Boatnerd News: Boatnerd News – July 27

2020 collision of two ships on Welland Canal still under investigation, says TSB

Welland Canal – An investigation into last year’s collision between two vessels on the Welland Canal is still ongoing, says the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB). “At this time we do not have any new information to report,” the agency said in an email.

The TSB is an independent agency that investigates air, marine, pipeline and rail transportation occurrences.

The collision involved Burlington-based McKeil Marine’s Florence Spirit, headed toward Lake Ontario, and dship Carriers’ Alanis headed toward Lake Erie. They collided starboard to starboard at the anchor ports on both ships at 3:55 p.m. on Saturday, July 11.

Crew members on both vessels — 16 on the Alanis and 14 on the Florence Spirit — were not injured in the collision, captured on video by two men walking alongside the canal.

The TSB said the incident was classified as a Class 3 investigation, which analyzes a small number of safety issues, may result in recommendations and might have significant consequences that attract a high level of public interest.

Other factors for a Class 3 investigation include an incident involving multiple fatalities and/or serious injuries; medium-sized release of dangerous goods; moderate to significant damage to property and/or the environment; and public expectations that the TSB will investigate.

Three investigators from the TSB’s Quebec City-based office interviewed crew members on both vessels and downloaded data from the black boxes on each ship. The black boxes capture navigation information, and what crew members were saying on the bridges of both ships during the incident.

The collision left the 16-year-old Florence Spirit, a 136.4-metre-long bulk carrier, damaged on the starboard, or front right side. The 138-metre-long Alanis sustained bow damage, including a visible hole on the starboard side near the anchor port.

Florence Spirit was carrying a load of coal and bound for a port in Quebec at the time, while Alanis was bound for Duluth, Minn., with a load of wind turbine parts

View videos at this link: https://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/news/niagara-region/2021/07/20/2020-collision-of-two-ships-on-welland-canal-still-under-investigation-says-transportation-safety-board-of-canada.html

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The New Lock at the Soo Locks is moving along on time as planned. The final phase of the New Lock at the Soo construction, Phase III, the New Lock Chamber, has been advertised in two-part phases. Carrie Fox, public affairs officer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said that the Phase III Pre-Proposal Conference was hosted last week and over 100 possible contractors attended.

“The staggered approach allows Phase III to keep moving and actually gives contractors more time to review the documents than a traditional request for proposal process,” said Fox.

The first stage, Stagger 1 solicitation was advertised as of July 2 and has a due date of Aug. 16. In this phase, contractors get an opportunity to look at the plans and specifications in draft form and will provide an initial technical proposal.

The second phase, Stagger 2, includes a completed set of plans and specifications will be provided to contractors and they will provide pricing for the project as well as any edits or additions they’ve identified for their Stagger 1 technical proposal. The solicitation will begin on track in September and award the contract in spring 2022.

Phase I Upstream Channel Deepening Contractor, Trade West, is continuing channel deepening to the west and should be complete this fall. This phase began in spring 2020. There was a break in work during the winter due to ice and winter conditions and restarted again this spring.

Phase I contractor, Trade West, continues upstream channel deepening.
Phase II Upstream Approach Walls contractor, Kokosing-Alberici, continues to demo the sluiceway while their batch plant construction continues and is on track to be operational by the end of August. Phase II started this spring and is scheduled to be complete in fall 2023.
Phase II contractor, Kokosing-Alberici, builds its batch plant for constructing upstream approach walls.

“The Phase II contractor had to demolish the existing sluiceway between the northwest wall of the Sabin Lock and the Unit 10 Powerhouse,” said Fox. “It had to be demolished to install sheet pile cells, which form part of the approach to the New Lock. In addition, a rock berm was placed in the Unit 10 sluiceway to provide access for construction equipment to the Northwest Pier and to restrict flow.”

Fox further explained that the batch plant will likely play a key role in providing concrete to the Phase II contractor for rehabilitation of the upstream approach wall.

For more information about the new Soo Lock, visit www.lre.usace.army.mil/about/highlighted-projects/new_soo_lock.

Burns Harbor, IN – The recovery of the global economy from the coronavirus pandemic has led to a significant increase in shipments this year at Lake Michigan, Indiana. In June, the port processed a 52% surge in cargo.

Vanta E. Coda II, Chief Executive Officer of the Port Authority of Indiana Harbor, based in Indianapolis, said so far this year, Indiana Harbor-Burns Harbor tonnage at sea has compared to the same period last year. It states that it has increased by more than 36%.

“Steel has risen by more than 100% and limestone has risen by nearly 90%. We look forward to further growth in the second half of the year,” he said.

By the end of June, international cargo shipped to the Great Lakes port through the St. Lawrence Sea Channel increased by 8.37% to 12.9 million tonnes. Shipping authorities on the Great Lakes attribute this boost to increased domestic construction, manufacturing activities, and global export demand.

Cement shipments increased 36%, gypsum increased 79%, and general freight increased 61%. The amount of iron ore has increased by 14%, partly due to exports to Asia and Europe. Another steel input, coke, has increased by 125%, partly due to exports to France, the Netherlands and other European countries.

NW Indiana Times

Duluth, MN – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is set to begin 2021 maintenance dredging and Minnesota Point beach nourishment the week of Aug. 1, 2021. Cleanup of material placed during 2020 continues.

“The contractor may begin mobilizing their equipment as early as July 26 but are more likely to start the week of August 1,” said Duluth Area Office Construction and Survey Chief Corey Weston.

The Corps of Engineers awarded the 2021 maintenance dredging contract July 14, 2021 to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin,-based Roen Salvage Co. The Sturgeon Bay company will dredge 40,000 cubic yards (cy) of material.