SS Badger to undergo repairs in Wisconsin dry dock

LUDINGTON, MI– The SS Badger will be placed into dry dock this spring for repairs in  preparation of the upcoming sailing season. The Badger’s official 2025 sailing season will begin on Friday, May 16 when it departs Ludington, Mich. for Manitowoc, Wis. Prior to that, however, the 410-foot ship will sail to Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding (FBS) in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin where it will undergo a propeller shaft bearing repair.

The Badger is tentatively scheduled to leave Ludington on Tuesday, April 29 for the 12-hour journey. The 410-foot Badger will travel to Sturgeon Bay under its own power.

“This trip is being made under our own power instead of under tow because we are so close to our sailing season we will already have a crew getting the boat ready to sail,” said Badger Chief Engineer Andrew VerVelde. “It takes two to three weeks of ‘fit out’ prior to the season, which involves getting her engines and machinery ready. Since the crew is going to be aboard anyway we might as well steam her over.  It has been done before, but not recently.”

The Badger was built by Christy Corporation in Sturgeon Bay in 1953, located at the same facilities now owned by FBS.  Rather than traveling through the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, the vessel will take a northern route to the tip of the Door Peninsula and Washington Island from Lake Michigan into Sturgeon Bay. It will then travel south back to the city of Sturgeon Bay.

VerVelde said the repairs to the propeller shaft bearing requires taking the boat out of the water and removing its 13-foot, 10-inch starboard propeller. This repair is different than the Badger’s routine five-year dry dock inspection which last took place over the winter of 2021-2022.

The Badger is expected to return around May 10.

“It is the priority of Lake Michigan Carferry and our parent company, Interlake Maritime Services, to keep the Badger in its best working condition,” said Sara Spore, general manager of Lake Michigan Carferry. “Having these repairs done now will reduce interruptions to our summer sailing season.”

The propeller shaft repairs are not the only current major repairs for LMC. Since the end of the 2024 sailing season, crews from Al Bufka Construction of Manistee have been rebuilding the 95-year-old apron decking which is the second phase of the counter-weight replacement that took place in 2023-2024.

The apron at “No. 2 Slip” was constructed by the Pere Marquette Railway in 1930 and still contained rail tracks.

“The new apron decking will provide a much safer and smoother loading and unloading experience for vehicles,” Spore said. “These are repairs that have been needed for many years and we are thankful for Interlake’s commitment to assuring the Badger will sail for many years to come.”

Lake Michigan Carferry Co. 

2025 “Know Your Ships” launches

Enter Duluth’s 42nd Annual First Ship Contest

Birds chirping. Snow thawing. Groundhogs emerging. There are many signs of spring across the country. In Duluth, it’s when the season’s first oceangoing vessel, known as a “saltie,” enters the city’s harbor. Begone ice! The ships are coming in. 

To celebrate the occasion, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and Visit Duluth are partnering for the 42nd Annual First Ship Contest. Correctly guess when the season’s first saltie sails into our seaport and you could win an epic prize package of Duluth goods and experiences. The second-place winner will also receive a prize package.

Here’s the link: https://visitduluth.com/first-ship/

Help Wanted: Interlake Logistics
Solutions Seeks Chief Engineer

The Interlake Logistics Solutions team has an immediate need for an experienced Chief Engineer Limited. More details about the position, pay and schedule can be found via the link below. You can apply directly through ADP and if you have additional questions and genuine interest, you can reach directly to General Manager Chuck Leonard at 231-590-8695 or cleonard@interlakems.com

Apply here: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=85105d21-298e-4548-924a-61f5e162090e&ccId=9200178423575_2&lang=en_US&source=EN

Wreck of the Western Reserve
found in Lake Superior

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – The shipwreck of the Western Reserve, lost in 1892, has been found. After 132 years, the final resting place of the 300-foot steel steamer has been discovered roughly 60 miles northwest of Whitefish Point in Lake Superior.

According to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, the shipwreck was discovered by Director of Marine Operations Darryl Ertel and his brother and First Mate, Dan Ertel, who have been looking for the Western Reserve for over two years. The brothers were piloting the David Boyd, a research vessel, during the search.

Using marine sonic technology within the Boyd, the duo made the initial discovery of the shipwreck during the summer of 2024. Subsequent trips with remotely operated vehicles revealed a ship broken in two with the bow section resting on top of the stern in approximately 600 feet of water.

“We side-scan looking out a half mile per side and we caught an image on our port side. It was very small looking out that far, but I measured the shadow, and it came up about 40 feet,” said Darryl Ertel. “So we went back over the top of the ship and saw that it had cargo hatches, and it looked like it was broken in two, one half on top of the other and each half measured with the side scan 150 feet long and then we measured the width. It was right on so we knew that we’d found the Western Reserve.”

The Western Reserve was a well-known ship in its time, and was one of the first vessels on the Great Lakes made entirely of steel. The ship was built to break record speeds of cargo ships on the lakes, it was even referred to as “the inland greyhound” because of its speed.

Owned by millionaire and shipping magnate Captain Peter G. Minch, the ship was considered one of the safest in the water at the time. That was part of the reason why Minch took a large portion of his family on board the ship, under the command of Captain Albert Myer, for a late summer cruise through Lake Huron in August of 1892. They were on their way to the port of Two Harbors, Minnesota.

According to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society, after the ship passed through Whitefish Bay, the previously calm weather turned rough, leading to the crew dropping anchor to wait out the storm. Soon after, they picked up the anchor to make their way into Lake Superior and the ship was overtaken by a strong wind. At 9 p.m. on Aug. 30, 1892, the Western Reserve began to break apart and sink.

“Knowing how the 300-foot Western Reserve was caught in a storm this far from shore made an uneasy feeling in the back of my neck. A squall can come up unexpectedly … anywhere, and anytime,” said Ertel.

The crew and passengers tried to make their way to safety in two lifeboats. One lifeboat overturned quickly, and only two crewmen from that lifeboat were able to be recovered by the second lifeboat.

The Western Reserve sank within 10 minutes.

The remaining crew and members of the Minch family floated in their lifeboat for around 10 hours before they passed by a steamship. Unfortunately, they were unable to attract the attention of the ship by shouting and they had no flares.

By the next morning, the lifeboat had made it within one mile of the shoreline near the Deer Park Life-Saving Station, but the lifeboat overturned. Only one survivor, Wheelsman Harry W. Stewart of Algonac, Michigan, lived to tell the tale. In total, 27 people were killed in the tragedy.

“Every shipwreck has its own story, but some are just that much more tragic,” said Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society Executive Director Bruce Lynn. “It is hard to imagine that Peter Minch would have foreseen any trouble when he invited his wife, two young children and sister-in-law with her daughter aboard the Western Reserve for a summer cruise up the lakes. It just reinforces how dangerous the Great Lakes can be any time of year.”

Brendan Wiesner, Sault Ste. Marie News

Canada Awards Polar Icebreaker Contract to Davie Shipbuilding

Davie Shipbuilding, the Quebec-based shipbuilder, has secured a CAD $3.25 billion contract from the Government of Canada to construct a new polar icebreaker, with delivery expected by 2030.

The project, which will begin construction in 2025, marks a significant development in Canada’s Arctic maritime capabilities, following another heavy polar shipbuilding contract to Seaspan Shipyards.

The Davie vessel, dubbed the Polar Max, will leverage expertise from Helsinki Shipyard, which Davie acquired in 2023. Helsinki Shipyard brings considerable experience to the project, having constructed over half of the world’s icebreakers.

The Polar Max will be 22,800 tonnes with a length of 138.5 meters. It will be the first newbuild project at the Helsinki Shipyard under Davie’s ownership, and carried out in collaboration between Finnish and Canadian maritime industry experts. The work will begin in Helsinki and be completed at Davie’s shipyard in Canada.

“When we acquired Helsinki Shipyard, we pledged to rebuild this historic business. The Polar Max project is evidence that we are delivering on our promise,” said James Davies, President & CEO, Davie Shipbuilding. “The Canadian government deserves immense credit for partnering with Davie on this groundbreaking procurement.”

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant, emphasized the strategic importance of the project: “This state-of-the-art vessel will not only strengthen our icebreaking fleet but will also support critical scientific research and environmental protection efforts, and ensure national security in the Arctic.”

The project represents a milestone in the ICE Pact, a trilateral partnership established in 2024 between the United States, Canada, and Finland to develop Arctic and polar icebreakers. The collaboration comes at a crucial time, as Arctic regions become increasingly accessible due to climate change.

This announcement is part of a broader Canadian shipbuilding initiative. Notably, Seaspan Shipyards in North Vancouver on Friday announced it has also secured a contract for a heavy polar icebreaker for the Canadian Coast Guard. Their vessel will be a Polar Class 2 ship designed to operate year-round in the high Arctic at temperatures as low as -50°C.

The Seaspan icebreaker will feature advanced capabilities, including more than 40MW of installed power, an ice-classed azimuthing propulsion system, and comprehensive research facilities. The vessel will be equipped with scientific laboratories, a moon pool for equipment deployment, helicopter facilities, and capability for future remotely piloted aircraft systems.

The timing of the contracts coincide with growing cooperation between Russia and China in the Arctic. Moscow is working to increase oil and gas deliveries to China in response to Western sanctions, while Beijing seeks alternative shipping routes to reduce dependence on traditional maritime corridors.

Davie’s President & CEO, James Davies, highlighted the transformative nature of the agreement: “Delivering such a special ship in a timely manner is in the best interests of all Canadians. It will accelerate economic benefits for Quebecers and strengthen the skills of our talented Lévis’ shipbuilders.”

The project will involve significant workforce development, with Davie implementing an exchange program enabling Quebec employees to learn icebreaker construction expertise directly from their Finnish colleagues. The company plans to invest more than $200 million in local small- and medium-sized businesses, reinforcing Quebec’s position as a naval construction hub.

These projects mark a historic moment in Canadian shipbuilding, representing the first polar icebreakers to be built in Canada in over 60 years. The contracts come as the U.S. Coast Guard faces challenges with its own icebreaker fleet replacement program, with the first Polar Security Cutter now unlikely to arrive before 2030.

Davie was named the third official partner to Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy in April 2023, joining Irving Shipbuilding Inc. in Nova Scotia and Seaspan Shipyards in Vancouver, British Columbia. The NSS is a long-term, multi-billion-dollar program to modernize Canada’s naval and coast guard fleets while revitalizing the domestic shipbuilding industry. The strategy focuses on two vessel categories: non-combatant vessels (icebreakers, offshore science vessels, and support ships) and combatant vessels (frigates and Arctic offshore patrol ships).

Davie has secured an initial $8.5 billion package that includes seven heavy icebreakers and two large hybrid-powered ferries.

gCaptain

Great Lakes water levels have dropped

to their lowest point in the last decade.

PLEASANT, MI – Lakes Michigan and Huron were nine inches lower and Lake Superior is six inches lower than the historical average, according to March data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The levels are expected to rise during the spring thaw, but low water levels can cause shipping vessels to run aground, limit recreational access and increase erosion.

Richard Rood is a professor emeritus of climate and space sciences and engineering with the University of Michigan. He said Great Lakes ice cover was moderately low this winter, allowing more water to evaporate.

“Some of that evaporation is going to be immediately turned into snow and lake-effect precipitation, but that’s not going to feed back into the lake until you get in the melting season,” he said.

Rood said some variability year-to-year is normal, but climate change is contributing to sharper shifts between extremely high and low lake levels in a “tug-of-war” trend.

“Climate change has the potential to amplify both the flood and the drought cycles,” he said. “And this pendulum swing makes climate resilience and mitigation planning difficult.”

WCMU

2025 “Know Your Ships” launches

Enter Duluth’s 42nd Annual First Ship Contest

Birds chirping. Snow thawing. Groundhogs emerging. There are many signs of spring across the country. In Duluth, it’s when the season’s first oceangoing vessel, known as a “saltie,” enters the city’s harbor. Begone ice! The ships are coming in. 

To celebrate the occasion, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and Visit Duluth are partnering for the 42nd Annual First Ship Contest. Correctly guess when the season’s first saltie sails into our seaport and you could win an epic prize package of Duluth goods and experiences. The second-place winner will also receive a prize package.

Here’s the link: https://visitduluth.com/first-ship/

Help Wanted: Interlake Logistics
Solutions Seeks Chief Engineer

The Interlake Logistics Solutions team has an immediate need for an experienced Chief Engineer Limited. More details about the position, pay and schedule can be found via the link below. You can apply directly through ADP and if you have additional questions and genuine interest, you can reach directly to General Manager Chuck Leonard at 231-590-8695 or cleonard@interlakems.com

Apply here: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=85105d21-298e-4548-924a-61f5e162090e&ccId=9200178423575_2&lang=en_US&source=EN

Ice-clearing activities along the St. Lawrence River

Ice-clearing activities will begin on or about March 15, 2025, throughout the St. Lawrence River, including the area between the Eisenhower and Snell Locks in preparation for the Seaway’s upcoming navigation season.

All ice fishermen, snowmobile operators, and All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) operators should refrain from using the areas where ice has been cleared to avoid numerous open water leads and unstable ice cover caused by the clearing.

RESTRICTION OF RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES BETWEEN EISENHOWER AND SNELL LOCKS

All persons are to refrain from using the canal in the area between the Eisenhower and Snell Locks due to the possibility of unstable ice cover. The Montreal-Lake Ontario section of the St. Lawrence Seaway is scheduled to open at 8 a.m., March 22.

Valerie van Heest is Marine Historical Society

of Detroit’s 2025 Historian of the Year

Shipwreck explorer, author and museum exhibit designer Valerie van Heest is the recipient of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit’s 2025 Robert T. Pocotte Historian of the Year Award.

The honor, which has been awarded most years since 1969, is meant to recognize excellence in historic preservation, with an emphasis on the written word.

van Heest’s personal mission is to preserve and interpret Great Lakes maritime history in ways that educate, entertain, and inspire. Her work began in 1989 when, as an architectural designer, she cofounded the Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago. Using her design and diving skills, she developed efficient ways to document shipwrecks and created numerous site drawings. She led several projects on the area’s most significant shipwrecks, in one case testifying for the State of Illinois about the shipwreck Lady Elgin.

Relocation to Michigan in 1995 prompted Valerie, her husband Jack, and others to cofound the nonprofit Michigan Shipwreck Research Association (MSRA). Since then, her team has discovered 20 shipwrecks and documented those and dozens of others. Her work led her to begin lecturing. She has delivered over 800 multi-media presentations and cohosted MSRA’s 25 annual shipwreck festivals in Holland, Michigan, showcasing the work of Great Lakes maritime explorers. She has written dozens of magazine articles, been interviewed for countless news stories, and appeared on a dozen national television programs discussing her research. 

In 2006 she established In-Depth Editions to publish her first book, as well as the books of other historians whose niche topics are often overlooked by bigger publishers. Of her eight books, she is most proud of those in which she has been able to correct erroneous historical information, including Lost on the Lady Elgin, Fatal Crossing, and Big Red Lighthouse. The latter book prompted the state of Michigan to install a corrected state historical marker at the site of the Holland Harbor Lighthouse.

In 2008, she and maritime historian William Lafferty, named 2016 Historian of the Year by the Detroit group, coauthored the National Register of Historic Places nomination of the shipwreck Hennepin. This led to their establishment of the exhibit design firm Lafferty van Heest and Associates. LvH has curated and designed all the exhibits for The Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, and numerous exhibits for the Michigan Maritime Museum, Chicago Maritime Museum, and other museums. She has written three successful grant applications as cooperative projects between MSRA and LvH’s museum clients and has been instrumental in negotiating the donation of collections belonging to others to various maritime museums, including a dozen steamship models, and over 200 artifacts from the Lady Elgin, Niagara, and Northwest Airlines Flight 2501. 

She is an inductee in the Women Divers Hall of Fame, recipient of Michigan State History Awards for her maritime preservation work and several of her books, Daughters of the America Revolution Women in History Award, and the AGLMH’s Joyce C. Hayward Award for Historical Interpretation. Her greatest honor has been raising, with her husband, two successful daughters, both who are certified scuba divers.

The Marine Historical Society of Detroit marked its 80^th anniversary in 2024. It has published numerous books, including the recent Ahoy & Farewell III. Find out more at MHSD.org.

2025 “Know Your Ships” launches

Enter Duluth’s 42nd Annual First Ship Contest

Birds chirping. Snow thawing. Groundhogs emerging. There are many signs of spring across the country. In Duluth, it’s when the season’s first oceangoing vessel, known as a “saltie,” enters the city’s harbor. Begone ice! The ships are coming in. 

To celebrate the occasion, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and Visit Duluth are partnering for the 42nd Annual First Ship Contest. Correctly guess when the season’s first saltie sails into our seaport and you could win an epic prize package of Duluth goods and experiences. The second-place winner will also receive a prize package.

Here’s the link: https://visitduluth.com/first-ship/

Help Wanted: Interlake Logistics
Solutions Seeks Chief Engineer

The Interlake Logistics Solutions team has an immediate need for an experienced Chief Engineer Limited. More details about the position, pay and schedule can be found via the link below. You can apply directly through ADP and if you have additional questions and genuine interest, you can reach directly to General Manager Chuck Leonard at 231-590-8695 or cleonard@interlakems.com

Apply here: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=85105d21-298e-4548-924a-61f5e162090e&ccId=9200178423575_2&lang=en_US&source=EN

2025 “Know Your Ships” launches

Enter Duluth’s 42nd Annual First Ship Contest

Birds chirping. Snow thawing. Groundhogs emerging. There are many signs of spring across the country. In Duluth, it’s when the season’s first oceangoing vessel, known as a “saltie,” enters the city’s harbor. Begone ice! The ships are coming in. 

To celebrate the occasion, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and Visit Duluth are partnering for the 42nd Annual First Ship Contest. Correctly guess when the season’s first saltie sails into our seaport and you could win an epic prize package of Duluth goods and experiences. The second-place winner will also receive a prize package.

Here’s the link: https://visitduluth.com/first-ship/

Help Wanted: Interlake Logistics
Solutions Seeks Chief Engineer

The Interlake Logistics Solutions team has an immediate need for an experienced Chief Engineer Limited. More details about the position, pay and schedule can be found via the link below. You can apply directly through ADP and if you have additional questions and genuine interest, you can reach directly to General Manager Chuck Leonard at 231-590-8695 or cleonard@interlakems.com

Apply here: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=85105d21-298e-4548-924a-61f5e162090e&ccId=9200178423575_2&lang=en_US&source=EN

USCG to begin ice breaking on St. Marys River

Editor’s Note: We have removed a reference in this story about the Soo Locks opening early, on March 21, because that date has not been confirmed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

SAULT STE. MARIE — Ice breaking operations will begin next week on the St. Marys River as the launch of the 2025 shipping season is set to begin later this month. To make sure that freighter traffic will be able to make it through without issue, the U.S. Coast Guard will begin ice breaking on March 10.

According to the Coast Guard, initial operations will begin in the lower St. Marys River, south of Munuscong Lake and in the Neebish Channel. After that route is clear, operations will move to the southern half of West Neebish Channel working their way from Mud Lake Junction Light towards Moon Island to the north.

The efforts will be avoiding 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 Coast Guard is planning to cover all of the navigable waters of the St. Marys River before the locks open.

While ice breaking efforts are taking place, the Coast Guard recommends that recreational users of the ice plan accordingly, use caution and stay away from charted navigation areas.

Sault Ste. Marie News

St. Lawrence River ice-clearing to begin March 15

Ice-clearing activities will begin on or about March 15, 2025, throughout the St. Lawrence River, including the area between the Eisenhower and Snell Locks in preparation for the Seaway’s upcoming navigation season.

All ice fishermen, snowmobile operators, and All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) operators should refrain from using the areas where ice has been cleared to avoid numerous open water leads and unstable ice cover caused by the clearing.

All persons are to refrain from using the canal in the area between the Eisenhower and Snell Locks due to the possibility of unstable ice cover.

The Montreal-Lake Ontario section of the St. Lawrence Seaway is scheduled to open at 8 a.m., March 22. For more information on the opening of the 2025 navigation season, read Seaway Notice #2 at https://bit.ly/4bzNIaZ

Polsteam welcomes Polsteam Rudno to its Laker-class fleet

The Polish Steamship Co. (Polsteam) has welcomed another new vessel to its Laker-class fleet of ships, Polsteam Rudno (IMO 9984821), built in 2025, registered in Portugal.

She is the sixth of 12 vessels being built at the Shanhaiguan Shipyard in Qinhungdao (Hebei Province) in China as part of the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (DSIC) Group. The new vessels are all 37,000 DWT and 199.99 meters in length and 23.700 meters in width. or 656 feet in

length and 78 feet in width.

The first in the series was Polsteam Dabie (IMO 9971850) built in 2024. Next was Polsteam Koprowo IMO 9971862 and following them was Polsteam Lebsko (IMO 9971874). These ships are Liberian registered, with each being built in 2024 and all three making their first Inland voyages that year.

Others in the series are Polsteam Pile (IMO 9971886), and Polsteam Okra (IMO 9984819), built in 2025 and is registered in Portugal. Polsteam Okra is expected to be making its first Inland voyage sometime in 2025, as will Polsteam Rudno.

Both Polsteam Okra and Polsteam Rudno have departed from China on their delivery voyages for Polsteam. These new ships for Polsteam replace older obsolete vessels in their fleet. Each of the new ships is also namedfor a lake in Poland.

Denny Dushane

Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary braces for possible cuts

ALPENA, MI – The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and its studies and programs will be either directly or indirectly impacted by the cuts imposed by the Trump administration.

The same applies to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife office in Alpena and potentially other federal agencies in northern Michigan, like the National Weather Service office in Gaylord.

It is still not known if there have been cuts to the staff to the sanctuary staff because administrators and spokespeople of the agencies are reluctant to speak about personnel matters to the media.

So far, about 800 NOAA employees have lost their jobs around the country and a second wave of layoffs is possible.

Last week, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, who represents Michigan’s 6th congressional district, confirmed in a letter to Vice Admiral Nancy Hann, deputy undersecretary for operations for NOAA, that 15 probationary employees at NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab in Ann Arbor had been fired.

The research lab has a direct connection to the Sanctuary and the cut in jobs could impact Sanctuary operations and initiatives in Alpena.

The research lab partners with the Sanctuary and helps with research and exploratory projects, as well as monitoring webcams, and real-time weather status updates. It also shares research vessels with the NOAA staff in Alpena and has a dive team to assist local scientists in Alpena.

The 20% cut of staffing could trickle down to Alpena and impact operations, discoveries, and mission goals if the job loss is long-term.

Chuck Wiesen, president of Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, described the cuts to NOAA staff as devastating for the Sanctuary and people need to contact their elected officials to speak out against them.

“The agency, its mission, and staff are under attack,” Wiesen said in an email to The News. “The firings and proposed budget cuts could be devastating to the sanctuary, the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, and our community.

“ For 25 years, I have had the privilege of witnessing the hard work, dedication, and creativity of the NOAA team. Our board is urging that every resident of Northeast Michigan take a few minutes to call or write to your federal and state elected officials and let them know how important NOAA is to our community and Great Lakes. This is the least we can do for an institution that has done so much for all of us.”

U.S. Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat, has been a strong supporter of the Sanctuary and has made numerous visits to it and even scuba-dived some of the shipwrecks NOAA is trying to preserve. He said the NOAA staff and all of its partners do much more than research. He said, in an email to The News, that funding cuts and a reduction of staff could have a negative impact on Alpena and the entire region.

“From educational opportunities and historic preservation to increased economic development and tourism, the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a critical component of Michigan’s maritime cultural landscape,” Peters said. “Reckless cuts to staff and funding for Thunder Bay have serious consequences for the local community and to preservation efforts across the Great Lakes. I’ll always fight to protect the people and the resources that help support Michigan communities and our Great Lakes.”

Congressman Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, said employees at federal agencies need to continue to show Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency their value and importance. He said it is not unprecedented to have a president force large job cuts to shrink government and spending, but he said he will continue to watch closely all developments with cuts to federal employees and funding in northern Michigan and fight to restore jobs that are needed.

“I’ve long supported much of the work being done by NOAA and Fish and Wildlife Services which have been a large topic of discussion across the 1st District,” Bergman said. “Over the next few weeks and months it will be critical for each agency to show what the added value of each position lost is, and when and where it makes sense, we will work to make sure those jobs are restored. Just like the taxpayer has had to do over the past few years during record high inflation, the government must find all of the areas where we are overspending, over-hiring, or jobs that are just straight up not the role of the federal government.

“Historically, rightsizing the government has not been a partisan issue – in fact, President Clinton cut the federal workforce by nearly 270,000 people,” he continued. “Our Nation’s government is in dire need of reform and President Trump is doing just that.

“As this process takes place, there will undoubtedly be, at least temporarily, some cuts that need to be backfilled or replaced – and that is something I’m keeping a close eye on, especially in areas concerning our national security and our natural resources.”

The National Weather Service, which falls under NOAA’s umbrella, is also experiencing cuts to staff which includes forecasters. Northeast Michigan depends on the weather office in Gaylord for its weather information, and it is not known if there have been cuts to staff.

Susan Buchanan, a public affairs specialist with the Weather Service said in an email to The News, that she could neither confirm nor deny any job cuts at the Sanctuary in Alpena or at the weather station in Gaylord.

“Per long-standing practice, we are not discussing internal personnel and management matters,” she said. “NOAA remains dedicated to its mission, providing timely information, research, and resources that serve the American public and ensure our nation’s environmental and economic resilience. We continue to provide weather information, forecasts and warnings pursuant to our public safety mission. Thanks for your understanding.”

Laury Marshall, a public affairs specialist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also had little to say about any job cuts in Alpena.

“The USFWS reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the American public and the fish, wildlife and natural resources we manage,” Marshall said in an email. “We are working closely with the Office of Personnel Management to ensure we are prioritizing fiscal responsibility for the American people.”

Details on the cuts are sure to come to light at some point, but for now, Wiesen said it is too early in the process and it is still unknown how deep the cuts and layoffs could go. He said it is hard to predict how severe the damage, if any, to the sanctuary and museum could be.

“The firing and cuts are happening in real-time and it seems things are changing by the moment. It is too early to know the full impact,” he said.

The Alpena News

2025 “Know Your Ships” launches

Enter Duluth’s 42nd Annual First Ship Contest

Birds chirping. Snow thawing. Groundhogs emerging. There are many signs of spring across the country. In Duluth, it’s when the season’s first oceangoing vessel, known as a “saltie,” enters the city’s harbor. Begone ice! The ships are coming in. 

To celebrate the occasion, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and Visit Duluth are partnering for the 42nd Annual First Ship Contest. Correctly guess when the season’s first saltie sails into our seaport and you could win an epic prize package of Duluth goods and experiences. The second-place winner will also receive a prize package.

Here’s the link: https://visitduluth.com/first-ship/

Help Wanted: Interlake Logistics
Solutions Seeks Chief Engineer

The Interlake Logistics Solutions team has an immediate need for an experienced Chief Engineer Limited. More details about the position, pay and schedule can be found via the link below. You can apply directly through ADP and if you have additional questions and genuine interest, you can reach directly to General Manager Chuck Leonard at 231-590-8695 or cleonard@interlakems.com

Apply here: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=85105d21-298e-4548-924a-61f5e162090e&ccId=9200178423575_2&lang=en_US&source=EN

Polsteam sells another former lakes visitor

The Polish Steamship Co. (Polsteam) Szczecin, Poland, has sold another of its former lakes visitors. Iryda (IMO 9180384), built in 1999 and which last visited in the 2024 shipping season, now sails as the AK Carl of Sierre Leone registration.

This makes 4 out of 5 Polsteam vessels that Polsteam has sold from their I-series vessels that were built from 1999 to 2000. Thus far the only one of the series that has yet to be sold and renamed is the Irma (IMO 9180396) which was built in 2000 and last visited during the 2024 shipping season.

Already sold and renamed are Isolda (IMO 9180360), now the Hismir Reis of Tuvalu flag; Isadora (IMO 9180372) is now the Tomkar of Panamanian flag; the Isa (IMO 9180358), now the Selvana also of Panamanian flag. It is unknown if any of these vessels will return inland.

Denny Dushane

City of Mackinac Island to countersue ferry companies

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Days after Shepler’s Inc. and Mackinac Island Ferry Company filed a joint lawsuit against the city of Mackinac Island, Mayor Margaret Doud has announced the city will file a countersuit.

According to the Mackinac Island Town Crier, Doud made a public announcement following a special city council meeting Wednesday afternoon.

The ferry companies filed their lawsuit in federal court on Monday. They argue that the city is overstepping its authority set in their franchise agreements by refusing their proposed fare increases to help cover rising costs and a $6 million investment to upgrade MIFC’s aging fleet.

The city, likewise, has argued that what traditionally was a small but open industry has turned into a monopoly. Historically, at least three ferry companies have provided service to the island: Arnold Transit Company, Star Line Ferry and Shepler’s. Star Line bought Arnold in 2016 and rebranded to the MIFC. Now, since the Hoffmann Family bought Shepler’s in 2022 and MIFC in 2024, they are owned by one corporation.

The City Council sought out a legal opinion and published the response to the city website. Representatives from Detroit law firm Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone believe the ferry companies could be challenged under antitrust laws.

“A parent corporation and its wholly owned subsidiaries are, except in very rare circumstances, treated as a single entity under the antitrust laws,” the letter states. “As a single entity, Shepler’s and Arnold have market power and would be considered a monopoly in the relevant market. If Shepler’s and Arnold were actually independent companies (or were seriously held out as such), they could be found liable for fixing prices and dividing markets.”

As part of the franchise agreement between the city and the companies, both ferry services must submit their proposed fares for the upcoming season. Citing the tumultuous 2024 season and other economic factors, the two companies proposed a “slight increase” for ticket rates in 2025.

The City Council rejected the proposed rates, accusing the Hoffmanns of trying to “monopolize” the market and raise prices. Lawyers representing Shepler’s and MIFC reject that claim and say financial stresses must be addressed.

Read more here: https://www.woodtv.com/news/michigan/city-of-mackinac-island-to-countersue-ferry-companies/

WOOD TV

2025 “Know Your Ships” launches

Enter Duluth’s 42nd Annual First Ship Contest

Birds chirping. Snow thawing. Groundhogs emerging. There are many signs of spring across the country. In Duluth, it’s when the season’s first oceangoing vessel, known as a “saltie,” enters the city’s harbor. Begone ice! The ships are coming in. 

To celebrate the occasion, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and Visit Duluth are partnering for the 42nd Annual First Ship Contest. Correctly guess when the season’s first saltie sails into our seaport and you could win an epic prize package of Duluth goods and experiences. The second-place winner will also receive a prize package.

Here’s the link: https://visitduluth.com/first-ship/

Help Wanted: Interlake Logistics
Solutions Seeks Chief Engineer

The Interlake Logistics Solutions team has an immediate need for an experienced Chief Engineer Limited. More details about the position, pay and schedule can be found via the link below. You can apply directly through ADP and if you have additional questions and genuine interest, you can reach directly to General Manager Chuck Leonard at 231-590-8695 or cleonard@interlakems.com

Apply here: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=85105d21-298e-4548-924a-61f5e162090e&ccId=9200178423575_2&lang=en_US&source=EN

VIDEO: Edward M. Cotter breaking Buffalo River ice

Capt. Michael Kick and his crew are spending the day breaking up the ice on the Buffalo River to help prevent flooding during the upcoming thaw. The Edward M. Cotter has been serving the City of Buffalo for 125 years.

Video from WIVB Chief Photographer Chris Broadbent: https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=2545250585820604

New Algoma Endeavour leaves
shipyard for Canada

The new Algoma Endeavour has left the 3.maj shipyard, Rijeka, Croatia, enroute to Canada. She’ll make a stop in Garrucha, Spain, for cargo (to cross the Atlantic it must take on a load, it cannot sail empty on the open sea for stability).

The Algoma Endeavour is the longest ship launched at the Rijeka shipyard, at 225 metres long and 24 metres wide and has a carrying capacity of 29,300 tonnes and it will sail on the Great Lakes. After the disintegration of the Uljanik Group, this is the second vessel built by the Rijeka shipyard for the Canadian client (the first one was the Algoma Intrepid).

Janey Anderson – Ship Junkies

Shepler’s, MIFC ferry companies
sue City of Mackinac Island

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — After several years of changes, a rift has formed between the Mackinac Island City Council and the island’s top ferry services.

Shepler’s Inc. and Mackinac Island Ferry Company filed a joint lawsuit against the City of Mackinac Island on Monday in federal court, accusing the city council of overstepping its bounds by trying to control ferry schedules and fares and meddling in their other businesses.

Part of the issue stems from big changes in the local industry. The Hoffmann family joined Shepler’s as partners in 2022, then purchased MIFC in 2024.

According to the lawsuit, the Hoffmann family knew that the MIFC fleet was outdated and needed repairs, but it apparently underestimated the amount of work necessary to stay afloat.

“Shortly after its purchase, the Hoffmann Family discovered that MIFC ferry fleet required significant repairs, many of which raised critical safety concerns,” Shepler’s representatives said in the lawsuit. “During the first several months of ownership, the Hoffmann Family invested approximately $6 million in MIFC, the majority of which went to repair and modernize the fleet.”

While the repairs were done, the lawsuit claims the Hoffmann’s worked closely with the city, expanding Shepler’s services to make sure the island’s ferry needs were met.

As part of the franchise agreement between the city and the companies, both ferry services must submit their proposed fares for the upcoming season. Citing the tumultuous 2024 season and other economic factors, the two companies proposed a “slight increase” for ticket rates in 2025.

The City Council rejected the proposed rates, claiming the Hoffmann’s are trying to “monopolize” the market and raise prices. Lawyers representing Shepler’s Ferry reject that claim.

“In addition to the substantial capital investments that need to be recouped over time, both Shepler’s and MIFC were experiencing a significant increase in expenses, including a $500,000 increase in fuel prices, an increase in local taxes of $50,000, a $1,900,000 increase in payroll and approximately $420,000 in lost ticket value that Shepler’s and MIFC, in conjunction with the City, gives away for purposes of promotion,” the lawsuit reads.

The city council also mandated that the two companies must also submit a proposal for their parking fees, which customers pay when they leave vehicles on the ferry company’s property in St. Ignace or Mackinaw City.

The lawsuit claims that the companies submitted parking proposals “in the interest of continued cooperation” while claiming that the city council has no say over their parking rates under the current franchise agreements.

The city council formally rejected the parking rates last month.

Mark W. Barker opens Cleveland for season

Mark W. Barker of The Interlake Steamship Co. became Cleveland’s first ship of the 2025 season Sunday (3/02/2025) when it arrived to load ore at Cleveland Bulk Terminal. She will be captive in Cleveland for a while running the ore shuttles from the lakefront up the Cuyahoga River to the steel mills.

Tom Habak

Trump jobs purge at NOAA hits Great Lakes staff in Michigan

ANN ARBOR, MI — Great Lakes researchers and communicators with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Michigan are the latest federal employees to be axed amid the ongoing nationwide purge of government workers.

According to Congressional Democrats, at least 15 employees at the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) in Ann Arbor were among 1,300 federal workers fired by the Trump administration this week at NOAA, an environmental research agency which generates and sends weather, water and climate data across the federal government.

The agency, which is housed under the U.S. Department of Commerce, manages the National Weather Service. The NWS lost hundreds of forecasters amid the purge of “probationary” workers Thursday that mirrors an earlier mass firing which a federal judge in California said was probably illegal.

Agency supporters condemned the cuts as Trump’s latest execution of the conservative Project 2025 blueprint, which calls for privatizing the weather service and dismantling NOAA as “one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry.”

They say the move threatens America’s ability to plan for and guard against severe weather, solar flares and flooding with tornado and hurricane season around the corner.

In Michigan, NOAA researchers study toxic algae blooms in Lake Erie and help the shipping industry forecast water level changes and ice cover on the Great Lakes. Their research supports lake restoration activities and undergirds emergency response.

The NOAA cuts are “cruel and dangerous,” said Mike Shriberg, a University of Michigan professor with a longtime focus on Great Lakes policy and planning. “These are the people and programs that protect the water but also protect our economy and our ability to safely use the lakes.”

In a March 1 Facebook post, GLERL science writer Brie Farina said that the lab’s ability to monitor algal blooms and ecosystems to support the Great Lakes fishery is severely reduced.

“Our terminations were not performance-based, and the decision was made by someone in D.C. who has no idea what we do,” Farina wrote. “We were fired (illegally, I might add) simply because it’s easier to fire newer employees and employees who were recently promoted.” The extent of NOAA cuts in Michigan isn’t immediately clear.

The agency has a field station in Muskegon focused on Lake Michigan research which also helps state and federal efforts restore the ecological health of Muskegon Lake.

NOAA also operates a system of National Marine Sanctuaries, which function as underwater parks in unique coastal areas. The system includes the Thunder Bay sanctuary in Lake Huron at Alpena, the Lake Ontario sanctuary off upstate New York and the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast sanctuary in Lake Michigan.

Democrats in Congress condemned the NOAA cuts and representatives from Great Lakes states sent letters demanding more information on the Ann Arbor lab cuts.

“We have heard directly from those who were terminated, and they are distraught about what this means for the future of the lab and for the Great Lakes in general,” wrote U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell of Michigan and Marcy Kaptur of Ohio.

The GLERL research plays an essential role in planning and preparing for the effects of severe weather, pollution, invasive species and other ecosystem threats, the two Congress members wrote. Lab innovations help safeguard water resources, inform sustainable practices and drive regional conservation efforts.

“The recent layoffs jeopardize the continuity and depth of this work and could have long-term repercussions for the future of the Great Lakes and the communities that depend on them,” Kaptur and Dingell wrote.

Former NOAA officials joined Democrats on a call with reporters Friday to condemn the agency cuts, saying the mass firings will delay or undermine emergency response at a time when extreme weather is becoming more frequent and severe.

Rick Spinrad, NOAA administrator during the Biden administration, said the agency supplies data used by everyone from farmers making spring planting decisions to drivers who rely on global positioning satellites being safe from space debris.

Spinrad said the agency’s Office of Space Commerce helps keep the objects in the increasingly dense field of satellites orbiting the Earth from colliding with one another. The “indiscriminate” firings this week cut 30 percent of that office staff despite a Project 2025 recommendation that the office be “elevated.”

“We fought every year to get additional people,” Spinrad said. “If anything, the agency needs more highly-qualified employees, not less.”

The NOAA cuts are part of a drastic downsizing effort across the federal government led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Probationary worker layoffs preceded larger-scale reductions in the civil service which are being set in motion by the federal Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which directed federal agencies this week to submit plans for extensive reductions in force and restructuring. Trump has has described the federal workforce as bloated and an impediment to his agenda.

In the Great Lakes, NOAA has been sonar-mapping the lakebeds recently to modernize nautical charts which, in some heavy-use areas, haven’t been updated since the 1940s.

“Is that just going to end?” asked David Ruck, a Muskegon videographer and filmmaker who was trained as a diver by NOAA while working at the agency during the Obama administration. “It takes governments to do these things.”

The 12,000-person agency isn’t a bloated, wasteful bureaucracy, Ruck argued. It functions as a backbone for public safety on a nationwide scale.

The U.S. Coast Guard calls NOAA and asks for current modeling when a freighter spills diesel fuel next to a heavily-used beach — which happened in 2023 off Manistee — or when a swimmer goes missing and they need a search-and-rescue grid, Ruck said.

“Is that something that’s waste, fraud and abuse?” he asked.

“By breaking up this agency, demoralizing its workforce and casting them as deep state bureaucrats, you’re demonizing people who have dedicated their lives and careers to protecting life and property for all Americans,” Ruck said. “Wildfires, hurricanes, floods, tidal surges — this isn’t all climate related. The trends are, but the basics of just alerting people to a significant atmospheric event is the bread and butter of public safety on a large scale.”

Garret Ellison | gellison@mlive.com

Enter Duluth’s 42nd Annual First Ship Contest

Birds chirping. Snow thawing. Groundhogs emerging. There are many signs of spring across the country. In Duluth, it’s when the season’s first oceangoing vessel, known as a “saltie,” enters the city’s harbor. Begone ice! The ships are coming in. 

To celebrate the occasion, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and Visit Duluth are partnering for the 42nd Annual First Ship Contest. Correctly guess when the season’s first saltie sails into our seaport and you could win an epic prize package of Duluth goods and experiences. The second-place winner will also receive a prize package.

Here’s the link: https://visitduluth.com/first-ship/

Mark W. Barker departure opens season for Interlake

Badger Wheelsman Joe DeBusk Receives Customer First Award

LUDINGTON, MI –  SS Badger Wheelsman Joe DeBusk recently received the Interlake Maritime Services Customer First Award, presented during the company’s annual winter meeting in Savannah, Ga. Interlake Maritime Services, which operates the largest shipping fleet on the Great Lakes, acquired Lake Michigan Carferry (LMC) in 2020.

DeBusk, who lives in Reed City, Mich. has worked for LMC for 10 years. He was nominated for the award by Sara Spore, LMC general manager.

“Each year Interlake honors an employee for each of our core values,” Spore said. “Those values include innovation, customer first, passion to perform, and one-hand (a crew member who embraces the idea of always willing to lend a hand to a shipmate).

The recipient is selected by the Interlake executive committee as well as some of the company’s captains.

“Joe has worked his way up through the company and always has a smile on his face,” Spore said. “He is the first to greet a passenger and is there to comfort those who may not be feeling well during a crossing. He does an amazing job as wheelsman and never hesitates to go above and beyond.

“This winter season Joe worked to decorate the ship for the holiday season in our festive lights, which was well received by the Ludington community.”

DeBusk’s love of the Badger began in 2004 when his grandparents began a tradition of taking him on an annual trip on the Badger. “I have ridden on the Badger every year since.”

He began his career at the Badger in 2015 working as a deck hand assistant, a position now known as deck security. His job was to make sure the deck was clean and secured.

He then attended the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, located on the campus of Northwest Michigan College in Traverse City, Mich., where he earned certification as an able body (AB) seaman, qualifying him to be a wheelsman. An AB also assists in loading and unloading the ship as well as performing deck maintenance.

Last December, he earned certification as a radar observer, which is a step closer to his goal of earning a bachelor’s degree with a major in maritime – deck officer, which will also allow him to be licensed as a third mate. With a Third Mate Great Lakes license, he will qualify to serve any of the mate positions on the Badger, third mate, second mate, and first mate.

“I’m hoping to have that done by the end of the year,” DeBusk said. “It will be kind of bitter-sweet because I really enjoy stirring the ship. But, my ultimate goal is to earn my captain’s license.”

DeBusk’s love of carferry and maritime history extends beyond his job. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Society for the Preservation of the SS City of Milwaukee and USCGC Acacia in Manistee, Mich. The Society oversees the museum ship SS City of Milwaukee, a carferry that was built in 1930 and served in the Grand Trunk Railroad fleet out of Grand Haven, Mich. and Muskegon, Mich. until 1978 when it briefly served the Ann Arbor Railroad fleet out of Frankfort, Mich. The US Coast Guard Cutter Acacia began service on the Great Lakes during World War II and was decommissioned in 2006. Many present and past members of the Badger’s crew have volunteered on the City of Milwaukee.

The Badger offers a variety of year-round and season jobs and is currently hiring. Visit ssbadger.com/join-the-crew for more information.

Interlake Maritime Services

2025 “Know Your Ships” launches

Enter Duluth’s 42nd Annual First Ship Contest

Birds chirping. Snow thawing. Groundhogs emerging. There are many signs of spring across the country. In Duluth, it’s when the season’s first oceangoing vessel, known as a “saltie,” enters the city’s harbor. Begone ice! The ships are coming in. 

To celebrate the occasion, the Duluth Seaway Port Authority and Visit Duluth are partnering for the 42nd Annual First Ship Contest. Correctly guess when the season’s first saltie sails into our seaport and you could win an epic prize package of Duluth goods and experiences. The second-place winner will also receive a prize package.

Here’s the link: https://visitduluth.com/first-ship/

Help Wanted: Interlake Logistics
Solutions Seeks Chief Engineer

The Interlake Logistics Solutions team has an immediate need for an experienced Chief Engineer Limited. More details about the position, pay and schedule can be found via the link below. You can apply directly through ADP and if you have additional questions and genuine interest, you can reach directly to General Manager Chuck Leonard at 231-590-8695 or cleonard@interlakems.com

Apply here: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=85105d21-298e-4548-924a-61f5e162090e&ccId=9200178423575_2&lang=en_US&source=EN