Boatnerd News
Boatnerd News March 2, 2025
2025 “Know Your Ships” launches
The new shipping season is at hand, and so is the release of the 2025 edition of Know Your Ships, the popular annual field guide to boats and boatwatching on the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway, now in its 66th year.
Preorders are now being taken. As usual, standard and spiral bindings are available. Preorders will be the first to mail out when the book arrives from the printer around March 23.
New this year is the ability to preorder the midsummer EXTRA magazine, which will feature a 50th anniversary tribute to the Edmund Fitzgerald and her crew, when you preorder the book.
To mark the opening of the Soo Locks, Editor & Publisher Roger LeLievre will be at the Soo Locks Visitor Center Saturday, March 26, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., to sign copies of the new edition. Buy them right from him, or from Das Gift Haus and Island Books and Crafts in the Soo, bring them to the Visitor Center and he will sign them.
Preorder at this link: www.knowyourships.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/
Information Search, Forum Pages Restored
Due to a large-scale attack originating from Brazil, Boatnerd’s Information Search and Forum pages (Search.Boatnerd.Com) were down most of Friday. Our tech team has identified and corrected the issue and those pages are back online. Thanks for your patience. We have deployed new security measures to prevent this in the future, please let us know if you have any problems accessing the site.
Expensive to enter, easier to win: The St. Clair Rotary Club’s freighter trip contest
There’s nothing cheap about entering the St. Clair Rotary Club’s annual contest to win a trip for six aboard a Great Lakes freighter. One raffle ticket runs $600. But only 200 tickets will be sold.
“The St. Clair Rotary Club is currently rolling out its favorite longtime fund raiser,” announced Ralph Livingston III, president-elect of the club, on Feb. 6. “The raffle to win a trip for six adults on a Great Lakes freighter vessel is back. This has been a steady fund raiser for our club going back over 20 years. However, we could be nearing the end of this campaign, since the local power plants may not be coal-fired in the future.”
The trip is aboard one of nine self-unloading freighters owned by the Interlake Steamship Company, of Middleburg Heights, Ohio.
The winner and five companions will enjoy three staterooms, each designed for two people, on the multi-day journey. The winning passengers will feast on hearty freighter fare in the captain’s galley.
Four of the freighters in the Interlake fleet are 1,000 feet or longer, including the Paul R. Tregurtha, the longest freighter on the lakes at 1,013.5 feet – the Lakes’ so-called Queen; the Tregurtha has a cargo capacity of 68,000 gross tons and is powered by a 1,710-horsepower engine.
“We are taking this opportunity to generate capital for our newly established St Clair Rotary Club Endowment Fund,” said Livingston. The Community Foundation of St. Clair County will manage the fund. “The fund will help ensure the St Clair Rotary can continue to provide service projects well into the future,” he said.
The Interlake Steamship Company has been moving raw materials on the Lakes to fuel the Midwest’s industries for more than a century. It is the largest privately-owned U.S.-flagged fleet on the Lakes.
“This raffle is a great opportunity for anyone interested in a trip of a lifetime,” said Livingston. “These trips cannot be purchased and they are highly sought after by enthusiasts of the Great Lakes cargo vessels.”
Ticket purchases may be made online. “The Freighter Raffle is now live and ready for ticket sales,” said Livingston. “The link to the web page is very informative and provides direct access to the ticket sales: https://greatlakesfreighterraffle.com/. Your ticket will be generated from the site.”
The winner will be selected during the Rotary’s Gala at the Boardwalk Theatre in St. Clair on April 26, 2025, at 7:00 pm.
“You do not need to be present to win,” Livingston said. “You will receive an email confirmation with a unique ticket number for the drawing. The winner receives six passes (three staterooms) for a Great Lakes Freighter Trip on an Interlake Freighter between Memorial and Labor Day, 2025.
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
Boatnerd News March 1, 2025
Information Search, Forum Pages Restored
Due to a large-scale attack originating from Brazil, Boatnerd’s Information Search and Forum pages (Search.Boatnerd.Com) were down most of Friday. Our tech team has identified and corrected the issue and those pages are back online. Thanks for your patience. We have deployed new security measures to prevent this in the future, please let us know if you have any problems accessing the site.
Water levels in Great Lakes drop throughout
winter. When will seasonal rise occur?
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers predicts that water levels for the Great Lakes will continue a seasonal drop until April. Once spring-like weather begins, most of the Great Lakes are predicted to see a rise in water levels.
All of the Great Lakes this winter are below the 2023-2024 levels.
See Great Lakes data from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers here: https://www.goerie.com/story/news/local/2025/02/28/great-lakes-water-levels-drop-february-erie-superior-michigan-huron-ontario/80235662007/
Repairs start on historic steamship SS Badger for 2025 cruise season
MASON COUNTY, Mich. – Repairs are underway on the SS Badger. Maintenance happens every winter to prepare for the upcoming season.
The last coal-fired passenger steamship in the United States is still up and running and happens to be right here in Michigan. The SS Badger is a national historic landmark that has learned to adapt to the changing world since she first entered service in 1953.
“Originally, it was built as a car ferry that carried rail cars across Lake Michigan,” SS Badger Public Relations Thom Hawley said. “But today, it carries only passengers and their automobiles. We also carry a lot of truck truck traffic, and a number of busses come aboard every year as well.”
During the winter, crew members spend hours making repairs ahead of the upcoming season.
“Every year is its own set of challenges. Some things we do every year, like the maintenance and the engines. But things like the motorcycle parking areas, that’s an upgrade that’s scheduled for this year,” SS Badger Chief Engineer Andy VerVelde said. “Next year will be another set of improvements and maintenance, and it’s good, you know. It’s necessary to keep up on things, and we want to make sure that she’s reliable day in and day out.”
This year, the Badger is sailing over to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for a propeller shaft repair. “It’s kind of a unique opportunity. The crew is excited. It’s a big investment, but it’s neat to see the boat taken out of the water,” VerVelde said. “Usually, it only happens about every six years.”
Although repairs still preserve her historic character, the work isn’t always smooth sailing.
“We still use vintage engine order telegraphs to communicate engine commands from the pilot house down to the engine room. The engine controls and machinery are the same as it was when it was built. Occasionally, we do have to bring in modern technology,” VerVelde said.
In addition to the accommodation of passengers and vehicles, the Badger also houses the ship’s crew.
“Most people don’t think about that, but the people who staff the boat, this is their home. So, we’re also doing changes and upgrades,” VerVelde said. “Our engineering crew is getting air conditioning. That’s a big improvement for those guys.”
Even after countless hours of work, crew members know the importance of keeping her afloat.
“We’re the last major ferry of size on Lake Michigan, and we’re one of the last steamships,” VerVelde said. “And so keeping that tradition alive, keeping steam engineering in the marine world going, being able to share that with people, I think that’s something I take a lot of pride in, and my crew as well.”
The maintenance for the SS Badger is expected to wrap up just before the first sail on May 16.
WPBN/WGTU
Trump Administration Proposes Massive
Port Fees on Chinese-Built Vessels
Editor’s note: These measures could impact trade on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, since many vessels – including some owned by Canadian operators – that call on U.S. ports are built in China.
Reported by gCaptain
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has announced sweeping new measures targeting China’s growing dominance in global maritime sectors, including potential fees of up to $1.5 million per port call for Chinese-built vessels, $1 million per port call for operators of Chinese-built ships, and mandatory U.S.-flag shipping requirements.
The proposed actions, published to the Federal Register on Friday by Acting U.S. Trade Representative Juan Millan, come after a recent USTR Section 301 investigation found that “China’s acts, policies, and practices to be unreasonable and to burden or restrict US commerce.”
The investigation was initiated following a petition filed in March 2024 by five major U.S. labor unions, including the United Steel Workers and the Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIO.
The USTR’s findings reveal China’s dramatic rise in global ship production—from less than 5% in 1999 to over 50% in 2023. China also dominates the maritime supply chain, controlling 95% of global shipping container production and 86% of the world’s intermodal chassis supply. Additionally, China’s ownership of the global commercial fleet has reached over 19% as of January 2024.
“China frames its targeting for dominance in the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors in nationalistic terms as a zero-sum contest pitting companies it controls against all others,” states the USTR report, which also highlights how China’s state-backed entities benefit from extensive subsidies, preferential financing, and regulatory advantages that distort global competition.
In response, the USTR has now proposed a series of aggressive measures that could significantly reshape the maritime trade landscape.
The proposed measures not only include a flat fee of $1,500,000 per port call of a Chinese-built vessel to a U.S. port, but also tiered fees per U.S. port call for operators with exposure to Chinese-built ships and newbuild orders at Chinese yards. For example, operators with fleets comprising more than 50% Chinese-built vessels could face fees up to $1 million per U.S. port call, while those with 25-50% Chinese-built vessels would pay up to $750,000 per call. Vessel operators with shipbuilding orders in China could also face fees up to $1 million per port call, based on orderbook composition.
The proposal would also mandate increasing percentages of U.S. exports to be carried on American-flag vessels. Starting at 1% of cargo immediately upon implementation, the requirements would rise to 15% within seven years, with specific allocations for U.S.-built vessels.
The action also targets China’s LOGINK logistics platform, citing concerns about sensitive data access. The proposal suggests potential restrictions or bans on LOGINK’s use in U.S. ports.
In the initial petition, the five labor unions called for fees on Chinese-built vessels docking at US ports, with costs varying based on vessel tonnage and age, with higher fees on newer and larger ships. A proposed “US Commercial Shipbuilding Revitalization Fund” would collect these fees to support the Construction Differential Subsidy program, which historically supported domestic shipbuilding before its 1982 defunding.
The U.S. government’s proposed trade actions mark one of the most significant attempts to curb China’s growing dominance in global shipping and shipbuilding. However, the proposed measures also carry risks, including potential supply chain disruptions and retaliatory actions from Beijing.
Industry stakeholders can provide feedback on the proposed measures at a public hearing scheduled for March 24, 2025, at the International Trade Commission. Written comments must be submitted by the same date.
Summary of Proposed Actions:
Fees on Services:
Service Fee on Chinese Maritime Transport Operators:
Up to $1,000,000 per entrance of any vessel operated by a Chinese company to a U.S. port.
Alternatively, up to $1,000 per net ton of the vessel’s capacity.
Service Fee on Maritime Transport Operators with Fleets Comprised of Chinese-Built Vessels:
Flat Fee: Up to $1,500,000 per entrance of a Chinese-built vessel to a U.S. port.
Tiered Fees Based on Fleet Composition:
50%+ Chinese-built fleet: Up to $1,000,000 per entrance.
25–50% Chinese-built fleet: Up to $750,000 per entrance.
0–25% Chinese-built fleet: Up to $500,000 per entrance.
Additional Fee: Up to $1,000,000 per entrance if the operator’s fleet consists of at least 25% Chinese-built vessels.
Service Fee on Maritime Transport Operators with Prospective Orders for Chinese Vessels:
Tiered Fees Based on Orders from Chinese Shipyards:
50%+ of vessels ordered: Up to $1,000,000 per entrance.
25–50% of vessels ordered: Up to $750,000 per entrance.
0–25% of vessels ordered: Up to $500,000 per entrance.
Additional Fee: Up to $1,000,000 per entrance if 25% or more of total vessels ordered are from Chinese shipyards.
Service Fee Remission for Maritime Transport via U.S.-built Vessels:
Operators subject to fees can receive a refund of up to $1,000,000 per U.S. port entrance for using U.S.-built vessels.
Restrictions on Services to Promote U.S.-Built and U.S.-Flagged Vessels:
Mandatory Use of U.S.-Flagged Vessels for U.S. Exports (Phased Implementation):
Year 1: At least 1% of U.S. exports must be transported on U.S.-flagged vessels.
Year 2: At least 3% of U.S. exports must be transported on U.S.-flagged vessels.
Year 3: At least 5% of U.S. exports must be transported on U.S.-flagged vessels, with 3% on U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged vessels.
Year 7: At least 15% of U.S. exports must be transported on U.S.-flagged vessels, with 5% on U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged vessels.
U.S. Goods Transport Restriction:
U.S. goods must be transported on U.S.-flagged, U.S.-built vessels.
Operators may use non-U.S.-built vessels only if they commit to transporting at least 20% of their U.S. exports on U.S.-built, U.S.-flagged ships.
Expensive to enter, easier to win: The St. Clair Rotary Club’s freighter trip contest
There’s nothing cheap about entering the St. Clair Rotary Club’s annual contest to win a trip for six aboard a Great Lakes freighter. One raffle ticket runs $600. But only 200 tickets will be sold.
“The St. Clair Rotary Club is currently rolling out its favorite longtime fund raiser,” announced Ralph Livingston III, president-elect of the club, on Feb. 6. “The raffle to win a trip for six adults on a Great Lakes freighter vessel is back. This has been a steady fund raiser for our club going back over 20 years. However, we could be nearing the end of this campaign, since the local power plants may not be coal-fired in the future.”
The trip is aboard one of nine self-unloading freighters owned by the Interlake Steamship Company, of Middleburg Heights, Ohio.
The winner and five companions will enjoy three staterooms, each designed for two people, on the multi-day journey. The winning passengers will feast on hearty freighter fare in the captain’s galley.
Four of the freighters in the Interlake fleet are 1,000 feet or longer, including the Paul R. Tregurtha, the longest freighter on the lakes at 1,013.5 feet – the Lakes’ so-called Queen; the Tregurtha has a cargo capacity of 68,000 gross tons and is powered by a 1,710-horsepower engine.
“We are taking this opportunity to generate capital for our newly established St Clair Rotary Club Endowment Fund,” said Livingston. The Community Foundation of St. Clair County will manage the fund. “The fund will help ensure the St Clair Rotary can continue to provide service projects well into the future,” he said.
The Interlake Steamship Company has been moving raw materials on the Lakes to fuel the Midwest’s industries for more than a century. It is the largest privately-owned U.S.-flagged fleet on the Lakes.
“This raffle is a great opportunity for anyone interested in a trip of a lifetime,” said Livingston. “These trips cannot be purchased and they are highly sought after by enthusiasts of the Great Lakes cargo vessels.”
Ticket purchases may be made online. “The Freighter Raffle is now live and ready for ticket sales,” said Livingston. “The link to the web page is very informative and provides direct access to the ticket sales: https://greatlakesfreighterraffle.com/. Your ticket will be generated from the site.”
The winner will be selected during the Rotary’s Gala at the Boardwalk Theatre in St. Clair on April 26, 2025, at 7:00 pm.
“You do not need to be present to win,” Livingston said. “You will receive an email confirmation with a unique ticket number for the drawing. The winner receives six passes (three staterooms) for a Great Lakes Freighter Trip on an Interlake Freighter between Memorial and Labor Day, 2025.
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
Boatnerd News February 28, 2025
Expensive to enter, easier to win: The St. Clair Rotary Club’s freighter trip contest
There’s nothing cheap about entering the St. Clair Rotary Club’s annual contest to win a trip for six aboard a Great Lakes freighter. One raffle ticket runs $600. But only 200 tickets will be sold.
“The St. Clair Rotary Club is currently rolling out its favorite longtime fund raiser,” announced Ralph Livingston III, president-elect of the club, on Feb. 6. “The raffle to win a trip for six adults on a Great Lakes freighter vessel is back. This has been a steady fund raiser for our club going back over 20 years. However, we could be nearing the end of this campaign, since the local power plants may not be coal-fired in the future.”
The trip is aboard one of nine self-unloading freighters owned by the Interlake Steamship Company, of Middleburg Heights, Ohio.
The winner and five companions will enjoy three staterooms, each designed for two people, on the multi-day journey. The winning passengers will feast on hearty freighter fare in the captain’s galley.
Four of the freighters in the Interlake fleet are 1,000 feet or longer, including the Paul R. Tregurtha, the longest freighter on the lakes at 1,013.5 feet – the Lakes’ so-called Queen; the Tregurtha has a cargo capacity of 68,000 gross tons and is powered by a 1,710-horsepower engine.
“We are taking this opportunity to generate capital for our newly established St Clair Rotary Club Endowment Fund,” said Livingston. The Community Foundation of St. Clair County will manage the fund. “The fund will help ensure the St Clair Rotary can continue to provide service projects well into the future,” he said.
The Interlake Steamship Company has been moving raw materials on the Lakes to fuel the Midwest’s industries for more than a century. It is the largest privately-owned U.S.-flagged fleet on the Lakes.
“This raffle is a great opportunity for anyone interested in a trip of a lifetime,” said Livingston. “These trips cannot be purchased and they are highly sought after by enthusiasts of the Great Lakes cargo vessels.”
Ticket purchases may be made online. “The Freighter Raffle is now live and ready for ticket sales,” said Livingston. “The link to the web page is very informative and provides direct access to the ticket sales: https://greatlakesfreighterraffle.com/. Your ticket will be generated from the site.”
The winner will be selected during the Rotary’s Gala at the Boardwalk Theatre in St. Clair on April 26, 2025, at 7:00 pm.
“You do not need to be present to win,” Livingston said. “You will receive an email confirmation with a unique ticket number for the drawing. The winner receives six passes (three staterooms) for a Great Lakes Freighter Trip on an Interlake Freighter between Memorial and Labor Day, 2025.
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
Boatnerd News February 27, 2025
MSC Baltic III Grounding: Hull Breaches Confirmed, But Fuel Tanks Holding For Now
February 25, 2025
The containership MSC Baltic III remains firmly grounded on the seabed off Newfoundland’s coast following a power loss incident, with Canadian Coast Guard crews reporting no pollution despite significant hull breaches.
The vessel ran aground in Wild Cove, west of Lark Harbour, on Saturday, February 15, after losing power approximately 12 nautical miles from Bay of Islands, Newfoundland. Weather conditions prevented the crew from anchoring before the grounding.
“An assessment of the hull confirmed significant breaches or holes are present. The vessel appears to have settled firmly on the seabed, and is stable at this time,” stated Coast Guard officials.
Tank soundings have revealed approximately 1.7 million liters (50,000 gallons) of heavy fuel and marine gas oil remain aboard the vessel. The CCGS Jean Goodwill is maintaining position at the scene with spill response equipment ready for deployment.
All 20 crew members were safely evacuated by Cormorant helicopter immediately after the grounding. The vessel was carrying approximately 470 containers at the time of the incident, with more than half reported empty. The cargo consists primarily of food, lumber, and paper supplies.
Maritime authorities have established a two-nautical-mile restricted zone around the vessel, with drone operations currently prohibited due to ongoing helicopter activities. The vessel was en route from Montreal to Corner Brook, Newfoundland, when the incident occurred.
Response efforts face ongoing challenges due to adverse sea conditions, which have hampered various operations including safe vessel access. The salvage team continues their assessment of the MSC Baltic III as conditions permit, conducting further tank soundings and cargo hold inspections.
“No pollution has been observed,” Coast Guard officials emphasized following multiple shoreline and aerial assessments of the site.
The situation remains under close monitoring, with authorities promising additional updates as the response efforts evolve.
Mike Shuler
Transport Canada investing $87M towards Trois-Rivières terminal infrastructure projects
The Port of Trois-Rivières, QC, has received major funding of $87.1 million from Transport Canada as part of the National Trade Corridors Fund for the Terminal 16 and 17 project. This investment will make it possible to refurbish Pier 17, build a new Pier 16 and develop adjacent terminals, in addition to consolidating and enhancing the activities of two Port users, Alcoa and G3 Canada. Total investment will amount to $312 million.
This project will support the aluminum and agri-food industries, which are key sectors of the Quebec and Canadian economies. It also represents a unique opportunity to make improvements to the Port’s road and rail networks, and to introduce new technologies that will reduce waiting times for the various modes of transport, thus contributing to the efficiency of the supply chain.
The funding announcement was made today by François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry and Member of Parliament for Saint-Maurice – Champlain.
The Port of Trois-Rivières will build the new wharves and terminals in collaboration with its partners, Alcoa and G3 Canada, who will install new loading and unloading equipment with improved energy, environmental and operational performance. The project also includes the redevelopment of traffic lanes to improve the flow of traffic to and from the Port.
It should also be noted that Quebec-based Pomerleau won the bid for tenders issued to contractors earlier this year. Work has begun and will continue until December 2026, when both terminals will be fully operational.
By Maritime Magazine
Great Lakes water levels drop below long-term average for first time in a decade
GREAT LAKES, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) — The official start of spring is around the corner and before you know it, you’ll be back on the water and enjoying time at the beach. New data shows water levels on our Great Lakes are not the same as they were even a year ago.
Back in 2020, water levels on the Great Lakes rose to an all-time high causing a number of problems. Fast forward to 2025, this is no longer the case.
“We have over a hundred years of data, and Michigan-Huron has the same lake level across the whole area,” Michigan Sea Grant Extension Educator Mark Breederland said. “It’s actually gone below the long-term average for the first time in 10 years last fall.”
The fall of 2024 was so dry the lake levels dropped significantly.
According to the Detroit District US Army Corps of Engineers, our current Michigan-Huron levels are 7-9 inches below the long-term average and 10-13 inches below last year’s levels.
Breederland said this isn’t causing problems now, but that doesn’t mean we’re all clear.
“Most people in Michigan-Huron, plus or minus a foot from that long-term average is kind of the sweet spot,” Breederland said. “If we have a dry spring or summer and a big evaporation is coming fall, if it goes down a bit more, it might be problematic and more concerning.”
Some may wonder if all our snow this winter will help increase lake levels. But research shows that it normally does not.
“People that I know that work on the modeling of the Great Lakes say that it’s kind of a neutral impact,” Breederland said. “Although, I look at it a little bit and I think that some of that, when it melts, it’s going to go down into the groundwater through our sandy soils and help recharge the river systems. And so I think there’s a short-term loss a little bit in that, but in terms of the big picture, it’s probably relatively insignificant in terms of a factor.”
According to the forecast on the levels for the next six months, a very wet season can at least get us close to normal, but the most probable scenario suggests we will stay below average for the foreseeable future.
View the report here: https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/great-lakes-water-levels-drop-below-long-term-average-for-first-time-in-a-decade
Expensive to enter, easier to win: The St. Clair Rotary Club’s freighter trip contest
There’s nothing cheap about entering the St. Clair Rotary Club’s annual contest to win a trip for six aboard a Great Lakes freighter. One raffle ticket runs $600. But only 200 tickets will be sold.
“The St. Clair Rotary Club is currently rolling out its favorite longtime fund raiser,” announced Ralph Livingston III, president-elect of the club, on Feb. 6. “The raffle to win a trip for six adults on a Great Lakes freighter vessel is back. This has been a steady fund raiser for our club going back over 20 years. However, we could be nearing the end of this campaign, since the local power plants may not be coal-fired in the future.”
The trip is aboard one of nine self-unloading freighters owned by the Interlake Steamship Company, of Middleburg Heights, Ohio.
The winner and five companions will enjoy three staterooms, each designed for two people, on the multi-day journey. The winning passengers will feast on hearty freighter fare in the captain’s galley.
Four of the freighters in the Interlake fleet are 1,000 feet or longer, including the Paul R. Tregurtha, the longest freighter on the lakes at 1,013.5 feet – the Lakes’ so-called Queen; the Tregurtha has a cargo capacity of 68,000 gross tons and is powered by a 1,710-horsepower engine.
“We are taking this opportunity to generate capital for our newly established St Clair Rotary Club Endowment Fund,” said Livingston. The Community Foundation of St. Clair County will manage the fund. “The fund will help ensure the St Clair Rotary can continue to provide service projects well into the future,” he said.
The Interlake Steamship Company has been moving raw materials on the Lakes to fuel the Midwest’s industries for more than a century. It is the largest privately-owned U.S.-flagged fleet on the Lakes.
“This raffle is a great opportunity for anyone interested in a trip of a lifetime,” said Livingston. “These trips cannot be purchased and they are highly sought after by enthusiasts of the Great Lakes cargo vessels.”
Ticket purchases may be made online. “The Freighter Raffle is now live and ready for ticket sales,” said Livingston. “The link to the web page is very informative and provides direct access to the ticket sales: https://greatlakesfreighterraffle.com/. Your ticket will be generated from the site.”
The winner will be selected during the Rotary’s Gala at the Boardwalk Theatre in St. Clair on April 26, 2025, at 7:00 pm.
“You do not need to be present to win,” Livingston said. “You will receive an email confirmation with a unique ticket number for the drawing. The winner receives six passes (three staterooms) for a Great Lakes Freighter Trip on an Interlake Freighter between Memorial and Labor Day, 2025.
Help Wanted: Interlake Logistics
Solutions Seeking 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 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
Boatnerd News February 26, 2025
Fednav adds three more Laker-class vessels
Fednav Ltd. of Montreal has added three new vessels to its Handy-size laker class of vessels. They are Federal New York, built in 2024 (IMO 997543), Federal Lexi Rose (IMO 9975442), built in 2025 and Federal William Paul (IMO 9975454) also built in 2025. All were built in Oshima, Japan at the Oshima Shipbuilding Co. Each new vessel is registered in the Marshall Islands and are 199.98 meters in length and 23.760 meters in width or 656 feet in length and 78 feet in width. The new vessels are all sisterships, with each having a very large funnel and four deck cranes. These new vessels are very similar in appearance to the Federal Hamilton (IMO 9975363), built in 2023.
Since the arrival of the Federal Hamilton, which first came inland in 2023, there have been six other similar vessels joining the Fednav Handy Size Laker fleet. The Federal Thunder Bay IMO 9975375 built in 2023, Federal Indiana IMO 9975387 built in 2024, Federal Michigan IMO 9975416 built in 2024, Federal Minnesota IMO 9975428 built in 2024, Federal Ohio IMO 9975399 built in 2024, Federal Wisconsin IMO 9975404 built in 2024. These six vessels all made their first ever inland voyages and trips into the Great Lakes/Seaway system in 2024. These new ships for Fednav Ltd. are replacing older vessels built at Oshima, Japan from 1999 through the early 2000s.
Denny Dushane
Expensive to enter, easier to win: The St. Clair Rotary Club’s freighter trip contest
There’s nothing cheap about entering the St. Clair Rotary Club’s annual contest to win a trip for six aboard a Great Lakes freighter. One raffle ticket runs $600. But only 200 tickets will be sold.
“The St. Clair Rotary Club is currently rolling out its favorite longtime fund raiser,” announced Ralph Livingston III, president-elect of the club, on Feb. 6. “The raffle to win a trip for six adults on a Great Lakes freighter vessel is back. This has been a steady fund raiser for our club going back over 20 years. However, we could be nearing the end of this campaign, since the local power plants may not be coal-fired in the future.”
The trip is aboard one of nine self-unloading freighters owned by the Interlake Steamship Company, of Middleburg Heights, Ohio.
The winner and five companions will enjoy three staterooms, each designed for two people, on the multi-day journey. The winning passengers will feast on hearty freighter fare in the captain’s galley.
Four of the freighters in the Interlake fleet are 1,000 feet or longer, including the Paul R. Tregurtha, the longest freighter on the lakes at 1,013.5 feet – the Lakes’ so-called Queen; the Tregurtha has a cargo capacity of 68,000 gross tons and is powered by a 1,710-horsepower engine.
“We are taking this opportunity to generate capital for our newly established St Clair Rotary Club Endowment Fund,” said Livingston. The Community Foundation of St. Clair County will manage the fund. “The fund will help ensure the St Clair Rotary can continue to provide service projects well into the future,” he said.
The Interlake Steamship Company has been moving raw materials on the Lakes to fuel the Midwest’s industries for more than a century. It is the largest privately-owned U.S.-flagged fleet on the Lakes.
“This raffle is a great opportunity for anyone interested in a trip of a lifetime,” said Livingston. “These trips cannot be purchased and they are highly sought after by enthusiasts of the Great Lakes cargo vessels.”
Ticket purchases may be made online. “The Freighter Raffle is now live and ready for ticket sales,” said Livingston. “The link to the web page is very informative and provides direct access to the ticket sales: https://greatlakesfreighterraffle.com/. Your ticket will be generated from the site.”
The winner will be selected during the Rotary’s Gala at the Boardwalk Theatre in St. Clair on April 26, 2025, at 7:00 pm.
“You do not need to be present to win,” Livingston said. “You will receive an email confirmation with a unique ticket number for the drawing. The winner receives six passes (three staterooms) for a Great Lakes Freighter Trip on an Interlake Freighter between Memorial and Labor Day, 2025.
Boatnerd News February 25, 2025
USCG Press Release:
Please see the attached news release regarding the Coast Guard urging the public to exercise caution around icy waters as temperatures fluctuate across the Great Lakes region.
Very Respectfully,
Ninth Coast Guard District
Public Affairs
Boatnerd News February 21, 2025
Will JD Vance save the Great Lakes from Trump?
Seaway sets opening dates
Boatnerd News February 20, 2025
Polsteam adds new vessel to its Laker-class fleet
The Polish Steamship Co. (Polsteam) of Szczecin, Poland, has added another new vessel to its Laker-class fleet of ships. Recently added is the Polsteam Okra (IMO 9984819), built in 2024 and registered in Portugal. This vessel is a sistership to four additional vessels that Polsteam has built all in China for its Laker-class series. Beginning with the Polsteam Dabie, the first of the series (IMO 9971850), they were joined by the Polsteam (Koprowo) IMO 9971862 and Polsteam Lebsko (IMO 9971874). The first three ships of the new series are all Liberian registered. A fourth vessel, Polsteam Pile (IMO 9971886) was also added to the fleet in 2024. This vessel is registered in Portugal. The new Laker-class series vessels are each 656 feet in length and 78 feet in width and will replace older vessels in the Polsteam fleet.
Denny Dushane
Boatnerd News February 19, 2025
Polsteam sells, renames 3 former lakes visitors
The Polish Steamship Company (Polsteam) of Szczecin, Poland, has sold and renamed three of its former Laker-class vessels, all of which were built in 1999. Each made its last inland visit in 2024. The Isa (IMO 9180358) is now the Selvana of Panamanian registration. The Isadora (IMO 9180372) is now the Tomkar also of Panamanian registration. Isolda (IMO 9180360) now sails as the Hizmir Reis of Tuvalu registration. Thus far the Iryda and Irma, built in 2000, have yet to be sold or renamed
Denny Dushane
Boatnerd News February 18, 2025
Michigan museum explores intriguing history of Great Lakes Yemeni sailors
Abdullatif Ahmed was just 23 years old when he first stepped foot on the Medusa Challenger, a 1906-built Great Lakes bulk freighter. “Before I came to America in 1990,” he said, “I had never even seen the sea.”
Born and raised in Juban, a rural district in southern Yemen, Ahmed was drawn to the Great Lakes by family history and opportunity.
His grand-uncles and father, who came to the U.S. in the 1950s, worked on Great Lakes ships including the Ford Motor Company’s fleet, delivering raw materials from around the region to the massive Rouge plant in Dearborn.
“I wanted to be a sailor for two reasons,” he said. “I like water and as a sailor, at that time, you could save more money.”
Ahmed and his relatives aren’t alone. Records show Yemeni sailors working in the region as far back as the 1910s.
Back then the Great Lakes region was a hive of industrial activity.
Millions of laborers from around the world streamed into Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee and elsewhere to work in automotive and other industrial plants.
Much of the economic activity in Detroit was fueled by manufacturers such as the Ford Motor Company, which owned iron ore and graphite mines in Wisconsin and in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan — materials essential in building its vehicles in Dearborn and Hamtramck.
In the 1920s, the company is believed to have faced a major problem: a lack of sailors to man the ships transporting raw materials south to Detroit.
In the 1800s, Yemeni seafarers were employed by the British navy in the Gulf of Aden and across the Indian Ocean. Although it has been difficult to verify, oral stories suggest that many who came to Detroit were reportedly sought out for their sailing skills and because of their abstinence from alcohol.
Later, waves of Yemeni immigrants who came to the U.S. in the 1950s and 1960s settled in Michigan to work in the Great Lakes shipping industry.
Today, around 30,000 people of Yemeni heritage are believed to live in Michigan, and Ahmed estimates that around 600 to 700 of those work on Great Lakes ships.
“Now there are Yemeni captains, first mates, bosuns and [Yemenis in] other high-ranking positions,” he said.
Recording history
About 15 years ago, this little-known history of Yemeni Great Lakes sailors caught the attention of Professor Sally Howell, director of the Center for Arab American Studies at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
“I had been running into Yemeni-Americans over the years and once I became aware that people’s parents worked on the Great Lakes, I became really curious about it, because there didn’t seem to be a record of this,” she said.
“Once I became aware of the history, it seemed like almost every Yemeni I talked to had somebody in their family who worked on the lakes. It was a much bigger story than I imagined, and it was a really important economic niche for this community.”
This prompted her to make the topic of Yemeni sailors a research project for her students in 2019, who set out to find and interview current and former sailors and ship workers. In total, 22 interviews were conducted, often by the sailors’ younger family members and in their own homes.
“A lot of people we interviewed, their fathers had come in the 1950s,” said Howell. “Especially when the auto industry began requiring a high school education [in the 1950s], a lot of men who were coming in that period were working on the lakes because [the shipping industry] didn’t have the same education requirements.”
In the interviews, the sailors speak of the pain of spending lengthy periods of time away from family, the monotony of life at sea, the back-breaking work of shuffling coal and working in ship “smokehouses” in the 1950s and 1960s. Others talk about how securing a position that included a private room was a goal as they could “pray my prayers and not worry about others.”
Professor Howell said what stood out to her was the skill level acquired by some of the Yemeni-American mariners.
“Some of the people we talked to become navigators,” she said. “There is one who is known [for his skill] guiding ships through the Detroit River, which is a challenging waterway. People have risen through the ranks.”
Another interesting observation, she said, was how it affected women in families whose fathers were absent for long periods. How some wives were empowered in the absence of their husbands.
In the past, many Yemeni-Americans chose to work on Great Lakes ships because the winter months saw shipping shut down, which offered extended periods of time off, allowing them to return to Yemen to see and support their families.
Today, however, most Yemeni sailors reside in southeast Michigan with their families.
Professor Howell said that several times the sailors, often in their 70s and 80s, came to her classes to listen to the student presentations.
The oral histories, which include photos and video footage of life on the frozen Great Lakes, were deemed to be of such importance that the work is now housed as a Digital Special Collection at the Arab American National Museum (AANM) in Dearborn.
“We’re happy to have these donated oral histories. It ties in with speaking about this recent immigrant community that we have in Dearborn and Detroit, this was their experience as a way of coming into the US,” said Shatha Najim, Community Historian at the AANM and who transcribed several of the interviews.
“A lot of people were also doing this back in Yemen, it was passed down in the family. It’s an important story to tell to create a complete picture of who is in Dearborn, Detroit and the surrounding areas. I’m really glad this project started and was done in such an authentic way.”
Central to Great Lakes life
At the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Island in Detroit, the role Yemeni and Arab sailors have played in the history of Great Lakes shipping is honored in a small way.
The museum contains the cabin house of the SS William Clay Ford, a bulk freighter.
Inside the ship’s pilot house is a dedication to its sailors, who on November 10, 1973 “voluntarily left a safe harbor to face the dangers of gale-force winds and vicious seas, in the blackness of a storm … to search for possible survivors of that disaster, exemplifying the finest traditions of the maritime profession.”
The “disaster” is in reference to the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, which went down northwest of Lake Superior’s Whitefish Bay with the loss of all on board in one of the worst tragedies in recorded Great Lakes maritime history.
The dedication bears the names of Ahmed B Ali and Mosaed Ali — Arab and Yemeni-American sailors who served on the ship that night.
Illustrating the close-knit nature of seafaring life on the Great Lakes, upon seeing one of the names in a photo of the dedication, Abdullatif Ahmed’s face lights up.
“I know Mosaed Ali; he was my mother’s uncle,” he said. “I’m sure [it is him], because he was a well-known name in the community. One hundred per cent.”
Read more at this Bridge Michigan Link: https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/michigan-museum-explores-intriguing-history-great-lakes-yemeni-sailors
Invasive carp barrier to Great Lakes on hold as Illinois governor seeks Trump assurances
Detroit Free Press
A project to keep invasive carp species from reaching the Great Lakes could be in jeopardy as the state of Illinois halted its work, seeking assurances from the Trump administration that federal funding for the more than $1.1 billion project will not be revoked.
The Brandon Road Interbasin Project is a joint project between the federal government and the states of Illinois and Michigan on the Des Plaines River, about 27 miles southwest of Chicago in Joliet, Illinois, and about 40 miles from Lake Michigan. A planned lock and dam system there would include an electric barrier, unappealing sounds for fish and gates of bubbles as deterrents — all designed to deter invasive bighead, silver, black and grass carp from entering the Great Lakes.
The carp were imported from Asia to the southern U.S. in the 1960s and 1970s to control algae blooms in aquaculture facilities, farm ponds and sewage lagoons. Floods and human mismanagement helped the carp escape into the Mississippi River system, where their spread exploded.
The carp grow fast, eat voraciously and breed prolifically. A single female can produce a million eggs or more, and the fish can grow up to 100 pounds. Scientists believe the invaders would out-compete native species and Michigan’s prized sports fish, creating ecological chaos on the Great Lakes. Bighead and silver carp are now within 47 miles of Lake Michigan, according to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Rock Island Illinois District and the states of Illinois and Michigan last July 1 announced the signing of a project partnership agreement for the Brandon Road lock and dam, moving it into the construction phase. The agreement allowed $274 million in federal funding, including $226 million provided by then-President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and $114 million in state funding from Illinois and Michigan to be used for construction of the first of three construction increments of the $1.15 billion project.
But Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director Natalie Phelps Finnie, in a Feb. 10 letter to Col. Aaron Williams, commander of the Army Corps’ Rock Island District, advised that state officials were postponing a Feb. 11 property rights closing on riverbed property needed in the first phase of construction.
“The Trump administration’s lack of clarity and commitment to delivering funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources leaves the state to anticipate a lack of federal funding for the Brandon Road Project,” Phelps Finnie stated.
She stated that the state would seek a potential new property rights closing date in May “to allow Illinois to receive written assurances of federal funding.”
“We stand ready to move forward if the administration provides the certainty to fund this critical project,” Phelps Finnie stated.
Illinois Gov. JB Prizker said the Trump administration, since taking office Jan. 20, has withheld $117 million in federal grants for the Illinois DNR, forcing the state to pause contracts and put nearly 70 infrastructure projects on hold.
“Despite court orders, the Trump administration continues to withhold funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources — to create jobs cleaning up abandoned mines and gas wells that are polluting air and water in rural communities,” Pritzker, a Democrat, said in a statement.
“I have a responsibility to protect Illinois taxpayers. If the federal government does not live up to its obligations, Illinois could unfairly suffer the burden of hundreds of millions of dollars of liability. We cannot move forward until the Trump administration provides more certainty and clarity on whether they will follow the law and deliver infrastructure funds we were promised.”
Michigan DNR Director Scott Bowen also expressed his concern.
“It is imperative that the work at Brandon Road continues in order to protect the Great Lakes commercial and recreational fishery, which is valued at $7 billion annually and supports more than 75,000 jobs,” he said.
The Brandon Road lock and dam “is one of the most important Great Lakes protection projects of the 21st century,” said Joel Brammeier, president and CEO of the nonprofit, Chicago-based Alliance for the Great Lakes.
“Everybody who lives in Michigan, and lots of people elsewhere, understands the damage that invasive species have done to the Great Lakes — to tourism, costs to industries and utilities, to recreation, to the quality of life of people who live there.”
