Boatnerd News
Boatnerd News – January 24, 2025
Freight steamer, fireboat among another record number
of Lake Michigan shipwreck discoveries
Milwaukee, WI – For a second year in a row, a record number of shipwrecks were discovered in Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan waters last year.
According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, 17 total shipwrecks were discovered last year, thanks to maritime historians and a federal mapping effort in Lake Michigan. The previous record was set in 2023 with 13 shipwrecks found.
Of those, 15 were confirmed off Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties last summer, joining the Margaret A. Muir schooner and the John Evenson steam tug both located off Kewaunee County last year as well.
One discovery was a freight steamer hidden near Racine for more than 130 years as well as a Milwaukee fireboat scuttled in the lake 95 years ago. Both have eluded divers for decades.
Read about the discoveries here: https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2025/01/23/more-than-a-dozen-wrecks-found-in-lake-michigan-near-milwaukee-racine/77848555007/?fbclid=IwY2xjawH_m7RleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHfcCv3HlSDvEqACSIASXGf9QvZMJxhkIYF5YpZm–rtT7nByY6kfkS6ciw_aem_xSZFWZO1y7G-Ts65IVFBMg
Lake Erie now 80% ice-covered
Mackinac Island’s ferry boats suspend
winter service because of ice
MACKINAC ISLAND, MI – If you’re headed on or off Mackinac Island, you’ll need some wings. Arnold Transit Co., which has the contract for the island’s winter ferry service, announced Wednesday it was suspending its daily trips between Mackinac and its mainland harbor of St. Ignace.
“Due to the ice formation in the Straits of Mackinac over the last few days, we have to suspend our Winter Ferry Service,” the boat company posted on its social media page. “We will resume service as soon as conditions allow for safe passage. Until then, thank you for your patience, kindness and understanding! Until then, stay safe and warm!”
While the boats are docked, airplanes will be the only transportation option. The island’s tourism bureau lists Fresh Air Aviation on its website, and reminds visitors that they will want to arrange for a horse-drawn taxi before they arrive at the airport.
Arnold Transit, formerly known as Star Line and the Mackinac Island Ferry Company, started its winter ferry service schedule on Dec. 16. The winter boats typically run until the Straits freeze over.
The Mackinac Island City Council discussed the impending ferry service suspension due to ice at Wednesday’s meeting. They heard from Veronica Dobrowolski, Arnold’s president and a well-known island captain.
She told council members that deepening ice conditions paired with the “sea smoke” steam coming off the water were quickly making the route unsafe.
Both the Arnold Transit team and island Mayor Margaret Doud had been in touch with the Coast Guard on Wednesday, the agency that determines when waterways are closed to vessel traffic. Island officials planned to touch base again with the Coast Guard next Monday.
Arnold’s traditional winter ferry, The Huron, is out of service and undergoing repairs this winter. Arnold has been using other boats in its absence.
M Live
Boatnerd News – January 23, 2025
Freighter Manitoulin stuck in growing
Lake Erie ice field off Buffalo
Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) – The lake freighter ‘Manitoulin’ is stuck in the growing Lake Erie ice field off Buffalo after attempting to leave following a delivery to the Buffalo waterfront Wednesday.
The 662 foot freighter is jammed in the ice and now awaiting assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard
A Coast Guard icebreaker tug, the Bristol Bay, is enroute to the Buffalo end of the lake to break the ice and free the Manitoulin to allow it to get on it’s way to a destination in Canada.
In just a matter of days, ice cover on Lake Erie has grown exponentially.
“With this blast of arctic air, we have seen ice cover exponentially increasing over the last couple of days,” National Weather Service meteorologist Phillip Pandolfo tells WBEN. “We have gone from just under 40% a few days ago. We are up to 80% ice cover on Lake Erie.”
The Andersons grain bin collapses in south Toledo
TOLEDO, Ohio – The Andersons is investigating after a grain bin collapsed Tuesday night in south Toledo. Andersons said the one-million-bushel capacity grain bin, located at 440 Kuhlman Drive, collapsed at approximately 9:10 p.m.
The company said no one was on-site at the time of the collapse and no injuries were reported.
“The cause of the bin failure has not yet been established, and an investigation is underway,” The Andersons said in a statement.
Burger to build passenger vessel for Wendella Sightseeing
“We are honored to partner with Wendella Sightseeing Co. Inc. to deliver a vessel that combines innovation, quality, and functionality,” said Jim Ruffolo, President and CEO of Burger Boat Company. “This project exemplifies Burger’s dedication to supporting commercial maritime operations with expertly crafted vessels tailored to the unique needs of our clients.”
The new vessel is designed to align with Wendella’s mission of delivering a superior experience to tourists and event guests alike, he added in a press release.
“As we look forward to our tenth decade of setting the standard for the industry and showcasing Chicago to the world, Wendella is pleased to be again working with Burger Boat Company and Seacraft Design, LLC on the newest addition to our fleet,” said Michael Borgstrom, Wendella president.
VIDEO: Iver Bright assisted by tug America at Monroe
On January 12th, 2025 the Port of Monroe welcomed the M/V Iver Bright with a delivery of liquid asphalt destined for Michigan Paving & Materials. She was assisted by the Port’s “flagship,” the 127 year old Tug America of the Great Lakes Towing Co. Here’s a glimpse into a day of icebreaking and ship assist aboard the world’s oldest commercially operated tugboat captained by Monroe Port Director, Capt. Paul C. LaMarre III.
Watch the video here: https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=966615795398639
Study finds winter days on the Great Lakes growing shorter due to climate change
Great Lakes have lost an average of 14 days each decade between 1995-2023. A new study builds on previous research that shows winters on the Great Lakes are growing shorter due to climate change.
The Great Lakes have been losing an average of 14 days of winter conditions each decade since 1995 due to warming air temperatures, according to the study published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Research Letters.
The study’s lead author Eric Anderson, an environmental engineering professor with the Colorado School of Mines, said researchers arrived at their findings by examining ice conditions and surface water temperatures.
“We do see that winter time – whether you think about it in terms of ice or think about in terms of really cold water temperatures – we’re just seeing less days where those conditions exist,” Anderson said.
Research has already found the Great Lakes are losing ice cover at a rate of about 5 percent each decade for a total loss of 25 percent between 1973 and 2023. Those changes are occurring as the region has seen among the greatest increases in average winter temperatures over the past 50 years.
The study builds on that research by focusing on changes in water temperatures during the winter months. Anderson noted only Lake Erie typically sees heavy ice cover each winter, whereas the other Great Lakes often see areas of open water.
Winter is typically a blind spot for researchers due to difficulties in obtaining measurements when there’s less ice cover on the lakes. For the study, they relied largely on satellite data, as well as several monitoring stations, to examine how mixing of the lakes from top to bottom may be changing during the winter. Typically, the lakes tend to mix in the fall and spring when temperatures are the same at the top and bottom.
During the summer, the surface of the lakes is warmer and the bottom is colder. In the winter, the opposite is true.
The study’s co-author, Craig Stow, said the reason for that is the maximum density of water is 4 degrees Celsius or about 39 degrees Fahrenheit. Stow, who is a scientist with NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab, said they found there’s been an increase in the number of spring and fall days in the lakes.
“The winter days are being lost to those spring and fall times where the temperatures are essentially the same from the very top to the very bottom,” Stow said.
Stow said that means the lakes are staying warmer in the fall and warming up earlier in the spring.
Winter days on the lakes were defined as days with ice cover or having surface temperatures of less than 2 degrees Celsius. The loss of winter days was found over nearly the entire area of Lakes Superior, Huron and Erie. In Lakes Michigan and Ontario, the loss of winter days was primarily along the shorelines and bays.
“We saw decreases in ice cover in areas where you tend to see large amounts of ice, so Green Bay and up near Beaver Island and Straits of Mackinac,” Anderson said. “We didn’t see big decreases in ice for the rest of the lake, so you didn’t have a lot of coastal ice loss along the eastern side of Wisconsin or down near Chicago.”
However, researchers did see a loss of colder temperatures in open waters around the southern shoreline of Lake Michigan, which were shifting to more days that had temperatures like spring or fall.
Lake Superior didn’t lose as many ice days as Lakes Huron or Erie because it doesn’t see as much ice cover in the middle of the lake.
“It was losing some number of days with coastal ice, particularly along the Wisconsin shoreline of Superior in the western end there,” Anderson said.
Even so, he said the lake experienced a big shift to temperatures closer to what one might expect in the spring and fall out in open waters.
Anderson and Stow said the changes could have implications for the Great Lakes in terms of extended periods when algal blooms may occur, the duration of shipping seasons, effects on the food web and the $7 billion dollar fishing industry.
“We looked at a couple decades here of change that we see you’re losing a half a month of what we used to think about being the winter,” Anderson said. “That’s really important for the chemistry of the lake. It could be important for the biology of the lake.”
Researchers say questions remain about whether the loss of winter days may stay the same or accelerate, which is one of the things they hope to examine in the future.
Wisconsin Public Radio
Algoma Capt. Charlene Munden Receives 2025 IMPACT! Award
Algoma Central’s Capt. Charlene Munden has received 2025 IMPACT! award.vPresented by The Great Lakes/Seaway Review in partnership with Women in Logistics, this honor recognizes her contributions to Algoma and the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway shipping industry. As Algoma’s first female captain, Capt.Munden’s perseverance and leadership are a true inspiration. In 2024, she commanded the Algoma Guardian.
“I’m proud to represent women in the industry, and I will continue to strive for excellence while opening doors for others,” said Capt.Munden.
Algoma Central Corp.
Boatnerd News – January 21, 2025
Ice Hampers BayShip Winter Arrivals
Tugs and icebreakers braved sub-zero temps Monday to get two 1,000-footers through the ice and into BayShip for winter layup. The tugs Jimmy L and Donald J Sarter, the USCG Mackinaw and USCG Mobile Bay all worked hard to get the 1,000 footers James R. Barker and Paul R. safely docked, however it looks like the both are going to sit the night in the bay. They are going to move the Cort early in the morning out of the dock she is berthed at to make room.
Historic S.S. City of Milwaukee ‘boatel’ taking reservations for 2025
MANISTEE TOWNSHIP, MI – Enjoy history with a view when you stay aboard this retired Great Lakes car ferry that serves as a “boatel” during the summertime.
The S.S. City of Milwaukee, near Manistee, is taking reservations for the 2025 season.
“2024 was a banner year for us with record-breaking guest numbers and several fully booked weekends,” officials said on Facebook. “We’re thrilled to embark on another fantastic year, which helps us keep our ship and museum operations running smoothly and preserves the rich legacy of the Great Lakes car ferries.”
The season runs May 23 through Aug. 24 with the boatel open Friday-Sunday in May and August, and Thursday-Sunday in June and July.
Read the full M Live story here: https://www.mlive.com/life/2025/01/historic-boatel-on-picturesque-up-north-lake-taking-reservations-for-2025-stays.html
2025 Increase of Seaway Tolls Announced
The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) has announced a 3.5% increase of Tolls and Wharfage & Storage Charges for the upcoming navigation season.
The Schedules of Tolls and Wharfage & Storage Charges are available here: Seaway Handbook – Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System (greatlakes-seaway.com)
Boatnerd News – January 18, 2025
St. Marys River Channel Closures
The U.S. Coast Guard would like to remind all recreational ice users to plan their activities carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from shipping channels.
Winter work: Keeping aging lakers sailing on the Great Lakes
DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) – Many people in the Northland, and across the country, adore the ships that sail on the Great Lakes. The love for maritime activity is shared monthly at the Duluth-Superior Harbor Club. Since 1958, men retired from the maritime industry meet monthly and connect over their experience on the Great Lakes.
“I usually try to sit next to somebody I don’t otherwise see and talk to them to see what they’re up to,” Dan Rau, a club member, said. Rau is no stranger to freshwater, as he used to be a commercial fisherman on Lake Superior and delivered fish on the North Shore.
“I’d make the two-day run around Isle Royale with the Voyager, come back to Grand Portage, load the fish from the island down to the boat and then drive down the shore and stop at whoever had fish,” Rau said.
Trading fishing for teaching, Rau started educating the next generation.
“I did a lot of chemistry in the wintertime and then I ran the research vessel in the summertime,” Rau said. “The research vessel was kind of a misnomer because we did educational programs on the boat and it was really the public’s only access to scientific information about the lake on the lake.”
Rau then used his experience to work on the big ships. “When the ships were laid up in the harbor, I worked as part of the crew that did maintenance work on the ships during the wintertime, including painting the hull of a thousand-footer,” Rau said.
Lakers are vessels that operate exclusively within the freshwater of the Great Lakes. During their winter offseason, they typically undergo maintenance.
“Some of these vessels are approaching 100 years old,” CEO and President of Fraser Shipyards Patrick Kelly said. “We keep them operating during slack periods when they’re not commercially hauling ore, quite often that’s in the winter period.”
According to Kelly, the work done after the Soo Locks close in Michigan is important for an aging fleet of lakers.
“We’re something like an Indianapolis pit crew in the way we do our work, and people coming in don’t want to be here longer than they need to be,” Rau said. “We’re partnering with the boat owners to find ways to extend the life of these boats any way we can.”
The crew at Fraser Shipyards works on vessels year-round, but their work dramatically increases during the winter work season. We more than triple our full-time and contractor teams working on these boats during our winter period,” Kelly said.
According to Kelly, Fraser Shipyards will work on seven to eight ships this winter.
“At this time of year, we’re preparing and getting crews in place and equipment positioned as those boats come in so that we’re ready to work,” Kelly said.
Fraser Shipyards works with a variety of ship ownership groups, including Interlake Steamship Company.
Based out of Ohio, Interlake Steamship Company owns a variety of lakers, including the first Great Lakes bulk carrier built on the Great Lakes in more than 35 years.
“We used the opportunity to build a ship in a way that would promote flexibility and allow for maximizing the resource of our design in starting from scratch,” Brendan O’Connor COO of Interlake Steamship Company, said.
According to O’Connor, the company invests millions of dollars during the winter months to maintain the ships. “It’s all about maximizing the utilization of those ships during their running season,” O’Connor said.
The Interlake Steamship Company owns many aging Lakers including the Lee A. Tregurtha, which was built in 1942. While the company owns an aging fleet, their new build, Mark W. Barker, is exciting shipping experts.
“Seeing that vessel arrive here in the port of Duluth-Superior, the first time and every subsequent time is just an indication of the future being now for Great Lakes shipping,” Jayson Hron director of communication and marketing for the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, said.
The history of the Duluth-Superior Port began in the 1800s, but the future of shipping is on the horizon. “I mean there’s a wonderful history, a long history of shipping on the Great Lakes, but it’s exciting to work on the future,” Hron said.
The Great Lakes shipping season officially ended when the Soo Locks close on January 15 for maintenance work.
Michigan town seeking to be stop along Great Lakes cruises
“You are immediately right adjacent to East Tawas Beach,” Castle said. “We have the ability to be able to do rentals to use Tawas Bay from a jet ski perspective, other amenities, but then a short distance, you’re literally right into downtown East Tawas.”
Castle says the downtown is charming with a lot of shops and restaurants. He says they’re also looking at developing excursions to go to the Ausable River, Oscoda, and Tawas State Park.
Boatnerd News – January 17, 2025
1.8M in Harbor Assistance Grant Headed to Manitowoc to Enable Improvements for Kone Cranes
By Kevin Zimmermann
Jan 16, 2025 | 6:00 AM
A portion of a total $10 million grant will fund a project in Manitowoc that will enable improvements to one of its major manufacturer’s facilities. City Centre LLC which serves as a hub for Manitowoc’s riverfront and harbor businesses, is one of five recipients of a Wisconsin DOT Harbor Assistance Program grant designed to strengthen reliability, support waterborne freight, and assist with economic development. The $1.8 million headed to Manitowoc will be used to construct a load-out pad on the Manitowoc River for assembling, testing, and shipping new portal jibs designed by Konecranes Inc.
The Harbor Assistance Grant program focuses on public and private harbor facilities for projects that support cargo transfer, shipbuilding, commercial fishing, vessel cruises or ferry service, and are part of a current three-year harbor development plan. Manitowoc’s most recent plan was approved last March.
WHBL
Boatnerd News January 16, 2025
American Mariner Wraps Up Soo Locks Shipping Season
American Mariner, loaded with grain for Buffalo, locked downbound around 3 a.m. Jan. 16, closing the Soo Locks 2024-25 shipping season, The locks will reopen March 25.
View a video here: https://www.facebook.com/SooLocksVistorsCenter/videos/2878574085634580
Boatnerd News – January 15, 2025
World War II submarine at a Manitowoc
museum is heading to Door County for work this fall
MANITOWOC – A historic, decorated World War II submarine credited with sinking more than a dozen enemy ships and today serving as the feature attraction at a Manitowoc museum is heading to Door County this fall for repairs and maintenance, and it’s likely people will be able to view it as it passes by in Lake Michigan.
Meanwhile, the museum is continuing fundraising efforts for the $1.5 million to pay for the work.
The World War II submarine USS Cobia will temporarily move from its home at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc to Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay this fall for maintenance and repairs, marking the first time since 1996 the 81-year-old vessel will be in drydock
The USS Cobia, docked outside the Wisconsin Maritime Museum where the Manitowoc River meets Lake Michigan, will be brought to Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay and go into drydock for what is expected to be at least six weeks of work to help preserve it and make sure it remains afloat.
It’s the first time the 310-foot-long Gato-class sub, launched in November of 1943 and first pressed into service in 1944, will be in drydock in almost 30 years, when it also went to Bay Shipbuilding in 1996 for a project that mainly restored its interior to its 1945 configuration, the last year of WWII.
The entire sub is restored to 1945 specs, including recent efforts to install a DC power drive, rebuild main engines 1 and 2, restore its SJ-1 radar, thought to be the oldest operational radar in the world, and bring back its radio shack. Wisconsin Maritime Museum executive director Kevin Cullen said the Cobia is about 90% complete, its propellers are among the missing items because those were removed when the sub was decommissioned.
Obituary: Maritime Historian Dr. Timothy J. Ruyan
On Wednesday, January 8th, Dr. Timothy J. Runyan died unexpectedly in his hometown of Greenville, North Carolina.
He has been a long-time trustee and stalwart supporter of the National Maritime Historical Society, as well as a past director of the East Carolina University (ECU) Program in Maritime Studies, a leading graduate program that has produced many leaders in the fields of maritime archaeology, maritime history, and historic ship preservation. Before his tenure in North Carolina, he served as a professor of history at Cleveland State University (CSU) for almost 30 years and in retirement was professor emeritus at both ECU and CSU.
His work in the maritime heritage field reached far beyond the classroom. Along the way, he served as co-founder of the Association of Great Lakes Maritime History, was the driving force behind the National Maritime Alliance and the Maritime Heritage Conference, led the effort to preserve the 618-foot Great Lakes steam freighter WILLIAM G MATHER as a museum ship on the Cleveland waterfront, and served as the manager of NOAA’s Maritime Heritage Program—among many other roles.
He was a tireless advocate for maritime heritage and preservation, as many members of Congress and their staffers can attest. His walking the halls of the Capitol, rallying support for the cause from anyone who would listen, was a common sight to many.
With all of his accomplishments in his decades as a leader in the field, his most defining characteristic was his unwavering support of his students. He saw every room he walked into as a chance to connect students with opportunities. He has been a mentor—more than that, an absolute central figure—in many of his students’ and colleagues’ lives.
National Maritime Historical Society
Boatnerd News – January 14, 2025
Ice Stalls Downbound St. Marys Traffic
10:30 a.m. UPDATE: The American Spirit is now on the move thanks to he help of the USCG Biscayne Bay. The Gott and the Pierson are warming up their engines to follow.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Heavy ice Monday night below the Neebish Rock Cut in the vicinity of Winter Point brought the downbound American Spirit to a halt and she went to anchor for the night. Behind her was Edwin H. Gott and Robert S. Pierson, which also had to anchor. Coast Guard Cutter Biscayne Bay was on scene at 9:30 am. Tuesday working to free the Spirit.
With the locks set to close at midnight Wednesday, traffic has slowed to a trickle. James R. Barker was at Whitefish Point Tuesday morning while the tug Sharon M 1 and her barge were upbound for Algoma Steel.
Further afield, the Herbert C. Jackson was being assisted in the St. Clair River off Algonac Tuesday morning.
St. Marys River Reopens to Downbound Traffic;
Workers Search Monday for Harvest Spirit Anchor
Efforts were underway Monday to recover an anchor from the Harvest Spirit, which grounded just after 5 p.m. Sunday after experiencing a power failure, running aground on sandy bottom on the Neebish Island side of the St. Marys River above the Rock Cut/Neebish Island ferry landing.
The swift current eventually swung the Harvest Spirit’s stern around until the vessel was heading back upstream, in the process freeing the ship. Just after 9 p.m., the Purvis Marine tug Wilfred M. Cohen arrived on scene to assist turning the Harvest Spirit about so she was headed back down river and she headed to Mud Lake under her own power to anchor.
Monday’s work involved the Army Corps tug Cheraw, crane barge Harvey and the survey vessel Bufe, which worked through the afternoon in the area where the Harvest Spirit had grounded. It is unknown if the anchor was recovered. Harvest Spirit upped anchor and continued her trip to Windsor in the late afternoon and the river was opened back up to down bound traffic. American Spirit and Edwin H. Gott, stopped above the locks, got underway as soon as clearance was given.
The locks are slated to close for the season Wednesday at midnight.
Cleveland-Cliffs eyeing all-cash bid
for U.S. Steel, source says
Cleveland-Cliffs is partnering with peer Nucor to prepare a potential all-cash bid for U.S. Steel, with an offer in the high $30s per share, a person familiar with the matter said on Monday.
Cliffs is aiming to purchase all of U.S. Steel and then sell its Big River Steel mill to Nucor if the deal is completed, the person added on condition of anonymity because the details have not been made public.
Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves reiterated in a wide-ranging press conference on Monday in Butler, Pennsylvania that he wanted to bid again for U.S. Steel after making a rejected offer in 2023 and had a plan, but declined to elaborate on details.
“I’m happy that I’m in a position to make an offer that will execute on the wishes of the board and the management,” Goncalves said. “They sell, they go away. We take over. We do good. America will be better, America will be stronger,” he added.
U.S. Steel shares closed at $36.34 on Monday. Nucor did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Cliffs’ potential bid, first reported by CNBC, appeared aimed at ratcheting up pressure on Japan’s Nippon Steel, whose imperiled $14.9 billion bid for U.S. Steel was blocked by President Joe Biden in a Jan. 7 executive order that cited unspecified national security concerns.
Nippon Steel declined to comment. U.S. Steel did not respond to a request for comment.
Enforcement of Biden’s order, which gave the parties 30 days to unwind the transaction, was postponed until June after the companies sued the U.S. president, alleging he violated the constitution by depriving them of due process when he blocked the deal.
Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel also sued Goncalves and Cliffs, alleging “illegal and coordinated actions” aimed at scuttling the deal in order to “monopolize the domestic steel markets.”
Cliffs described the lawsuit as “baseless.”
Reuters
Come on board the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter
Mackinaw during Operation Taconite
It’s the first time this crew has been in the Twin Ports. Seaman Justin Lawson is from Florida, so ice isn’t something he’s used to. “Duluth is awesome, how it’s set up on the hill. It’s a really nice place,” he told us.
He told us he joined the Coast Guard so he could help people.
Chief Warrant Officer Chris Lobherr is a cold weather person. “I wanted to see Duluth for a long time. It’s been on my list to come see, and I’m really excited to be here.” He’s been on almost every ice breaker the Coast Guard has.
Their Executive Officer, Lt. Kyle Smith, shared that it’s been a few years since they’ve been able to do any ice breaking, due to the weather conditions. “So to get the opportunity to come up here to the Twin Ports, and train our new deck watch officers on ice breaking techniques has been really great for all of us on board,” he said.
He added that it’s rewarding to keep the lakers moving, so they can get their loads like iron ore down to the steel mills.
On Tuesday last week, the Lee A. Tregurtha was sailing in to load up at the CN ore docks. So the Mackinaw helped clear the path for her, with the help of the tug Missouri.
Their leader, Commander Jeannie Greene, is pumped up to be here. “We love that we can drive the ship right up to these massive loaders. We love that we get to be really close to some legendary ships like the Tregurtha, that we just got to interact with.”
WDIO
Friends of the Fitz Group Aims to Honor
Vessel’s Last Port of Call
SUPERIOR, Wis. — 2025 marks 50 years since the Edmund Fitzgerald sank on Lake Superior, and a group in Superior, Wisconsin is hoping to place a historical marker to honor the ship. On New Year’s Day, Superior Mayor Jim Paine proclaimed 2025 as “Year of the Fitz,” marking five decades since the sinking of the renowned freighter.
And this year a group called Friends of the Fitz is working to raise money for a Wisconsin Historical Society marker to honor the loss of the Fitzgerald and its crew. The marker would be installed on Barkers Island, as Superior was the last port of call for the Fitzgerald.
An event was held Saturday at the Superior Public Library, where people learned how to support fundraising efforts.
“There are so many memorials out there and ways that other communities have remembered their real part in the Edmund Fitzgerald’s history and Superior is no different,” said Superior City Councilor Jenny Van Sickle with Friends of the Fitz. “So the Friends of the Fitz are raising money in order to purchase and install our own official marker here in Superior.”
The Friends of the Fitz need to raise $7,000 for the historical marker, and for 90 days following the event, donations made in support of the marker will be matched.
Donate at https://www.douglashistory.org/memberships-sponsorships/edmundfitz/
Boatnerd News – January 12, 2025
Harvest Spirit Aground Above Rock Cut
7 PM UPDATE: The swift current swung the Harvest Spirit’s stern around until they were heading nearly upstream and they are no longer aground. Captain reported no evident damage and the vessel is at anchor awaiting inspectors. ORIGINAL REPORT: Just after 5 p.m. Sunday, the McKeil Marine bulk carrier Harvest Spirit left the channel, running aground on the Neebish Island side of the St. Marys River above the Rock Cut/Neebish Island ferry landing. She is headed for Windsor, ON. No other information is available at this time.
Dealing With A Tight Squeeze In The Cuyahoga River
At the end of November, the Coast Guard published a notice that it would establish a regulated navigation area (RNA) from December 2 to July 11 for “certain waters of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio.” The RNA pertains to a $40 million shoreside rehabilitation and construction project along 2,400 feet of the river’s course around and past an area known locally as “Irishtown Bend,” so-called because of Irish immigrants who settled there in the 19th century. It is within a larger area in Cleveland known as “the Flats.”
By the mid-20th century, the Irishtown Bend neighborhood had faded. The area was largely abandoned by the 1980s, except as a dumping ground for fill.
Then, reclamation efforts started but with a new, grander idea to make the derelict area part of Cleveland’s regional parks and, more extensively, to form a final link between the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Lake Erie.
That vision has gained broad regional support. The current bulkhead repair is the first of a series of projects that will result in a 25-acre park and green space costing about $60 million. The bulkhead construction is critical to shore up the riverbank and prevent total collapse. For the river’s commercial traffic, doing nothing is not an option. The U.S. Coast Guard has estimated that if the erosion continued unabated, it could close the river for 12 to 18 months.
The RNA limits vessel speeds near the construction area and prohibits vessels from being inside the RNA during construction hours unless authorized by the captain of the port or a designated representative. This includes all navigable waters within 10 feet of construction barges. The boundaries are the Detroit-Superior Bridge and, to the south, the Columbus Road Bridge.
Significant for maritime shipping, the enacted RNA contains critical compromises compared to the Coast Guard’s originally published RNA released last May. That first RNA proposed restrictions to be in effect from 8 a.m. through 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting August 15, 2024, and continuing to November 30, 2025. The Coast Guard asked for comments and received strong pushback.
Some of the published comments included:
“The proposed rulemaking would negatively impact our ability to transport these materials and put our customers at risk of running out of inventory,” said Grand River Navigation Company, based in Traverse, Mich.
“The restrictions that would result from the proposed regulated navigation area would impose unreasonable and economically detrimental burdens on Cleveland-Cliffs’ Cleveland works,” commented Cleveland-Cliffs, the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America. “Freighters cannot transit the river channel without coming within 10 feet of the construction barges.”
“Over a year’s worth of significant impact to the federal navigation channel is unacceptable to our shipping companies, their customers and the manufacturing sector of northern Ohio and the nation,” stated the Lake Carriers’ Association.
Commenters argued that the Port of Cleveland, the sponsor for the Irishtown Bend project, and its contractors, led by Goettle Construction, could have developed a project that didn’t impede river traffic. Most shippers who commented also expressed their support for the Irishtown Bend park, green space and related improvements.
Shippers noted that, while there is urgency to get started, the erosion and bank collapse have been going on for decades. Thus, they argued it likely wouldn’t have mattered too much if a reevaluation took another few weeks. It’s not clear if the port reassessed the construction plan, and the port did not reply to questions about those concerns. A Coast Guard spokesperson said the agency’s top concern was waterway safety, not design processes or construction methods.
In response to the concerns over the proposal announced in May 2024, the Coast Guard convened a series of stakeholder meetings, which included, according to James Weakley, president of the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA), participants from the port and its contractor, waterfront business owners and the LCA. Weakley characterized the meetings as “complicated.” In the end, though, he said the group’s work improved a challenging situation.
The November RNA offered some compromise and flexibility. While the current plan retains the original engineering scope, it modifies project dates and timing “to accommodate stakeholder concerns related to vessel and facility scheduling,” the Coast Guard stated.
From December 2 to January 31, the RNA is effective from 7 a.m. Tuesday through 7 a.m. Thursday. February has no restrictions, since there is no expected traffic. March presents an 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. restriction Monday through Friday. Then, from April to July 11, the 7 a.m. Tuesday to 7 a.m. Thursday schedule resumes. Also, the November RNA expects project completion in about eight months, compared to 14 months proposed in May 2024.
Shippers can still transit the Cuyahoga, but it requires new teamwork. In light of that, a new role has emerged for LCA, with the association essentially serving as a “marine exchange for the river,” Weakley explained. LCA will track vessel transits for both LCA members and non-members and coordinate with the contractor. Weakley said the project will have “significant costs” for shippers, but he said the “good news is that we will be able to supply customers with enough raw materials that they will not have to reduce their output.”
“At this point, we have a workable plan,” said Weakley, who commended the Coast Guard for brokering the amended RNA.
Weakley provided a late update a few days after the RNA’s effective date of December 2. LCA’s on-site coordinator reported that the first week of the RNA went well.
“All sides appear to be satisfied with the operations,” Weakley said.
The Waterways Journal
Boatnerd News – January 11, 2025
Port director looks back, advises
successor, on winds of trade and politics
DULUTH, MN – Next week, the shipping season concludes at the Port of Duluth and Superior, and with it, the impending retirement of the facility’s executive director.
Deb DeLuca is leaving the job after nearly seven years at the helm and a decade in management of the facility hailed as the largest freshwater port in the world.
Much of her tenure included the pandemic, which upset supply chains globally and regionally, including shipments in, out, and through Duluth and Superior. But she and her staff weathered through, noting four straight years of increased tonnage.
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“We’ve improved the infrastructure at the terminals, predicated on the vision of growing a multi-modal hub that can keep our regional industries competitive in the global marketplace,” said DeLuca, whose retirement will be effective in May.
That worldview may pose a challenge for her successor if tariffs proposed by President-elect Donald Trump come to fruition, especially those targeting Canada and Mexico. DeLuca, who is the first woman to lead the port, spoke about navigating those trade and political winds with WPR’s Robin Washington on “Morning Edition.”
This conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Robin Washington: At the end of each shipping season, you usually give us a wrap-up and forecast for the coming year. How about an assessment for the last six years?
Deb DeLuca: From a personal standpoint, it’s been the highlight of my career. It’s also been a period of growth for our terminal. Coal tonnage dropped over the past 10-plus years, and we’ve been looking to increase cargo diversity to offset that.
RW: One of your predecessors was the late Adolph Ojard, who hailed from a family of tugboat captains. Your background was a little different.
DD: It was indeed. Port authority directors come from a wide variety of backgrounds, because it’s a position that requires a diverse skillset. My education was in biochemistry, molecular biology and environmental chemistry and public policy flowing out of that. I worked in state government, local government and the private sector before coming to the port authority.
RW: The port achieved the ability and certification to handle container cargo in the last few years.
DD: Yes. We worked with Customs and Border Protection to develop the capability to handle containers at our terminal, both from a rail and road perspective. We are the second port on the Great Lakes to do so. We started handling those containers in 2022 and the next year added regular liner service between Duluth and Antwerp. We also had enough shipments from the Mediterranean to have liner surface coming out of that region. And we have a much greater reach within North America than we expected, with cargo coming from as far away as the Pacific Northwest and getting delivered to Alberta.
RW: Related to that geography, you’re leaving as the new administration comes in with president-elect Trump’s threatened tariffs on Canada and Mexico. What’s your advice to your successor for navigating the trade and political winds?
DD: Tariffs are definitely a delicate balance for the Great Lakes and for our port. They’re a double-edged sword. In the case of foreign steel dumping, which was something that was truly happening, tariffs helped support domestic steel production, which increases demand for Minnesota iron ore that makes up about 55 percent of our total tonnage.
But tariffs can also lead to retaliatory trade actions by other countries, which can hurt our port because it tends to reduce exports of key cargoes like grain. In terms of advising my successor, I’d encourage staying deeply involved in port trade associations and keeping in touch with our congressional representatives.
RW: What’s been the most intriguing or interesting experience you’ve had — maybe looking out your office window and saying, “What’s that?”
DD: Oh, my! We have some really interesting pieces of general cargo move through our terminal. The massive wind turbine parts that come to our terminal and get sent off to their final destination, and the logistics of having to do so through street intersections and onto the highway — that’s an eye opener.
Wisconsin Public Radio
Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge receives makeover funds
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $11,200,000 for the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. The grant, provided through USDOT’s RAISE program, will rehabilitate this historic bridge, including surface preparation and repainting, lead abatement, replacement of deteriorated sections, miscellaneous structural steel repairs, repairs to spalled and delaminated concrete, and replacement of the bridge sidewalks.
It builds on the $1,500,000 in total funding secured for the Aerial Lift Bridge’s pedestrian walkways by Senators Klobuchar and Smith in Fiscal Years 2022, 2023, and 2024.
“The Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge is a landmark and a vital part of Duluth’s transportation system,” said Klobuchar. “It is not only a critical link for drivers, but also supports essential infrastructure such as water, sewage, natural gas, electrical, and data services, and provides ships key access to the Twin Ports. With this grant, the City of Duluth will make critical infrastructure improvements to make the Aerial Lift Bridge resilient for generations to come.”
“The Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge is an iconic and historic piece of infrastructure that has connected communities and supported local businesses for over a century,” said Smith. “Securing resources for projects like this is important for strengthening Minnesota’s infrastructure and economy. This funding will support the critical repairs and upgrades needed to ensure the bridge remains operational for years to come.”
“The City of Duluth is thrilled to receive this $11.2 million RAISE grant from the US Department of Transportation,” said Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert. “The Aerial Lift Bridge isn’t just a bridge – it’s a cherished Minnesota icon, a significant entryway to the Port of Duluth-Superior, and a critical point of connection for residents and visitors alike. Along with funding from our State partners, this RAISE grant almost completes funding for this $20M project. Thank you to our congressional delegation and the US Department of Transportation for recognizing how important this project is to our city and region.”
“This RAISE grant is crucial to the completion of much needed and deferred improvements to the Aerial Lift Bridge–an historic landmark and gateway to the port,” said Duluth Public Works Director Jim Benning. “In one fell swoop, the City of Duluth will replace pedestrian walkways, replace the bridge deck, apply new protective paint to the bridge, and make other structural improvements. We are grateful to our federal partners for their support of this infrastructure, crucial to both vehicular and maritime traffic.”
RAISE grants can be used by communities across the country for a wide variety of transportation projects with significant local or regional impact. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Klobuchar and Smith supported and was signed into law in 2021, delivered a 50 percent increase in the amount of available funding for the RAISE grants, as well as resources for improving the state’s roads, bridges, public transportation, and water infrastructure.
Shipments of iron ore down in December
CLEVELAND – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 4.6 million tons in December, a decrease of 4.5 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments were just slightly above the 5-year average for the month.
The year-end total for the iron ore trade stands at 49.8 million tons, a decrease of 2.5 percent compared to 2023. Compared to the trade’s 5-year average, 2024 iron ore loadings were up 3.8 percent.
Lake Carriers’ Association
Algoma Innovator closes Welland Canal until spring
The St. Lawrence Seaway, including the Welland Canal and its eight locks in Port Colborne, Thorold, and St. Catharines, closed for the season Friday.
The Algoma Innovator was the last freighter to leave the canal into Lake Erie this year. She passed under the Clarence Street bridge (Bridge 21) at about 4:30 am Friday morning.
Although the canal will stay closed until spring, some ships may receive special permission to transit after the official closure.
During the winter, the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation will carry out infrastructure maintenance projects, leading to temporary closures of several Welland Canal bridges for both motorists and pedestrians.
Welland News
