The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026
Seaway traffic on the move; may close Saturday
This morning at about 07:00, there were only 6 ocean ships expected at St-Lambert Lock including the McAsphalt Advantage. The others are Noelle G. , Onego Duero, BBC Felix, Murgash and Sten Hydra. The latter will possibly be Noelle G or Onego Duero. The next vessels expected at St-Lambert, westbound are Algoma Equinox and Captain Henry Jackman. The Algoma Equinox will possibly be the last amount tomorrow. Last minute changes are possible.
[Rene Beauchamp]
Soo Locks closing for seasonal repair, maintenance
The Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan will close to all marine traffic beginning 11:59 p.m. Jan. 15, or until commercial traffic ceases, through 12:01 a.m. March 25 to perform seasonal critical maintenance.
Federal regulation (33 CFR 207.440) establishes the operating season based on the feasibility of vessels operating during typical Great Lakes ice conditions.
“Every year, our lock and dam operators transition from assisting vessels through the Soo Locks to performing maintenance on the locks,” Operations Branch Chief Jeff Harrington said. “The team works alongside Soo Project Office maintenance crews to provide 100% effort in completing all critical maintenance during the 10-week shutdown. They work long hours in harsh northern Michigan winter conditions to complete a significant amount of maintenance during this annual closure period.”
This winter maintenance period, the MacArthur Lock will not be dewatered and will close for the season when the weather or ice conditions make operation unsafe and/or inefficient, or when the Poe Lock closes, whichever comes first. Communication with industry will be made at least 48 hours prior to closure. The MacArthur Lock is scheduled to reopen in late April 2026.
The Poe lock will remain operational (on a 24-hour basis) through January 15, 2026, or until commercial traffic ceases – whichever occurs first. The Poe Lock will be dewatered during the maintenance season and is scheduled to reopen on March 25.
The team will install temporary panel bridges across the MacArthur and Poe Lock. The panel bridges will provide the ability to mobilize materials and equipment to the job sites throughout the winter closure.
Maintenance on the MacArthur Lock will include the Soo Project Office fabricating and replacing spring boxes and lever arms for Gates 3, 4 and 5, constructing a recess cutout for the panel bridge, repairing a Gate 2 strut arm, as well as concrete and deck plate repairs to Gate 5
Maintenance on the Poe Lock will include underfloor cleanout and manhole inspection, a five-year periodic assessment, Gate 1 repairs, Gate 4 lifting lug installation, Gate 3 jacking pedestal repairs and testing of Ice Study wall coating.
In addition to the above, crews will also perform a wide range of other maintenance tasks from the replacement of pier fender timbers to inspections and preventative maintenance on electrical and mechanical systems on both the Poe and MacArthur Locks.
“Reliable Great Lakes navigation and the momentum of the American manufacturing supply chain depend on getting the job done here. In an unforgiving northern climate, our exceptional team tackles the complex maintenance demands of aging infrastructure, proving their skill on systems well past their service life.” Soo Locks Operations Manager LeighAnn Ryckeghem said.
More than 4,500 vessels, carrying up to 80 million tons of cargo, maneuver through the locks annually. Iron ore, coal, wheat and limestone are among the most frequently carried commodities. Opened in 1969, the Poe Lock is 1,200 feet long. The MacArthur Lock opened in 1943 and is 800 feet long.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, maintains a navigation system of 81 harbors, including the Great Lakes Connecting Channels that join lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, St. Clair and Erie.
Visit the Detroit District Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/USACEDetroitDistrict for information about the last vessel to transit the Soo Locks for the 2025-2026 shipping season and updates on maintenance work.
[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District]
Algoma Mariner headed to Mexico for refit
Algoma Mariner, which on Friday evening was passing Sorel, QC, after being delayed by Seaway ice, is heading to a shipyard in Veracruz, Mexico, for a refit. Her fleetmate Radcliffe R. Larimer had a refit in Mexico last winter. Algoma Mariner was built in China in 2011 and is owned by the Algoma Central Corp.
Department of Labor awards $13.8M in shipbuilding workforce development funding
[Marine Log Staff]
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the award of nearly $14 million in funding to support the development of programs aimed at reinvigorating and rebuilding the U.S. maritime industry and shipbuilding workforce.
Administered by the department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs, the department awarded $8 million to Pennsylvania’s Delaware County Community College and $5.8 million to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy to advance the next generation of American shipbuilders through hands-on, cutting-edge training programs developed in conjunction with international partners.
“Restoring America’s maritime dominance can’t be accomplished without skilled American workers,” said Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “In line with President Trump’s executive orders, these projects will help train our next generation of shipbuilders and ensure the skills critical to revitalizing our shipbuilding industry are developed here at home.”
Implementing these programs advances the department’s goal of reaching one million registered apprenticeships nationwide as part of the President’s promise to restore American manufacturing and put American working families first.
The projects will develop a specialized, internationally recognized curriculum on shipbuilding trades to expand apprenticeship opportunities in the United States, working directly with U.S. shipyards and supporting innovation in areas such as modular and icebreaker technology.
In alignment with President Trump’s Executive Order, “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance,” the initiative seeks to revitalize and rebuild the U.S. maritime industry and shipbuilding workforce, while also promoting national security and economic prosperity. The projects also support Executive Ord
“Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future,” by ensuring workforce programs align with real-world emerging industry needs.
These efforts support the growing strategic importance of collaborating with allied nations on maritime issues in the Arctic and polar regions. The U.S. recently signed a joint statement of intent with Canada and Finland to continue the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort Pact, strengthening Arctic security and maritime capability.
Delaware County Community College, founded in 1967, is a federally recognized Maritime Center of Excellence with a strong track record in workforce development and maintaining industry partnerships.
Established in 1891, Massachusetts Maritime Academy is one of America’s oldest maritime academies with decades of experience preparing cadets and mid-career professionals for service in shipping, defense, and energy industries.
