report at the link provided:   https://greatlakes-seaway.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/traffic_report_2025_en.pdf

 National Museum of the Great Lakes Offers Spring Lecture Series

The National Museum of the Great Lakes has announced its spring programming. Coming up soon is the Spring Lecture Series, featuring three engaging speakers; the Lil’ Scupper’s Kids Club, featuring new community partnerships; and a special Sensory Friendly Weekend in partnership with Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

    Check out the press releases in the gallery below for all the details.

The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at  https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026

Soo Locks to open for 2026 shipping season March 25

   SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District will open the Poe Lock, part of the Soo Locks, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to all marine traffic at 12:01 a.m. EST on March 25, marking the start of the 2026 Great Lakes shipping season.

   Federal regulation (33 CFR 207.440) establishes the operating season based on the feasibility of vessels operating during typical Great Lakes ice conditions.

    “Our winter closure period is essential for conducting critical inspections, repairs and maintenance on our aging infrastructure,” Soo Locks Operations Manager LeighAnn Ryckeghem said. “The reliability of Great Lakes navigation and the momentum of the American industrial supply chain depend on getting this work done.”

    The locks officially closed after the last vessel of the season transited the Poe Lock on January 15, to undergo critical repairs and maintenance during the 10-week-long winter shutdown.

    Maintenance crews performed a variety of critical tasks on the Poe Lock, including underfloor cleanout and manhole inspection, a five-year periodic inspection, Gate 1 repairs, Gate 4 lifting lug installation, Gate 2 concrete repairs and applying an experimental ice shedding coating. Additional work was simultaneously completed on the MacArthur Lock.

    “Project staff started work well in advance of the navigational shutdown in planning and resourcing projects, getting contract actions in place, and sequencing work to optimize the short time available for critical maintenance and repairs,” Maintenance Branch Chief Tim Bartlett said. “Due to the hard work of our crews during a near-record snowfall season, we’ve been able to accomplish the required work on time.”  

    “We welcome visitors into the park for the 2026 Soo Locks season opening,” Chief Park Ranger Michelle Briggs said. “The lock opening always has a great energy. People travel from all around the region to watch this distinct Upper Peninsula way to mark the changing of the seasons.”

    The park and viewing platform will open at 11:30 p.m. March 24 to allow visitors to welcome the first ship from the viewing platform. The Visitor Center will also host its annual open house for the public from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on March 25.
   Everyone entering the park is subject to a security search at the Soo Locks entry checkpoint. Firearms, weapons, drugs, pets and bicycles are prohibited.

    For those unable to attend in person, the Detroit District will host a Facebook Live of the event at https://www.facebook.com/USACEDetroitDistrict starting at 11:55 p.m. on March 24.

[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District]

Duluth’s Aerial Lift Bridge gets funds for rehabilitation

   At its meeting Monday night, the Duluth City Council voted to accept an $11.2 million grant from the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) for the rehabilitation of Duluth’s iconic Aerial Lift Bridge. The bridge first opened in 1905 and has operated in its current lift configuration since 1930.
    The almost $23.3 million Aerial Lift Bridge rehabilitation project will be funded by the following sourceand come at no cost to Duluth taxpayers:
• $11,200,000 USDOT Federal RAISE Grant

• $7,000,000 State Bridge Bonds
• $2,240,000 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) State Matching Grant
• $1,500,000 National Park Service, Historic Preservation Fund Grants
• $822,000 MNDOT ADA Grant
• $500,000 MNDOT Active Transportation Grant

    “The Aerial Lift Bridge is not just any bridge – it’s arguably THE most iconic bridge in all of Minnesota. It’s also a critical gateway for the shipping industry, as well as a critical transportation and utility connection to over 2,500 Duluth residents and 1,000,000 annual visitors,” said Mayor Roger Reinert. “This rehabilitation project represents our focus on Duluth’s core infrastructure and is not optional.”

[City of Duluth]

St. Lawrence Seaway 2025 Traffic Report

You can read the full report at the link provided:   https://greatlakes-seaway.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/traffic_report_2025_en.pdf

 National Museum of the Great Lakes Offers Spring Lecture Series

The National Museum of the Great Lakes has announced its spring programming. Coming up soon is the Spring Lecture Series, featuring three engaging speakers; the Lil’ Scupper’s Kids Club, featuring new community partnerships; and a special Sensory Friendly Weekend in partnership with Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

    Check out the press releases in the gallery below for all the details.

The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at  https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026

Icebreaking operations underway on St. Marys River

   Coast Guard Sector Northern Great Lakes is set to begin ice-breaking operations in Duluth, Minn., and on the St. Marys River on Monday, March 9, in preparation for the upcoming Great Lakes commercial shipping season.
   Initial activity will focus around the Duluth Harbor, St. Marys River south of Munuscong (Mud) Lake and the Middle Neebish Channel north and east of Neebish Island.
   The Coast Guard is scheduled to extend ice-breaking activities into the southern half of the West Neebish Channel, and as the week progresses, from the Mud Lake Junction Light northward to Moon Island.
   The Coast Guard is not scheduled to disturb the ice south of West Neebish Channel Light 45, above the ferry crossing or the ice north of Moon Island below the ferry crossing.
   The targeted opening of the Soo Locks is scheduled for March 25. Coast Guard ice-breaking activities will encompass all navigable waters on the St. Marys River, the Straits of Mackinac and Green Bay.
   The Coast Guard recommends all recreational users plan their activities carefully, use caution near the ice and stay away from charted navigation areas.

[Soo Leader]

St. Lawrence Seaway 2025 Traffic Report

You can read the full report at the link provided:   https://greatlakes-seaway.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/traffic_report_2025_en.pdf

 National Museum of the Great Lakes Offers Spring Lecture Series

The National Museum of the Great Lakes has announced its spring programming. Coming up soon is the Spring Lecture Series, featuring three engaging speakers; the Lil’ Scupper’s Kids Club, featuring new community partnerships; and a special Sensory Friendly Weekend in partnership with Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

    Check out the press releases in the gallery below for all the details.

The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at  https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026

 National Museum of the Great Lakes Offers Spring Lecture Series

The National Museum of the Great Lakes has announced its spring programming. Coming up soon is the Spring Lecture Series, featuring three engaging speakers; the Lil’ Scupper’s Kids Club, featuring new community partnerships; and a special Sensory Friendly Weekend in partnership with Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

    Check out the press releases in the gallery below for all the details.

The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at  https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026

McKeil’s new Ontario Venture en route to Canada

   Currently en route to Balboa, Panama, and then to eastern Canada, is McKeil Marine’s new self-unloading vessel Ontario Venture, a conversion of the tanker Patrona I carried out in China. The Patrona I has made at least one transit of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

[Rene Beauchamp]

 National Museum of the Great Lakes Offers Spring Lecture Series

The National Museum of the Great Lakes has announced its spring programming. Coming up soon is the Spring Lecture Series, featuring three engaging speakers; the Lil’ Scupper’s Kids Club, featuring new community partnerships; and a special Sensory Friendly Weekend in partnership with Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

    Check out the press releases in the gallery below for all the details.

The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at  https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026

Algoma Central Corp. Reports Financial Results For Fiscal 2025

      St. Catharines, ON – Algoma Central Corp. has reported its results for the year ended December 31, 2025. Algoma reported revenues of $761,056, compared to revenues of $703,444 in 2024. Net earnings for 2025 were $143,025 compared to $91,638 in 2024. The company reported 2025 EBITDA of $230,987 compared to $200,494 in 2024. All amounts reported are in thousands of Canadian dollars, except for per share data and where the context dictates otherwise.
   “This year we took delivery of eight vessels and reached a significant milestone in the third quarter with the addition of our 100th vessel to our global fleet,” said Gregg Ruhl, president and CEO of Algoma.
   “We currently have 12 vessels under construction, six of which are scheduled for delivery in 2026. Internationally, we continue to expand our presence in the global short sea shipping sector through strategic partnerships in new markets. These partnerships are helping establish Algoma as the Marine Carrier of Choice on the global stage and extend the reach of our Bear, born in Sault Ste. Marie, ON, around the world.
   “Domestically, we remain focused on strengthening our fleets operating across the bi-national Great Lakes and Canadian and U.S. east coasts. As we approach the opening of the 2026 navigation season, we do so from a forward-looking position of resilience and growth, with a continued focus on working together as an industry to enhance the competitiveness and long-term resiliency of the customers and communities we serve,” concluded Mr. Ruhl. 

 View the full report here: https://www.algonet.com/news-item/algoma-central-corporation-reports-financial-results-for-fiscal-2025/

 National Museum of the Great Lakes Offers Spring Lecture Series

The National Museum of the Great Lakes has announced its spring programming. Coming up soon is the Spring Lecture Series, featuring three engaging speakers; the Lil’ Scupper’s Kids Club, featuring new community partnerships; and a special Sensory Friendly Weekend in partnership with Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

    Check out the press releases in the gallery below for all the details.

The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at  https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026

Unexpected CO2 discharge on tug Undaunted
claims life of Traverse City leader’s husband

LUDINGTON, MI – The husband of a Traverse City leader was killed Monday morning after a CO2 fire suppression system unexpectedly discharged aboard a tugboat docked in Ludington.
   The incident occurred at approximately 11:27 a.m. on March 2, 2026, while the vessel was undergoing maintenance.
   The tugboat Undaunted, owned by Interlake Logistics Solutions, Inc., was docked for the winter at the time of the accident. Emergency responders from the Ludington Police Department, Ludington Fire Department and LIFE EMS arrived to find that staff members from Interlake Logistics had already begun performing life-saving measures on Mark Allen.
   Maintenance was being performed on the vessel’s CO2 fire suppression system when the equipment discharged. Following initial first aid on the scene, Allen was transported to Corewell Health Ludington Hospital where he passed away.
   Officials in Traverse City addressed the tragedy involving Mark Allen, the husband of Deputy City Manager Deb Allen. City Manager Benjamin Marentette spoke regarding the impact on city staff.
   “On behalf of the City of Traverse City, I will confirm that Deputy City Manager Deb Allen has experienced a family tragedy,” Marentette said. “Mine — and the entire team’s hearts — are broken for Deb. We will not be confirming any details or providing information regarding the tragedy out of respect for her privacy.”
   The Ludington Police Department is currently investigating the circumstances of the discharge. Investigators are working in coordination with Interlake Logistics Solutions, Inc. to determine what caused the suppression system to activate unexpectedly. Ludington Police Chief Christopher Jones and Captain Michael Haveman oversaw the initial department response to the scene.
   The investigation remains active. Anyone with additional information regarding the incident is encouraged to contact Detective Jake Miller at 231-843-2435 or via email at miller209@ci.ludington.mi.us.

[9-10 News]

Winter Layup: The 60-day winter rush at Port Milwaukee
to get cargo ships ready to sail the Great Lakes

MILWAUKEE — Over the past two months, you may have seen some rather large boats docked at Port Milwaukee. If you are extra observant, you’ll recognize that this happens every year around this time. There is a very important reason, and it helps keep a multi-billion-dollar shipping industry afloat.
   Every winter for about two months, large cargo vessels are docked at Port Milwaukee receiving crucial maintenance. The work ranges from upgrading electrical wiring to installing new communication systems to repairing worn-out steel.
   “These vessels are pretty old. They’ve had some past lives in different areas of the world,” Amelia Harrison, a port engineer with Andrie, a maritime logistics company, said.
   These barges transport goods like cement, aggregate, food, and anything else that keeps people and businesses moving in the Great Lakes region.
   “I like the big engines. I like that we push ourselves around the Great Lakes. I love that we support the infrastructure of America,” Harrison said.
   During the winter layup, these boats aren’t moving cargo, which means they’re not making money. Work has to be done fast during this time to ensure economic success for the shipping companies, the ports, and all the businesses that receive the goods.
   A specialized labor force is needed to make sure all that works gets done – especially since they are cramming months of maintenance into just 60 days. To stay on schedule, there are groups of about five crew members that rotate 28 days on and 28 days off. Their daily shifts are 12 hours long, and they live on board. Additionally, there can be anywhere from 15-20 contractors on the boat at anytime. The contractors do not live aboard the vessel.
   “This gets in your blood. It’s, you know, just being on the boat, you have to run. It’s high paced,” Dan Rankin, the owner of Hi-Tec Fab, a fabrication company, said.
   One of the boats in Port Milwaukee is the Integrity, which is owned by Amrize. The company produces and ships cement throughout the United States.
   “The carrying capacity for this vessel is 12 to 14,000 tons, depending on water levels, and for the season, this vessel will probably haul 600,000 plus tons of cement,” John Tomshack, the marine model manager for the Great Lakes for Amrize, said.
   That’s a lot of product that needs to reach ports and eventually be used by companies all across the region. Amrize chooses Milwaukee because of its skilled labor force.
   “The city of Milwaukee is a great place for us to have access to skilled trades, steel workers, electricians, things like that,” Tomshack said.
   Each boat has a different departure date. The Integrity is scheduled to begin navigating the Great Lakes on March 15th.

[WTMJ]
    View the full story and images here: https://www.tmj4.com/news/milwaukee-tonight/winter-layup-the-60-day-winter-rush-at-port-milwaukee-to-get-massive-cargo-ships-ready-to-sail-the-great-lakes?fbclid=IwY2xjawQWe95leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEew-Jgz7mbojjlRR5UFTTtoQeRHKHW5PTMJxt1CbpHTUs-O4IBO0zKTC7hxNQ_aem_GnddSP1tLPTFqO3ilZ2xdg

 Tug Seaway Jennifer heads to lakes this spring

Seaway Marine Group LLC owners Jake and Jennifer Van Reenen have announced that the Clayton, NY-based marine business has purchased a tug, formerly known as Herbert P. Brake. The newest fleet member will bear Jennifer’s name and be known as Seaway Jennifer. The tug will become the largest commercial U.S.-based tug on the Seaway from Lake Ontario to Massena. A spring transit of the NYS barge canal from the East Coast (CT) is expected in order to reach its new home.
   Built in 1992, Empire Harbor Marine Inc. of Thomson, NY, as the Herbert P. Brake for Empire Harbor Marine Inc. of Albany, New York. In 2005, the company became the Port Albany Ventures Co. of Albany, New York, where the tug retained her name.
   In 2009, Port Albany Ventures was acquired by the DonJon Marine Co. Inc. of Hillside, NJ. Again the tug retained her name. In 2014, DonJon renamed the tug Rebecca Ann. In 2022, the tug was acquired by D. Brake Marine LLC. of Madison, CT, which renamed her Herbert P. Brake.
   Powered by two Cummins VT 1710 diesel engines, she is a twin screw, modified bow towboat, rated at 1,400 horsepower.
   [Michael Folsom – St. Lawrence Seaway Ship Watchers Network and tugboatinformation.com]

Two Desgagnes ships in conflict zone

   Rosaire A. Desgagnes and Miena Desgagnes are in the Persian Gulf as the conflict intensifies. Miena is in the Al Jubail Anchorage (eastern province of Saudi Arabia), while Rosaire is in the Mugharraq Anchorage (Abu Dhabi).

[Michael James Folsom – St. Lawrence Seaway Ship Watchers Network]

Chamber of Marine Commerce Awards 2026 Champion
of the Great Lakes Award to Cong. Nick Langworthy

March 5, 2026 — On Thursday, the 2026 Great Lakes Day Congressional Breakfast Reception is being celebrated in Washington D.C. at the Cannon House Office Building, creating the perfect opportunity for

    WASHINGTON D.C. – The Chamber of Marine Commerce has announced that Congressman Nick Langworthy (R-NY) is the recipient of the 2026 Champion of the Great Lakes Award.
   This award honors United States elected officials who demonstrate a special commitment to enhancing economic growth and supply chain strength by supporting marine shipping on the Great Lakes. Representing the 23rd District of New York, Congressman Langworthy has played a key role in protecting and promoting the role that Great Lakes shipping plays in supporting economic prosperity, good jobs, and national industrial strength. He has galvanized considerable support for Great Lakes issues among his elected peers.
   The membership of the CMC represents every link in the marine supply chain, including ships, ports, terminals, and shippers of key commodities, and the Congressman’s work has supported each of these links to the benefit of American citizens and communities. This includes recognition that Great Lakes shipping is a critical conduit for everyday affordability.
   “On behalf of more than 100 member organizations that comprise the membership of the Chamber of Marine Commerce across North America, including a number within the state of New York, I want to thank Rep. Langworthy and his team for the accessibility, responsiveness, and support they have shown regarding Great Lakes marine shipping issues over the past year,” said Joshua Juel, President and CEO of the CMC.
   “He understands that our industry is the cornerstone of dependable supply chain that grows the North American economy and helps build appreciation of our contributions among others. For that we are deeply grateful.”

 [Chamber of Marine Commerce]

 National Museum of the Great Lakes Offers Spring Lecture Series

The National Museum of the Great Lakes has announced its spring programming. Coming up soon is the Spring Lecture Series, featuring three engaging speakers; the Lil’ Scupper’s Kids Club, featuring new community partnerships; and a special Sensory Friendly Weekend in partnership with Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

    Check out the press releases in the gallery below for all the details.

The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at  https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026

Coast Guard ice-breaking cutters limited in operations in Sault Ste. Marie

   SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – The Coast Guard ice-breaking fleet is limited in its operational capacity following engineering casualties onboard two of its cutters this week in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, March 4, 2026. An additional Coast Guard cutter is expected to be available to transit to the area for ice-breaking
operations by Monday.
   Coast Guard cutter Biscayne Bay (WTGB 104) and Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay (WTGB 101) are two Coast Guard ice-breaking assets assigned to the northern portions of the Great Lakes in support of the Coast Guard’s efforts to ensure the safe and efficient flow of people and goods through the maritime transportation system.
   The Biscayne Bay experienced an engineering casualty Monday that restricts their scope of safe operations to track maintenance alone. The Biscayne Bay is unable to safely make the tight turns required to eliminate the ice from the Sugar Island Ferry route because of the casualty. The Biscayne Bay is actively troubleshooting to restore full capabilities while continuing underway operations for waterway track maintenance in the St. Marys River.
   The Katmai Bay is currently in port working to address and repair an ongoing engineering casualty. There is no estimated time for their return to operations.
   The Coast Guard carefully monitors ice conditions across the waterways and impacts to best allocate Coast Guard ice-breaking assets to limit disruptions to industry and our local communities.

[USCG]

Memories of sailing for the Ford fleet featured at GLMI dinner April 12

   The Great Lakes Maritime Institute presents its annual dinner at 2 p.m. April 12 at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum in Detroit. Featured speaker will be Greg Rudnick, who will talk about his time sailing on the Ford Motor Co. vessels Henry Ford II and Benson Ford. See the flyer posted in the gallery for details. Reservations required by March 31.
[You can see the billing for this in the gallery below]

Chance to win a trip on a lakes freighter

The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at  https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026

Manitowoc to Seattle Tow Completed

   Dann Ocean Towing, based out of Tampa, Florida, recently completed an epic long-distance tow from Manitowoc, Wisconsin to Seattle, Washington. The purpose of the tow was to transport a large portal crane built in Wisconsin to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington.
    The tow took about 84 days, including several delays likely due to weather, and covered a distance estimated to be between 10,000 and 11,000 miles.
   The 175 ton capacity, rail-mounted portal-jib crane was built by a partnership between
Konecranes of New Berlin, WI and Broadwind (now Wisconsin Heavy Fabrication) of
Manitowoc, WI. Actual assembly of the roughly 150 foot tall crane took place at Broadwind’s
facilities in Manitowoc, and the crane was substantially completed in 2023. The initial Navy
contract valued the crane at $46 million. Numbered as crane #70, the machine has been
nicknamed “Big Blue” due to its primary paint color.
   The primary tugboat for the voyage was Dann Ocean Towing’s Ocean Tower, a 115 foot long, twin screw, 4080 HP ocean-going tug. The deck barge OC 723 carried the crane.
   The tow left Manitowoc on November 18, 2025 and arrived in Seattle on March 1, 2026.
   Waypoints included arriving at New York City on December 14 th , transiting the Panama Canal on January 9th and 10th , a brief stop in San Diego on February 3, and a delay, probably due to weather or sea conditions, at San Francisco February 9th through 24th . The tow was met off Seattle in Elliot Bay by the Western Towboat tugs, Westrac and Mariner, which assisted the tow up the Duwamish Waterway to a dock owned by Alaska Marine Lines but leased by Konecranes.
   There the crane will be unloaded for final set-up work, testing and final inspection. Once that work is complete, the crane will be barged across Puget Sound to its final destination at the shipyard at Bremerton.
   Crane #70 is the first of six portal cranes that have approved under the 2019 U.S. Navy contract, which is valued at roughly $330 million. It is believed that the Navy has the option to order one more portal crane under the 2019 contract. The second crane that was approved (#P-82) was also completed in 2023 and is currently stored in Manitowoc, awaiting transport to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. That tow is estimated to take four months.

[Boatnerd staff]

Memories of sailing for the Ford fleet featured at GLMI dinner April 12

   The Great Lakes Maritime Institute presents its annual dinner at 2 p.m. April 12 at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum in Detroit. Featured speaker will be Greg Rudnick, who will talk about his time sailing on the Ford Motor Co. vessels Henry Ford II and Benson Ford. See the flyer posted in the gallery for details. Reservations required by March 31.
[You can see the billing for this in the gallery below]

Make your reservation for a stay on the City of Milwaukee today

It’s time to plan your summer getaway aboard the S.S. City of Milwaukee!
   Book a room and spend the night on a floating National Historic Landmark, then explore all six decks of this 95 year old railroad car ferry.
   Step back in time, experience Great Lakes history up close, and make it a stay you won’t forget.

See you aboard! Link to site;  https://www.carferry.com/boatel?fbclid=IwY2xjawQJgrxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETJUOWJ6bVljek5zVE8wbVRrc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHp09bZhg2J1_QTU2qcbLcdS7M2ZwXeUqQneAsczgLqjpCmkQQBe_O6-SGKDp_aem_wHFOXWoMgm4wqI_FHzJTSw

Chance to win a trip on a lakes freighter