Boatnerd News
Boatnerd News January 6, 2026
The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026
Seaway season extended to Thursday
Due to ice and the large number of vessels awaiting transit, the closing date of the Seaway has been extended to Jan. 8. It had originally been scheduled to close Jan. 5.
At 7:30 Tuesday morning, approximately 20 ships were still expected at the St. Lambert Lock.
Since 1959, the river portion of the Seaway has closed just 9 times in the month of January, 8 of those coming since 2013. The 2017 season ended after ice caused havoc at the US locks.
[Michael James Folsom, Rene Beauchamp]
Poe Lock down till Tuesday afternoon
The Poe Lock at the Soo will be closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday for maintenance involving divers. Stewart J. Cort locked down in the early morning after having difficulty with ice in the lock. She was followed by American Century. Edwin H. Gott is moored in the upper approaches awaiting reopening while American Spirit will find a good place to stop in the ice. John G. Munson was just around Whitefish Point at 8 a.m., with Wilfred Sykes also approaching.
Monday evening the upbound Saginaw came to a stop in the ice at Stribling point at the north end of Neebish Island. At 9 a.m., USCG Katmai Bay was on scene to assist. American Integrity was upbound near Lime Island.
Temperatures are near 30 with some fog. The Soo Locks close for the season Jan. 15.
[Know Your Ships]
Icebreaker Vincent Massey at Midland
Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Vincent Massey is at Midland, ON, to assist the Thunder Bay. The Massey is expected to head to Thunder Bay, ON, next.
South Channel in Straits of Mackinac
to close Jan. 8 due to ice
The Coast Guard Sector Northern Great Lakes is scheduled to close the South Channel in the Straits of Mackinac between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 8.
According to the Coast Guard, the closure is due to expanded ice coverage in the area. The channel, located between Cheboygan and Bois Blanc Island, will remain in effect until ice is no longer a concern. Any ship traffic in the area can continue to use the Round Island Passage, on the northern side of Bois Blanc Island.
[USCG]
Atlantic Huron arrives at scrap yard
On Monday morning, the Canada Steamship Lines’ Atlantic Huron arrived in Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia, under her own power, where she will be scrapped.
Sheet Harbour is emerging as a center for responsible ship recycling in Canada, with local company R.J. MacIsaac Construction handling the dismantling of vessels like the former CCGS Hudson, MV Holiday Island, and Deep Panuke PFC, focusing on safe, environmentally compliant practices that maximize local economic impact and follow international standards for hazardous material management, setting a new example for the industry.
James R. Barker is first winter arrival at Sturgeon Bay
James R. Barker is first vessel to arrive for winter layup at Sturgeon Bay, WI. Tugs Jimmy L and Donald Sarter assisted her with the spin at Sherwood Point (the big boats need to turn around and back into the yard, six miles). She is expected to go right into the drydock.
[Rosann Hollinger]
Seaway to close Jan. 8; upbound traffic resumes at Beauharnois Lock
After several days of delays caused by heavy ice and one-way downbound traffic, upbound movement has finally resumed at the Beauharnois Locks. The Seaway will now close Jan. 8.
Tanker Algonova was first to make the passage Monday en route to Sarnia. Following closely behind, tug Wilf Seymour and barge Alouette Spirit were also underway, heading upbound to Hamilton.
With freezing conditions causing repeated issues in the lock chambers and requiring slow, staggered transits for downbound vessels, this progress marks a significant shift in momentum.
[Janey Anderson]
Frozen waters cause serious supply
chain issues across the Great Lakes
The delays are caused by the U.S. Coast Guard having equipment issues and unpredictable weather.
Rowyn Schneider
TOLEDO, Ohio — Winter may have come early for the Great Lakes this year, but neither the U.S. nor the Canadian Coast Guard can keep traffic moving through the ice.
The lakes’ frozen waters are currently impacting commercial traffic between ports across the Great Lakes in places like Toledo, Sandusky, as well as ports in Michigan and Minnesota. The delivery of cargo like iron ore, stone, coal, cement, and other dry bulk materials like salt, grain, and sand are being impacted by these delays.
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) usually conducts ice-breaking operations every year, but it has run into some issues this year.
According to a press release issued by the Lake Carriers Association, the sudden onset of winter has caused the USCG to prioritize removing buoys and navigational equipment in lake waters before they get damaged by ice. The only heavy ice breaker ship in operation under the USGC, the Mackinaw, has been working with several other ice-breaking tug boats to move this equipment.
“The U.S. Coast Guard is focused on their acquisition of Arctic Security Cutters, yet they can’t even keep our internal domestic waters open. This is a major national security problem if steel mills in the U.S. cannot have a reliable supply chain during the winter” stated Jim Weakley, President of the Lake Carriers’ Association.
Canadian ports along the lakes are also fighting frozen waters, but the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) has three icebreaker ships to help carry out its ice-breaking operations. The CCG has only had access to two of its heavy icebreaker ships this year, as the third ship, Samuel Risley, has been stuck at port in Sarnia, Ontario, due to an engineering problem.
Crews from both the USCG and CCG have been working hard to clear pathways for cargo ships, but these delays will negatively affect commercial traffic this year.
Toledo Blade
Boatnerd News January 5, 2026
The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026
Atlantic Huron arrives at scrap yard
On Monday morning, the Canada Steamship Lines’ Atlantic Huron arrived in Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia, under her own power, where she will be scrapped.
Sheet Harbour is emerging as a center for responsible ship recycling in Canada, with local company R.J. MacIsaac Construction handling the dismantling of vessels like the former CCGS Hudson, MV Holiday Island, and Deep Panuke PFC, focusing on safe, environmentally compliant practices that maximize local economic impact and follow international standards for hazardous material management, setting a new example for the industry.
James R. Barker is first winter arrival at Sturgeon Bay
James R. Barker is first vessel to arrive for winter layup at Sturgeon Bay, WI. Tugs Jimmy L and Donald Sarter assisted her with the spin at Sherwood Point (the big boats need to turn around and back into the yard, six miles).
Rosann Hollinger
Seaway update: Upbound traffic resumes at Beauharnois Lock
After several days of delays caused by heavy ice and one-way downbound traffic, upbound movement has finally resumed at the Beauharnois Locks.
Tanker Algonova was first to make the passage, now en route to Sarnia. Following closely behind, tug Wilf Seymour and barge Alouette Spirit also underway, heading upbound to Hamilton.
With freezing conditions causing repeated issues in the lock chambers and requiring slow, staggered transits for downbound vessels, this progress marks a significant shift in momentum.
The Seaway will now close Jan. 8.
[Janey Anderson]
Big CCGS icebreaker Vincent Massey on her way to Lake Superior
The Canadian Coast Guard medium icebreaker Vincent Massey is headed to Thunder Bay, ON, after a working to free vessels from ice in the St. Lawrence Seaway the past few weeks.
Sunday evening she was stopped, perhaps for the night, above Port Huron. Monday found her at Sarnia, moored next to Samuel Risley.
The CCGS Vincent Massey is a 274’-long Canadian Coast Guard medium icebreaker, an Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessel, acquired as part of a program to supplement the fleet while new ships are built. It provides icebreaking, search and rescue, and environmental response in Eastern Canada. Originally built as the Tor Viking, she entered Canadian service in 2022/2023 and is based in Québec City.
Vincent Massey has four medium-speed diesel engines geared to two controllable pitch propellers in nozzles. She has two eight-cylinder MaK 8M32 and two six-cylinder MaK 6M32 diesel engines rated at 3,840 kW (5,150 hp) and 2,880 kW (3,860 hp) each. With a total propulsion power of 13,440 kW (18,020 hp), she can achieve a maximum speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) in open water and break 1-metre (3.3 ft) ice at a continuous speed of 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph). In addition, she has two bow thrusters (one fixed, one retractable and azimuthing) and one transverse stern thruster for maneuvering and dynamic positioning.
Boatnerd News January 4, 2026
The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026
30 vessels still in Seaway system
The reality of the situation is that, with around 30 ships still in the system, from Cape Vincent, NY to Sorel, QC, there is no possible way the Seaway can close tomorrow Monday.
They got Polsteam Dabie through both Beauharnois Locks late in the night. She’s now approaching Cote Ste. Catherine Lock. BBC Zarate entered Beauharnois Lock 4 around 7 a.m. Sunday.
Tugs and icebreakers and others have been working tirelessly to keep the ships moving.
[Seaway News, Pat English]
Northern Great Lakes Sunday traffic report
As of 1 p.m. – Upbound in the Neebish passage: Kaye E. Barker, Hon. James L. Oberstar, Algoma Innovator and Paul R. Tregurtha. Near Lime Island: Evans Spirit. Headed for DeTour: Mark W. Barker, H. Lee White
Downbounders Joseph L. Block, Edgar B. Speer, Victory/Maumee, Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader have successfully exited the river system. Mesabi Miner (in locks), Kathy McKeil.
USCG Biscayne Bay breaking ice above DeTour. USCG Katmai Bay departed the Soo CG base at 11 a.m. after refueling and resupply.
Elsewhere: John J. Boland is stopped west of the Mackinaw Bridge, with USCG icebreaker Mackinaw headed her way. James R. Barker on Lake Michigan headed for winter layup at Sturgeon Bay. Sam Laud loading sand at Brevort for Buffalo. Herbert C. Jackson is anchored off Brevort. Erika Kobasic breaking ice off Brevort for the Laud’s departure and Jackson’s arrival. Wilfred Sykes and Joyce L. VanEnkevort are loading at Marquette, with Lee A. Tregurtha departing. Stewart J. Cort is loading at Superior after and order change that diverted her from Silver Bay.
[Know Your Ships]
Some delays at the Soo Saturday but traffic moving
Saturday at the Soo brought more snow, but at least the wind died down a bit. Ice caused some delays at the locks, with the downbound Edgar B. Speer having problems making it into the Poe Lock due to ice buildup on the lock walls. She backed out and let the smaller Joseph L. Block and American Mariner lock through, then was able to lock down herself. Other traffic included Ashtabula/Defiance, Indiana Harbor and Burns Harbor upbound. USCG Katmai Bay and Biscayne Bay were busy assisting traffic and maintaining lanes in the lower St. Marys River.
[Know Your Ships]
Boatnerd News January 3, 2026
The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026
Ice complicates seasonal closing of St. Lawrence Seaway
CAPE VINCENT, NY – The early days of a new year usually coincide with the closing of the St. Lawrence Seaway. This year, ice appears to be complicating the passage of vessels out of the system for its official closure, which had been set for Monday.
“At the rate things are (not) moving, it will remain ‘open’ well beyond Monday,” said Michael J. Folsom, a Seaway/ship expert and founder of the popular St. Lawrence Seaway Shipwatchers Facebook page.
The river is quickly icing over, and several ships are delayed by the problem of getting ships nearly 78 feet wide through 80 foot wide locks. The ice wedges between the hull and the lock walls which results in the ship being stuck in the lock chamber.
New ice formed overnight, and traffic is still not moving at the Beauharnois Lock. Work continues in the locks with a crane just arriving at Lock #4. Barbro G. currently in Lock 3. Upbound ships have had clearance for three days, just waiting on the downbound (with right of way) to transit. There are four down in total, Barbro G. moving in Lock #3, Federal William Paul in lock #4 and BBC Zarate and Polsteam Dabie above Beauharnois, all to transit before Wilf Seymour tug & Alouette Spirit barge and Algonova have their turns
The Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers Judy Lamarsh, Des Groseilliers and Vincent Massey, as well as tugs from Le Groupe Ocean, have been working hard to keep traffic moving. Vincent Massey is headed to Thunder Bay, ON, to assist in icebreaking there.
Friday morning at Côte Ste-Catherine, the Lyulin was able to reach the lock thanks to the Judy Lamarsh and the tug Ocean Serge Genois.
In other news, Algoma Central’s Algoma Mariner is heading to Veracruz, Mexico, for drydock work like the Radcliffe R. Latimer did last year.
TheNetherlands-flagged saltwater visitor Onego Duero, which lost an anchor in the St. Lawrence Seaway recently and which is experiencing mechanical issues with the windlass for the other anchor, may be forced to spend the winter at Hamilton, ON, due to the approaching deadline for the closing of the Seaway. She is currently at anchor in Hamilton harbor.
The Seaway is set to close Jan. 5.
[Janey Anderson and other sources]
Gold-Headed Cane: Honor Goes to Captain of the Byzantion
MONTREAL, QC – At 10:15 a.m. on Jan. 1, the Byzantion became the first ocean-going vessel of 2026 to cross the Port of Montreal’s boundary waters at Sorel without making any prior stops. In keeping with a tradition dating back more than 185 years, the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) presented its prestigious gold-headed Cane to Captain Andrejs Kuharenoks.
Departing from the port of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, the Byzantion completed an 11-day transatlantic crossing, a remarkable feat in the middle of winter in the North Atlantic. During the last four days, the crew had to contend with sustained winds, gusts reaching 50 knots, and impressive swells reaching up to 10 meters. Flying the Marshall Islands flag, the tanker docked at Pier 109, operated by Suncor, where it is currently unloading its cargo. The ship will set sail again Jan. 3, bound for a U.S. port.
Originally from Latvia, Captain Kuharenoks said he was honored to receive this distinction during his first career stopover in Montreal. He said he will cherish the memory of this ceremony and that this honor will reflect well on the entire crew. As a former deck officer, he always knew he wanted to devote his career to the sea, motivated by the daily challenges, the responsibilities of command, and the demands of life on board. He has been a captain since 2005.
The gold-headed cane, engraved with the captain’s name and that of his ship, was presented to him by Julie Gascon, President and CEO of the MPA, during a ceremony held aboard the Byzantion.
The Montreal Port Authority would also like to acknowledge the work of Central St. Lawrence Corporation pilots Patrick Fortin and Donald Morin, who guided the ship safely to port.
“It is always a powerful symbolic moment to welcome the first ship of the year to the Port of Montreal. The Byzantion marks the start of a new season, at a time when maritime transport is set to play an increasingly important role in Canada’s economic exchanges. This first ship also reminds us that we are a great maritime nation, connected to the world by the St. Lawrence River. I would like to pay special tribute to the work of Captain Kuharenoks and his crew, and I am honored to continue this tradition, which has been part of Montreal’s maritime history for over 185 years,” said Julie Gascon, President and CEO of the Montreal Port Authority.
[Newswire.ca]
U.S. Great Lakes Winter Shipping Suffers Ice Delays
CLEVELAND, OHIO (Jan. 2, 2026) – Winter may have started a little early this year on the Great Lakes, but neither the U.S. nor Canadian Coast Guards are keeping traffic moving through the ice.
The U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) only heavy icebreaker, Mackinaw, has been missing in action along with several smaller icebreaking 140-foot icebreaking tugs and an ice-capable buoy tender. The quick onset of winter caused major problems for both the USCG and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) as they attempted to complete the annual removal of floating aids to navigation before ice damaged the buoys or moved them off station. That mission impacted icebreaking, delaying many federal icebreaking assets from assisting commercial traffic through ice that has formed across the Great Lakes.
The CCG has not provided a single asset to the Great Lakes icebreaking effort. Two CCG icebreakers have been working in the St Lawrence Seaway around Montreal while a third has an engineering problem and remains at the dock in Sarnia, ON. Adding insult to injury, U.S. ships that call on a Canadian port are charged an icebreaking fee despite no icebreaker assistance.
Ice is currently impacting traffic across the Great Lakes Navigation System in places like Duluth, Minnesota, the St Marys River in Michigan, the Straits of Mackinac, Green Bay, and the western basin of Lake Erie to include ports like Toledo and Sandusky, Ohio. Delays have been significant with a recent closure of the St Marys River due to shifting ice pulling aids to navigation in the channel. The St Marys River is the major artery of the system connecting Lake Superior to the lower lakes.
“The U.S. Coast Guard is focused on their acquisition of Arctic Security Cutters, yet they can’t even keep our internal domestic waters open,” stated Jim Weakley, President of the Lake Carriers’ Association. “This is a major national security problem if steel mills in the U.S. cannot have a reliable supply chain during the winter. The USCG and CCG claim that icebreaking is a shared mission, yet we haven’t seen a Canadian icebreaker operating on the Great Lakes yet this season. We need the CCG to do their share, another heavy USCG icebreaker and we need to replace the smaller 40-plus-year-old icebreaking tugs,” Weakley added.
[Lake Carriers’ Association Press Release]
St. Marys River Traffic Moving Smoothly On Friday
Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Despite cold temperatures and winds, vessels were moving without much difficulty Friday. Upbound traffic included Clyde S. VanEnkevort, American Century, John G. Munson, Edwin H. Gott and Lee A. Tregurtha. USCG cutters Katmai Bay and Biscayne Bay were busy all day assisting the vessels through the tricky upbound channel behind Neebish Island and in the Mud Lake/Lime Island area.
Although CSL’s Thunder Bay hove anchor and headed for her namesake port Friday, Goulais Bay, above the locks on the Canadian side, continued to provide shelter for Wilfred Sykes and Stewart J. Cort Friday. However the Cort and American Spirit weighed anchor Friday evening and resumed their trips to Duluth and Silver Bay respectively.
After passing through the locks, John G. Munson dropped anchor off Brimley. Joyce. L. VanEnkevort was anchored in the lee of Whitefish Point.
AIS shows American Mariner headed for Thunder Bay, likely to load grain for Buffalo.
[Know Your Ships]
Boatnerd News January 2, 2026
The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at; https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026
Rand Logistics gets a rebrand; now called Mainstay Maritime
The following statement was posted New Years Eve on the internet web site LinkedIn for Mainstay Marine:
“We are excited to announce that Rand Logistics has been rebranded to Mainstay Maritime.
Along with a new name, we are introducing a clear mission, vision, and set of values that reflect who we are today and how we operate—grounded in reliability, accountability, and continuous improvement. We’ll be sharing more details in the weeks ahead.
The name Mainstay comes from maritime tradition. On a sailing ship, the mainstay provides the critical support that stabilizes the mast and enables propulsion. In the same way, Mainstay Maritime provides the strength, reliability, and forward momentum that support our customers’ supply chains.
Our new logo has five sides, representing the five Great Lakes we operate on. Its form also evokes the bow of a ship cutting forward and an upward arrow—symbolizing progress, resilience, and our direction as a company.
As Mainstay Maritime, we operate as a meritocracy—where the best ideas, best practices, and best people rise and drive continuous improvement across our fleet.
Proud of our legacy. Focused on the future. One Fleet. One Future
Grand River Navigation Company is the U.S. operating subsidiary of Mainstay Maritime, Inc. Together with our Canadian sister company, Lower Lakes Towing Ltd., we are one of the largest marine transportation service providers operating on the Great Lakes today with a combined fleet of 15 bulk freight vessel is service to over 50 customers across the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway.”
Visit Mainstay Maritime here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/randlogisticsinc./
Weather again slows St. Marys River traffic
Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Blustery conditions have again sent vessels to anchor on the St. Marys River. In addition, ice is beginning to make its presence felt.
On Thursday evening, the American Spirit and Stewart J. Cort were anchored in Goulais Bay above the locks. Thunder Bay was on the hook off Bay Mills. Wilfred Sykes joined the other two in Goulais Bay Friday morning..
USCG Katmai Bay and Biscayne Bay are working to maintain ice tracks in the lower St. Marys River.
[Know Your Ships]
Veteran tug G-tug Hawaii sinks at Erie
Word from the Erie waterfront is the 1911-vintage Great Lakes Towing tug Hawaii sank at her dock sometime during past week after being battered by high winds and waves. She is barely visible above the surface. Hawaii is the former Indiana, renamed in 2011 to free up the name for a new tug. Salvage plans have not been announced.
Ice stalls Seaway traffic as closing date nears
The saltwater vessel Alicia G spent the first day of 2026 stuck in the ice at Beauharnois Lock 4 on the St. Lawrence Seaway. Tug Ocean Serge Genois arrived and moored at the lower end of the Beauharnois Lock, and a de-icing unit arrived on the scene Thursday night trying to get the Alicia G free. They were successful around 6 p.m., and the vessel was moving ahead to the next lock.
There are 25 ships upstream including one in Lake Huron and one in Lake Erie and four downstream still to transit the Seaway.
[Pat English]
Boatnerd News January 1, 2026
The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026
Rand Logistics gets a rebrand; now called Mainstay Marine
The following statement was posted New Years Eve on the internet web site LinkedIn for Mainstay Marine:
“We are excited to announce that Rand Logistics has been rebranded to Mainstay Maritime.
Along with a new name, we are introducing a clear mission, vision, and set of values that reflect who we are today and how we operate—grounded in reliability, accountability, and continuous improvement. We’ll be sharing more details in the weeks ahead.
The name Mainstay comes from maritime tradition. On a sailing ship, the mainstay provides the critical support that stabilizes the mast and enables propulsion. In the same way, Mainstay Maritime provides the strength, reliability, and forward momentum that support our customers’ supply chains.
Our new logo has five sides, representing the five Great Lakes we operate on. Its form also evokes the bow of a ship cutting forward and an upward arrow—symbolizing progress, resilience, and our direction as a company.
As Mainstay Maritime, we operate as a meritocracy—where the best ideas, best practices, and best people rise and drive continuous improvement across our fleet.
Proud of our legacy. Focused on the future. One Fleet. One Future
Grand River Navigation Company is the U.S. operating subsidiary of Mainstay Maritime, Inc. Together with our Canadian sister company, Lower Lakes Towing Ltd., we are one of the largest marine transportation service providers operating on the Great Lakes today with a combined fleet of 15 bulk freight vessel is service to over 50 customers across the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway.”
Visit Mainstay Maritime here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/randlogisticsinc./
Saltie Alicia G stuck in Seaway lock due to ice
The saltwater vessel Alicia G spent the first day of 2026 stuck in the ice at Beauharnois Lock 4 on the St. Lawrence Seaway. There are two 20 ships currently upstream including one in Lake Erie and four downstream still to transit Seaway locks.
[Pat English]
Atlantic Huron now headed for the recycling yard
Atlantic Huron is now completing its journey to the R.J. MacIsaac Construction ship recycling yard in Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia, where it is expected to arrive on Friday. It departed Quebec City Tuesday night after unloading taconite, which was loaded at Superior, WI.
[Rene Beauchamp]
St. Marys River reopened after buoy issue is resolved
The St. Marys River was closed from the Soo Locks to the Mud Lake Junction Buoy early Wednesday morning due a buoy that ice dragged out of position and into the downbound shipping channel.
By midafternoon, the USCG Katmai Bay managed to move the buoy, located in Munuscong Lake between Nine Mile Point and the Rock Cut, so that vessel traffic could pass, and the USCG reopened the river at 2 p.m., allowing eight vessels that were either at anchor above the locks or being held at the piers to get underway. They were the James R. Barker, Algoma Strongfield, Presque Isle, American Integrity, Hon. James L. Oberstar, G3 Marquis, H. Lee White and Manitoulin, which had been delayed on Lake Superior by the intense storm earlier this week.
Stewart J. Cort, showing a destination of Silver Bay and which anchored above DeTour Monday for weather and then became stuck in the ice, was freed Wednesday afternoon by USCG Biscayne Bay. She headed upbound, but went to anchor in the Hay Lake Anchorage to await her turn at the locks.
Other upbound traffic Wednesday included the barge PML 2501/tugs Wilfred M. Cohen and W.I Scott Purvis, American Spirit and, late, Kathy McKeil.
[Know Your Ships]
Algoma Guardian has close call near Brockville
The bulk carrier Algoma Guardian has mechanical issues near Brockville, ON, Wednesday due to a possible engine/blower issue, causing significant smoke and causing it to drift towards the shoreline. Fortunately power was quickly restored and she continued on her way without incident. At 10 p.m. Wednesday, AIS showed her anchored waiting for traffic to clear due to ice delays in the Seaway.
[From local reports]
America Turns to Finland for Icebreakers It Struggles to Build at Home
U.S. admits decades of neglect with unprecedented foreign shipyard deal as Arctic rivalry intensifies.
By Paul Morgan (gCaptain) – The United States just signed contracts for Finland to build American warships, a stark admission that the world’s most powerful navy can no longer construct the specialized vessels it desperately needs.
On December 27, the Coast Guard awarded contracts to Finland’s Rauma Marine Constructions and Louisiana’s Bollinger Shipyards for six new Arctic Security Cutter icebreakers. Finland gets the first two, with delivery in 2028. The U.S. will build four more domestically by 2029, using a Finnish-Canadian design, Finnish expertise, and Finnish hand-holding.
It’s an unprecedented arrangement that exposes how far American shipbuilding has fallen behind. President Trump personally waived the legal requirement that Coast Guard vessels must be U.S.-built, citing national security grounds. The reason? America simply lacks the experience to design and build modern icebreakers quickly enough.
“Nothing like the PSC has been built in the United States in 50 years,” a Government Accountability Office report concluded about the troubled Polar Security Cutter program. American yards have no recent experience with large icebreakers, and it shows.
A Shipyard Gap That Can’t Be Hidden
The U.S. currently operates three Arctic-capable icebreakers. Russia fields 40-50, including eight nuclear-powered behemoths. China now has four to five polar research vessels actively operating in Arctic waters, with more under construction.
The 49-year-old Polar Star, America’s only heavy icebreaker, is 18 years past its designed service life and held together by constant emergency repairs. The 25-year-old Healy caught fire last year and had to abort its Arctic patrol. The newly commissioned Storis is a converted commercial oil rig support ship rushed into service as a stopgap.
This is America’s polar fleet at a moment when the Arctic has become a front-line security theatre.
The contrast with the domestic heavy icebreaker program is brutal. The first Polar Security Cutter was supposed to be operational in 2024. It’s now unlikely to enter service before 2030, six years late. The original 2019 contract was for $746 million. Current estimates put the first ship alone at $1.9 billion, with total program costs exceeding $5 billion for three vessels.
Design completion sits at 67% after five years of work. Full construction hasn’t actually begun. Congressional committees have held multiple hearings demanding answers. “It’s been six years since this program was authorized, and we still don’t have a final design,” Representative Carlos Giménez complained. “It only took us nine years to get to the moon.”
Why Finland Wins?
Finnish yards have built much of the world’s modern icebreaker fleet. Rauma Marine Constructions sits at the center of a mature Arctic technology cluster with decades of specialized experience. They can deliver a medium icebreaker in 36 months from contract signing, roughly half the time U.S. estimates suggest for domestic construction.
Finland’s expertise runs deep. Even Russia’s shallow-draft nuclear icebreakers Taymyr and Vaygach were built at Finnish yards (though their reactors were installed in Russia). China’s most capable icebreaker, Xue Long 2, was designed by Finnish firm Aker Arctic.
The Arctic Security Cutter design itself comes from a consortium led by Finland’s Aker Arctic Technology and Canada’s Seaspan Shipyards, a production-ready design that already exists rather than something American yards need to figure out from scratch.
By turning to Finland, Washington is essentially buying time. The first two Finnish-built cutters arrive in 2028, giving U.S. crews operational platforms while domestic yards learn how to build them. The partnership includes explicit technology transfer: Finnish engineers will work alongside American builders to train them in icebreaker construction.
Strategic Implications
The deal reveals competing pressures in U.S. defense policy. On one hand, relying on foreign construction for national security vessels would have been unthinkable a generation ago. On the other, the Arctic gap with Russia and China has become too dangerous to ignore while waiting for domestic shipyards to figure it out.
The arrangement fits within the broader “friend-shoring” strategy—partnering with trusted allies for strategic manufacturing when domestic capacity falls short. Finland joined NATO in 2023 and brings deep Arctic expertise without the geopolitical concerns of Chinese yards.
For Finland, the contracts represent a major industrial victory. RMC gains a prestigious reference customer in the U.S. government and long-term design support revenue. Finnish officials called it a “historic milestone” that cements Finland’s role in NATO’s Arctic strategy.
For U.S. shipbuilding, the message is uncomfortable but unavoidable: decades of underinvestment have consequences. The U.S. commercial shipbuilding share sits at 0.1-0.13% of global output. Costs run three to four times higher than East Asian yards. When specialized capabilities are needed quickly, America now has to look abroad.
The $6.1 billion Arctic Security Cutter program won’t reverse that decline overnight. But it represents a pragmatic acknowledgment that in the new era of great power competition, national security sometimes requires admitting what you can’t do and finding partners who can.
The question is whether this serves as a wake-up call for broader shipbuilding reform, or it’s simply another temporary fix while underlying capacity continues to erode. With nearly $9 billion now allocated for Coast Guard icebreakers and cutters, the industry has its chance. Whether it can deliver remains to be seen.
Boatnerd News – December 31, 2025
St. Marys River reopened after buoy issue is resolved
2 PM UPDATE: Buoy 51 has been removed from the center of the channel by USCG Katmai Bay. Soo Traffic made the announcement at 2 p.m. that the river has been reopened. The James R. Barker, tied up at the east center pier of the locks, will be the first to depart, followed by Algoma Strongfield.
Stewart J. Cort was able to get underway just before 2 p.m. with the aid of the USCG Biscayne Bay.
NOON UPDATE: Purvis tugs and barge PML 2501 successfully made it through the Neebish passage and are approaching MIssion Point. Katmai Bay is downstream of Nine Mile Point, and will be working to to reposition buoy 51 that is off station in the Munuscong Lake channel.
ORIGINAL REPORT: The St. Marys River was closed from the Soo Locks to the Mud Lake Junction Buoy early Wednesday morning due to visibility issues including fog and snow and well as a buoy that is off station. Eight downbound vessels are either at anchor above the locks or being held at the piers until conditions improve. They are the James R. Barker, Algoma Strongfield, Presque Isle, American Integrity, Hon. James L. Oberstar, G3 Marquis, H. Lee White and Manitoulin, all of which had been delayed on Lake Superior by the intense storm earlier this week.
The USCG Katmai Bay was assisting the Purvis Marine tugs W.I Scott Purvis and Wilfred M. Cohen with an upbound barge in the vicinity of Johnson’s Point. With several cold nights, ice is now a factor for some vessels. The Eastern Upper Peninsula is under a winter storm warning until Thursday night, with as much as 12 inches of snow and winds gusting as high as 40 mph in the forecast.
Stewart J. Cort, showing a destination of Silver Bay and which anchored above DeTour Monday for weather, is stuck in the ice and is awaiting the arrival of USCG Biscayne Bay Wednesday afternoon.
The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at; https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026
Boatnerd News – December 30, 2025
The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at; https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026
Video shows Wilfred Sykes in wintry Straits
Steamer Wilfred Sykes hove anchor Monday afternoon to continue her trip down Lake Michigan.
View Nick McCall’s video here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/850296080940908
Lake Erie water levels drop significantly during powerful winds
SANDUSKY, Ohio (WJW) – Video captured along Lake Erie on Monday showcases a dramatic shift in water levels near Sandusky as powerful wind gusts sweep through Northeast Ohio.
As seen in the video, the levels are significantly low on some of the western edges of the lake in what the FOX 8 weather team describes as a seiche.
“It’s like sloshing the water in your bathtub,” FXO 8 Meteorologist Scott Sabol previously explained. ‘The water will go from the west of the lake to the east part of the lake and will drastically change the height of the lake over a short period of time. The levels then return to normal after the winds die down.
View a video here: https://fox8.com/news/watch-lake-erie-water-levels-drop-significantly-during-powerful-winds/
Boatnerd News – December 29, 2025
The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at; https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026
Massive Lake Superior waves could rival largest ever recorded
Lake Superior is currently experiencing a major winter storm with a storm warning in effect, heavy snow, strong winds, and heavy freezing spray warnings. Waves are forecast to build to dangerous levels, potentially reaching near 30 feet in some areas
The forecast calls for waves approaching 28 feet on Lake Superior by Monday morning. The largest waves ever recorded on the Great Lakes were 28.8 feet. Those were measured in Lake Superior between Marquette and Munising on Oct. 24, 2017. The wave heights are expected to be greatest off the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore near Munising, MI.
For comparison, the National Weather Service models have said the Lake Superior waves on the night the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in 1975 were in the range of 25+ feet.
Wind gusts could reach 58 mph over Lake Michigan with waves topping 18 feet, and up to 70 mph over Lake Superior, the NWS said. Lake Huron could see wind gusts to 54 mph and waves up to 26 feet.
Lake Erie may experience a seiche on Monday. This is a water event when winds push the lake’s water from one end to the other, like water sloshing in a bathtub. Gusts over Lake Erie could reach 70 mph and waves could reach 17 feet.
Heavy freezing spray is also forecast for the Great Lakes over the next several days. This spray can ice-over freighters and other vessels, making travel dangerous.
Due to forecasted blizzard conditions and high winds, all boat trips to Mackinac Island are cancelled for Monday, according to a Facebook post from the Arnold Transit Co. The same goes for Washington Island ferry service.
On the St. Marys River, Dirk S. VanEnkevort/barge Michigan Trader anchored in Goulais Bay, on the Canadian side above the Soo Locks early Sunday evening. Mesabi Miner joined them mid-evening, followed by Stewart J, Cort and tug Wilfred M. Cohen and her barge. Algoma Harvester anchored in Potaganissing Bay above DeTour. Algoma Endeavour dopped the anchor there later in the evening.
Wilfred Sykes, Ashtabula/barge Defiance, John J. Boland and Algoma Buffalo were sheltering in Moran Bay, near St. Ignace. Great Republic, John G. Munson, Edgar B. Speer and Burns Harbor were anchored just west of Port Inland, on the northern tip of Lake Michigan.
Indiana Harbor was stopped offshore just north of Manitowoc, WI.
[NWS, MLive – Tanda Gmiter, Marine Traffic]
Seaway traffic resumes at Montreal
Vessel traffic in the vicinity of Montreal resumed Sunday night after the saltwater vessel Federal Churchill was able to depart the St. Lambert Lock. While attempting to exit the lock around 7 a.m. Sunday, the vessel was stopped by ice. At least a dozen ships, moving in both directions, were delayed, including Atlantic Huron, which is on her final voyage before scrapping.
Port of call: Buffalo lands first Great Lakes cruise ship
Buffalo, N.Y. – All Patrick Kaler from Visit Buffalo has to do to sell people on why it is so important to the region’s tourism industry – and local economy – to have Buffalo as an active Great Lakes cruise ship port is just look at the other end of Lake Erie.
Cleveland welcomed more than 8,000 Great Lakes cruise ship passengers this year and they left behind an economic impact that was well north of $6 million. “This is a great regional opportunity,” said Kaler, Visit Buffalo president and CEO.
Buffalo will welcome its first Great Lakes cruise ship on May 27 when the 250-passenger American Cruise Lines ship American Patriot pulls into the Erie Basin Marina for an eight-hour stopover.
The ship’s arrival will be a seminal moment for the region’s tourism industry and end a long quest to have Buffalo become a permanent Great Lakes cruise ship port.
In the tourism equivalent of a shakedown cruise, Buffalo will host four Great Lakes passenger ship calls during the summer of 2026.
The following year, 2027, should be considerably more active with six cruise lines including Buffalo as one of its stopover ports. Some will be eight hour day trips, others will be overnight stays.
“Our goal is to give the passengers a great Buffalo experience,” Kaler said.
By 2027, the passenger-friendly Great Lakes port along Buffalo’s Outer Harbor will be developed and ready to go.
Don’t under estimate the economic impact from the Great Lakes cruise lines.
The Great Lakes Cruise Marketing Group said passengers left behind a $230 million economic impact in such cities as Duluth, Detroit and Cleveland. That number increased by 15% this year and is expected to rise again in 2026 and 2027.
Kaler said the other pay off comes from passengers making return visits to many of the cities where the ships stop.
“It whets their appetite and many do come back,” Kaler said.
[WBEN]
Boatnerd News – December 28, 2025
The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at; https://www.boatnerd.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026
Stuck saltie stops Seaway traffic
Traffic in the vicinity of Montreal was stopped around 7 a.m. Sunday when the Federal Churchill became stuck in the ice while attempting to exit the St. Lambert Lock. It is blocking at least a dozen ships. Her destination is Spain, coming from Toledo.
Rene Beauchamp
Lakes brace for big storm; possible Bomb Cyclone
Storm-force winds over 60 mph are expected on Lake Superior and other areas of the Great Lakes, with waves forecast to top 25 feet on some of the lakes.
The incoming storm could land as dangerous Bomb Cyclone in part of Michigan.
There is not a lot of traffic on Lake Superior. Late Saturday, Joseph L. Block was tucked in at the southernmost part of the Keweenaw Peninsula off L’Anse. Other vessels were following their normal routes, but that could quickly change.
The forecast details for a major winter storm that will begin to develop over Michigan on Sunday are showing an increasing level of concern that the Upper Peninsula and the tip of Northern Michigan may have to deal with more than just blizzard conditions.
This rapidly deepening low-pressure system moving over this northern part of the Great Lakes could land as a dangerous “bomb cyclone” storm.
What does that mean? MLive Chief Meteorologist Mark Torregrossa has explained that when a storm “bombs out,” the data behind the storm is measured in a way that shows it will be a rapidly-intensifying storm.
“To figure out if a storm is ‘bombing out’ or will just be a strong storm system, we have to look at the lowest air pressure in the center of the storm system,” Torregrossa has said. “To reach the criteria of becoming a bomb cyclone, a storm system’s lowest air pressure has to go lower by 24 millibars(mb) in 24 hours.”
Right now, forecast notes from the National Weather Service in Marquette show this storm system’s air pressure could drop by the 24 millibars needed to reach Bomb Cyclone status.
This typically means we’ll see some really high winds with a storm. In this case, the winds from late Sunday into Monday could reach 60 mph across parts of the Upper Peninsula, and the rest of Michigan.
Storm-force winds over 60 mph are expected on Lake Superior and other areas of the Great Lakes, with waves forecast to top 25 feet on some of the lakes.
Regular blizzard conditions are dangerous for motorists, but add the Bomb Cyclone designation with the heavy snowfall – up to 2 feet – expected for parts of the U.P., and we could see law enforcement asking for travel restrictions during the worst of this storm.
“The worst conditions are expected Sunday night into Monday morning, when the combination of heavy snow and high winds could make travel very difficult to impossible,” the NWS team in Marquette said today.
This storm that will impact Michigan is part of a much larger system that’s overspreading the Great Lakes and beyond. For many, it’s a one-two punch after ice accumulations on Friday led to power outages at thousands of homes and businesses across the state.
AccuWeather forecasters say the Great Lakes are in the bullseye for this Sunday-Monday storm system. They say “all-out blizzard” conditions are likely and travel impacts are expected to be severe.
“There is a good chance the storm will undergo rapid intensification and become a ‘bomb cyclone’ between Sunday afternoon and Monday afternoon over the Great Lakes,” said AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.
South of this blizzard zone, the Lower Peninsula will see high winds and lesser amounts of snow. Areas of higher snow – 6 to 12 inches – could be seen across Northern Michigan. Lakeshore areas could see higher levels of lake-effect snow, too. Other areas across southern Michigan could see just a trace to a few inches of accumulation.
[M Live – Tanda Gmiter]
Lake Superior saltie season closes
ST. MARYS RIVER – The last two salties left Lake Superior Saturday morning for overseas ports. Navbulgar’s Murgash, followed by BigLift’s Happy Ranger, locked downbound through the Soo Locks after spending the night at anchor in Waiska Bay. The Ranger’s pilot, Capt. Jonathan Hoort, stepped out of the bridge to wave hello to the handful of boatwatching regulars assembled at Mission Point.
Other downbounds Saturday included Walter J. McCarthy Jr. early, Kathy McKeil in the late morning, and John G. Munson, Blair McKeil and Indiana Harbor later. Algoma Strongfield was upbound in the afternoon for Thunder Bay.
There is very little ice in the river and vessels are not having any difficulty. A forecast of severe weather across the Great Lakes, with strong NW winds, freezing rain and snow, will likely send vessels to anchor Sunday and Monday. The Soo Locks close for the season Jan. 15.
[Know Your Ships]
Michigan AG opposes EPA’s new ballast water discharge rules for Great Lakes vessels
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has asked a federal appeals court to strike down federal rules that, she said, put the Great Lakes at risk of invasive species that damage the lakes’ ecosystem and fishing industries.
The court filing challenges the Environmental Protection Agency’s final standards regarding ballast water discharges from large vessels.
Nessel and two other attorneys general say the standards unlawfully weaken longstanding protections that prevent ships from taking on water in areas with invasive species, thereby contributing to their spread.
Nessel said the rules violate a 2018 law, leading to “catastrophic” harms, including for people who live and work on and around the Great Lakes.
“Our communities have already paid the price for these species, and Congress acted to prevent even greater damage,” Nessel said in a statement. “The law is clear, and it is my hope that the court acts now to maintain these protections before another invasive species causes irreversible damage to one of our most important natural resources.”
Ballast water is held in the bottom of ships to provide stability and improve maneuverability. Water is regularly added or discharged to account for changes in the ship’s cargo load. That water can contain non-native species.
According to the National Invasive Species Information Center, ballast water can contain water from multiple ports from across the globe, making discharge one of the most common ways invasive marine species are introduced into new areas.
Invasive species can and have damaged infrastructure, threatened native ecosystems, and harmed the multi-million-dollar sport and commercial fishing industries, Nessel said.
Zebra mussels arrived in the Great Lakes in the late 1980s via ballast water from European and Asian ships, disrupting the lakes’ food chain by outcompeting plankton and algae.
The zebra mussel, native to the Black, Caspian and Azov seas in Eurasia, already costs the region an estimated $200 million every year,
[Detroit News]
