S.S. Norisle to be scrapped

An historic ship that once sailed the Tobermory to Manitoulin Island ferry route on Canada’s Georgian Bay is going to be scrapped.

Township of Assiginack council voted at a recent meeting to accept a proposal from Marine Recycling Corporation to dispose of the S.S. Norisle. It’s going to cost the township’s local taxpayers more than $743,000.

A letter outlining the plan says the Norisle will be towed to a recycling facility on Lake Erie in Port Colborne before the end September.

“It’s a situation that nobody likes, and the few alternatives weren’t necessarily good,” says Assiginack Chief Administrative Officer Alton Hobbs. “Council made an informed decision that was the best decision for the community.”

The 215-foot Norisle was built in Collingwood in 1946. It served as a ferry between Tobermory and Manitoulin from 1947 until 1974, when it and the M.S. Norgoma were replaced by the M.S. Chi-Cheemaun.

The Norisle has been moored in Manitowaning on Manitoulin Island since the township purchased it in 1975. It used to be a floating museum and tourist spot, but has been deteriorating and become a safety and an environmental concern. There are a number of issues that require ongoing maintenance of the vessel and pumps, according to minutes from the Aug. 29 meeting.

It’s also located within about a 100-feet of the township’s water supply intake, another risk discussed by Assiginack councillors when they voted to dispose of the ship.

A group known as the S.S. Norisle Society was trying rehabilitate the vessel and turn it into a Great Lakes tour ship. But the estimated costs — tens of millions of dollars — were too prohibitive. Bayshore Broadcasting News attempted to contact the Norisle Society, but was unable to connect prior to publication deadline.

Hobbs says about 90 per cent of the Norisle will be able to be recycled into metal that will be used in other ships.

Bayshore News

Ferry Pelee Islander strikes dock at Sandusky

Sandusky, OH – Waterfront reports indicate that at 3:45 p.m. Friday the ferry Pelee Islander hit the Sandusky dock at a 24 degree angle on the starboard side of the stern and a 12-14″ gash was opened slightly above the water line. Passengers were eventually allowed off at 5 p.m. About seven vehicles were on board. Great Lakes Towing is sending a tug from either Toledo or Cleveland, whichever can respond the quickest. Coast Guard personnel and a diver hadn’t arrived as of 8 p.m.

According to the Sandusky Register, the stern of the ship could be seen wedged into the edge of the west end of the pier. It wasn’t immediately clear how the collision occurred or if there were any injuries. The extent of damage to the ship and pier also was not immediately clear. U.S. Customs and Sandusky police officers were at the scene.

John Clark, Sandusky Register

Great Lakes iron ore trade up 8.6 percent in August

CLEVELAND – Iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes in August increased by 8.6 percent compared to 2022 to a total of 5.5 million tons. Shipments were also above the month’s 5-year average by 3.5 percent.

Year-to-date the iron ore trade totals 31.2 million tons, an increase of 28.9 percent compared to the same point last year.

Through August iron shipments are 6.5 percent above their 5-year average for eight months of the year.

Great Lakes Iron Ore Shipments: August 2018-2023 and 5-Year Average (net tons)

Includes transshipments to Quebec City for shipment overseas (net tons)

*Marquette = Presque Isle in previous reports

**Transshipments within Cleveland Harbor

Year-to-Date 2018-2023

Lake Carriers’ Association

Lakes limestone trade up 4.4 percent in August

CLEVELAND — Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 4 million tons in August, an increase of 4.4 percent from a year ago. Limestone cargos were above the month’s 5-year average by 3.7 percent.

Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 3.3 million tons, an increase of 5 percent compared to 2022. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 754,178 tons, an increase of 1.9 percent.

Year-to-date the Lakes limestone trade stands at 16.2 million tons, a decrease of 7.4 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings from Michigan and Ohio quarries total 13.1 million tons, a decrease of 5.1 percent. Shipments from Ontario quarries total 3.1 million tons, a decrease of 15.6 percent.

Great Lakes Limestone Trade: August 2018-2023 and Long-Term Average (net tons)

Year-to-Date 2018-2023 and Long-Term Average (net tons)

U.S. ports: Calcite, MI; Cedarville, MI; Drummond Island, MI; Marblehead, OH; Port Inland, MI; and Presque Isle, MI.  Canadian ports: Bruce Mines, Manitoulin Island, Port Colborne (from August 2017 on), and Smelter Bay (all Ontario).

Lake Carriers’ Association

Rapids flow setting to stay same through September

Little change is expected at the head of the St. Marys River Rapids concerning water flow in September.

The International Lake Superior Board of Control says that gate setting at the head of the river will remain status quo for this month.

Additionally, the Board says that Lake Superior has likely reached its seasonal water peak level.

Following is a release from the Board with additional details:

The gate setting of the Compensating Works at the head of the St. Marys Rapids will be maintained at the current setting in September, which is equivalent to approximately five gates fully open. The St. Marys Rapids flow is approximately 773 m3/s. At this flow, some low-lying areas of Whitefish Island including recreational trails may still be flooded. Users are encouraged to use extreme caution.

The Board expects the total St. Marys River flow in September to be 2,820 m3/s (99,600 cfs) which is the same as the flow prescribed by Regulation Plan 2012. Actual hour-to-hour and day-to-day flows may vary depending on hydrologic conditions, as well as variations in flow from the hydropower plants.

The International Lake Superior Board of Control (Board) received approval from the International Joint Commission (IJC) to temporarily deviate from Regulation Plan 2012 through November 2023. This deviation strategy is like the strategy employed in 2019. As necessary over the next few months, the Board will continue to adjust the gate settings at the Compensating Works to offset the flow limitations caused by repairs and maintenance at the hydropower plants. Since May, the total amount of water released through the St. Marys River has been approximately equal to the flow prescribed by Plan 2012.

Water level changes over the month of August

Water supply conditions were drier than average in Lake Superior basin and wetter than average in the Lake Michigan-Huron basin in August.

• Lake Superior declined by 1 cm (0.4 in.) last month, while the seasonal long-term average pattern is for Lake Superior to rise 1 cm (0.4 in) in August.
• Lake Michigan-Huron declined by 2 cm (0.8 in) last month, while the seasonal long-term average pattern for Lake Michigan- Huron is to decline 4 cm (1.6 in) in August.

Water levels as of the beginning of September

• At the beginning of September, the lake-wide average water level of Lake Superior is 12 cm (4.7 in) above the seasonal long-term average (1918-2022) and 3 cm (1.2 in) above the level of a year ago.
• At the beginning of September, the lake-wide average water level of Lake Michigan-Huron is 13 cm (5.1 in) above the seasonal long-term average and 8 cm (3.1 in) below the level of a year ago.

Forecast outlook

It is likely that Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron have reached their seasonal peak water levels.

• If weather and water supply conditions are near average, both Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron are expected to decline in September (by ~3 cm or 1.2 in and 5 cm or 2 in, respectively).
• If conditions are wetter than average, Lake Superior may rise by as much as 6 cm (2.4 cm) and Lake Michigan-Huron may rise by as much as 2 cm (0.8 in).
• If dry conditions continue, the water level of Lake Superior is expected to decline by as much as 10 cm (3.9 in.), and Lake Michigan-Huron is expected to decline by as much as 11 cm (4.3 in.)

SooLeader.com

A ship that sank in 1881 is found nearly intact in Lake Michigan

On the early morning of May 11, 1881, Capt. John Higgins and his eight-man crew scurried onto a lifeboat and caught a final glimpse of their schooner, Trinidad, as it disappeared into the icy waters of Lake Michigan.

After 142 years, its wreckage has finally been discovered.

In July, the shipwreck hunters Brendon Baillod and Robert Jaeck found the impressively intact wreckage of Trinidad lying underneath roughly 300 feet of water, about 10 miles off the shoreline of Algoma, Wis. That concluded a two-year search for the little-known vessel Mr. Baillod said was “little more than a floating coffin” at the time of its final voyage.

Trinidad was built at Grand Island, N.Y., in 1867 and was used as a cargo ship in the lucrative grain trade between Milwaukee, Chicago and Oswego, N.Y., according to a news release.

…

Click here for full article – The New York Times

Still tickets left for MHSD’s Detroit River cruise this Saturday

Join members of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit aboard the passenger vessel DIAMOND QUEEN (captained by the MHSD’s very own Mike Nicholls and with MHSD member Ken Borg as narrator) for a Detroit River cruise 1-4 p.m. Saturday, September 9. We will do our best to get up close to freighter traffic. Snacks and refreshments will be available on the boat.

Tickets are $30 at the dock (cash or check only) if space is still available. We are limiting the number to 100 passengers so there will be plenty of room to move about the boat. The cruise leaves at 1 sharp from the Stroh River Place Dock located at 2680 Atwater St, Detroit, MI 48207 at the foot of Joseph Campau St., one block east of Chene St. and Chene Park (approximately half way between GM Renaissance Center and Belle Isle).

**Please check local listing for up-to-date construction reports**

MHSD

Focus: Inside Cleveland-Cliffs’ bid to keep U.S. blast furnaces smelting

NEW YORK/CHICAGO, Sept 5 (Reuters) – High costs and environmental opposition have prevented the construction of blast furnaces at steel mills in the United States since 1980. Cleveland-Cliffs Inc (CLF.N) CEO Lourenco Goncalves is on a mission to snap up all that are left.

Since joining the U.S. steelmaker in 2014 as part of an activist hedge fund’s board takeover, Goncalves has made blast furnaces a hallmark of his strategy, positioning Cliffs as an outlier in an industry shifting towards cheaper and more environmentally friendly electric arc furnaces.

A 65-year-old Brazilian metallurgical engineer, Goncalves transformed Cliffs from an iron ore and coal miner into the largest supplier of steel to the automotive industry in North America by acquiring companies that own blast furnaces to smelt the pig iron it produces.

Now, he has his sights on acquiring U.S. Steel Corp (X.N), the other remaining U.S. blast furnace operator, which has been gradually moving into electric arc furnaces, known as mini-mills. Should his $7.3 billion cash-and-stock bid prevail, Cliffs would break into the world’s top 10 steel producers, which are mostly from Asia.

…

Click here for full article – Reuters

Hard Hat Tours: Behind the scenes of NMGL Museum Vessels

Set foot in spaces typically off-limits to visitors in an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, the Museum Tug Ohio and the St. Marys Challenger Pilothouse at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, OH. During this 2 hour experience you have the exclusive opportunity to take a deeper dive into the ships’ inner workings and visit “hard-hat” only locations like the:

• The Schoonmaker’s Owners Galley, the lowest points of the boat, as well as a deeper look in the vessels engine room.
• The Tug Ohio’s Engine Room and Forward Cabins.
• The Interior of the St. Marys Challenger Pilothouse (currently still under restoration efforts).

From glimpses into our newest artifact’s restoration, to the Schoonmaker’s original boiler bricks—you’ll see it all from an insider’s view.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

• Hard Hat Tours are $50 for NMGL Members and $65 for non-members
• Tours last approximately 2 hours and will be offered to groups of 8 or less at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
• The spaces that we will be sharing with you on this tour are difficult to access. The tour will include a lot of climbing of steep and narrow stairways and a lot of bending to accommodate for low head room.
• We encourage you to dress appropriately including wearing closed-toed shoes, long pants, and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. We will provide hard hats and any other safety necessities.
• Click here to order tickets on Eventbrite.

National Museum of the Great Lakes

New site at Silver Harbour facilitates shipwreck divers

It’s one thing to scuba dive in the Caribbean, where the warm water often feels as calm as a swimming pool.

Going deep in chilly and occasionally-rough Lake Superior — that’s a different kettle of fish.

Now, those taking the plunge in the big, cold lake are having an easier time of it at a popular diving spot a short drive from Thunder Bay.

A new access point east of the city at Silver Harbour Conservation Area saves divers a long swim, and having to scramble over rocks with their gear in order to reach a spot where half a dozen small, intentionally-submerged boats can be viewed.

The vessels were sunk in the 1990s after fuel and electrical equipment were removed.

“We’ve had 15 people out there on a Saturday,” Lakehead Region Conservation Authority spokesman Ryan Mackett said Monday.

The access point is reached by driving to Silver Harbour’s boat launch. Divers must be certified, or be supervised by a fellow diver who’s qualified.

The new access point helps keep divers and swimmers separate from boaters. It’s also a safe exit for intrepid types who jump into the lake from nearby cliffs.

Thunder Bay diving-business operator Wally Peterson, who was part of the effort to establish the access point, estimated the project’s cost at about $10,000. It depended on donations and in-kind labour, he said.

Plans for next year include the installation of a removable railing.

“It’s a place to go that’s close to the city for people who want to say they did a dive in Lake Superior,” Peterson said.

Because the Silver Harbour site isn’t too deep — six to 15 metres — it’s a good place to train in preparation for deeper dives required to reach Superior’s larger shipwrecks.

Accessible diving in the region also adds to Thunder Bay’s tourism appeal, the municipality says.

“Lake Superior is regarded as one of the best sites to dive in the world” and “explore shipwrecks, natural wonders and northern marine life,” says the city’s website.

The Chronicle Journal

East Flight Locks out of service

Please be advised that the East Flight Locks will be out of service on Wednesday September 06, 2023 beginning at 07:00 a.m. for approximately 12 hours. This may cause some delays as one-way traffic will be implemented.

The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation

Cutting-edge coatings ensure longevity and smooth sailing for MV Mark W. Barker — the first new American-built Great Lakes freighter built in nearly four decades

The Motor Vessel Mark W. Barker – the first Great Lakes freighter built on the Great Lakes in nearly four decades, and The Interlake Steamship Company’s first new build since 1981 – represents a renewal in regional shipping. The vessel also serves as a showcase of advanced coatings that shield the ship from the harsh elements it encounters while navigating a vast network of inland seas and rivers – safeguarding its longevity for years to come.

Measuring 639 feet long and 78 feet wide, the ship’s dimensions set it apart from the typical 1,000-foot-long freighters found on the Great Lakes (Figure 1). Built for The Interlake Steamship Company by Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, the bulk carrier was designed to navigate the sometimes narrow and winding rivers that feed the freshwater lakes, without compromising shipping capacity.

In fact, the self-unloading bulk carrier is competitive with larger vessels, sporting an impressive cargo capacity of 26,000 tons due to its unique design. The vessel’s square and flat cargo holds – diverging from conventional V-shaped angled bottoms (Figure 2)– feature sliding hatches that maximize available cubic space. Another noteworthy feature of the ship is the forward placement of the unloading boom, which provides greater flexibility for cargo operations in congested ports. This unique arrangement also enables the customized placement of the cargoes for its Great Lakes customers.

The vessel’s unique dimensions and design allow for the transport of a versatile range of cargoes, which informed specifiers on the appropriate coatings systems to use to protect the vessel and ensure durability.

Primarily built to haul salt, the M/V Mark W. Barker has transported bulk cargoes – such as iron ore pellet, limestone, taconite, coal and others – and break-bulk cargoes, including oversized items, such as steel bars and wind turbine parts, since launching in the summer of 2022 (Figure 3).

“This boat will continue to find unique cargoes that haven’t traditionally been moved in the past,” said Rick Hanning, fleet engineer of The Interlake Steamship Company, which operates 10 vessels on the Great Lakes and has headquarters in the Cleveland-area suburb of Middleburg Heights. “Its size and distinctive design give it a special ability to navigate rivers and ports – and its cargo hold is unlike any other in Great Lakes.”

Shielding the Ship
As the first self-propelled vessel built for the Great Lakes by an American company in four decades, the M/V Mark W. Barker required a coatings system as unique as it is. The Interlake Steamship Company created the ship’s coatings specification with the help of the product team at Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine.

“We were sensitive to where we were having issues on other boats,” said Hanning. “It required deep thought for how protect this exceptional piece of engineering for its decades of service.”

To safeguard the ship’s underwater hull against the many hazards in and around the Great Lakes, the team landed on Sher-Glass® FF.

A high-performance glass flake-reinforced epoxy, the coating was chosen for its added impact and abrasion resistance, as well as improved durability, edge protection and resistance to corrosion in a wide range of environments.

“We wanted the hull to last as long as possible with minimal maintenance in future dry docks, and this product adds to the ship’s life expectancy,” said Hanning. “You never know what you might run into. Shipping on the Great Lakes can be a contact sport.”

In a controlled shipyard environment, applicators started with an SSPC-SP 10 blast before spraying the hull with two coats of Sher-Glass, at an average of 18 mils dry film thickness (DFT) per coat. Applied directly to steel, the coating eliminates the need for a separate primer, simplifying the coating process and saving time. Specifically formulated for immersion service, the coating uses pre-wetted glass flakes to ensure consistent mixing and application reliability to enable long-term exposure to liquids.

The hull of the M/V Mark W. Barker – named for the family-owned Interlake Steamship Company’s president and second-generation leader – has an unmistakable look, featuring the organization’s signature red.

…

Click here for full article – Sherwin-Williams

U.S. Steel starts due diligence after entering agreements with ‘numerous third parties’

Click here for article – Reuters

Proposed Lake Erie National Marine Sanctuary would be an underwater shipwreck museum, advocates say

Click here for article – WESA

Great Lakes steel production falls by 24,000 tons

Click here for article – The Times NWI

Tecumseh makes short trip to Port Colborne for scrapping

The bulk carrier Tecumseh of Lower Lakes Towing Ltd., was towed from her long-term layup dock at Ashtabula, OH, Tuesday morning by the Great Lakes Towing tug Ohio. They arrived at the Marine Recycling Corp. scrapyard at Port Colborne, ON, in the evening, assisted on the final leg of the trip by the tugs John D. and Vac.

The 641-foot long Tecumseh was built in 1973 as Sugar Islander at Lockheed Shipbuilding & Construction Co., Seattle, Washington, for the Bankers Trust Co. In 1996, renamed Islander then renamed Judy Litrico the same year. In 2006 her name was changed to Tina Litrico before being sold to Lower Lakes Towing in 2011. She operated on the Great Lakes primarily transporting grain, until December 15, 2019, when she suffered an engine fire that left her out of control near Zug Island on the U.S. side of the Detroit River. There were no injuries among the 16 crew members. The vessel spent the winter of 2019-21 laid up at the Morterm dock in Windsor, Ontario, where her grain cargo was unloaded. Damage to the engine room was extensive.

McKeil Marine tugs Leonard M and Jarrett M towed the damaged Tecumseh to Ashtabula, Ohio, where owner Rand Logistics has a repair facility, in April 2020, however she was not repaired. The National Transportation Safety Board ruled The investigation determined that the fire on board the Tecumseh originated on the port main engine after a flexible fuel hose assembly supplying fuel to the main engine failed.

Janey Anderson

Vote CSL’s Nukumi for Vessel of the Year Award

MV Nukumi has been nominated for the Vessel of the Year Award at the Annual Marine Propulsion Decarbonisation Awards 2023. This is a public vote, so we encourage you to click here to vote now! Voting closes on August 29. The winner will be announced during the awards dinner at the Maritime Decarbonisation Conference in September.

Canada Steamship Lines

Thousands of jobs, hundreds of millions in economic impact tied to port

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – Some big numbers have been sailing into the port of Toledo and it means more jobs and money pumped into the region.

A new study shows an increase of nearly 900 jobs and more than $235 million in additional economic activity compared to a 2018 study. The study was based on the 2022 shipping season. It shows the port helps support thousands of jobs and nearly $1 billion in annual economic activity. Multi-million dollar investments are being made to help make sure those big numbers keep flowing in.

Water is big business. The Maumee River and Lake Erie play a huge role in our region’s economic success. 2022 was a very good year for the port of Toledo.

“Annually we handle about 12 million tons of cargo and about 500-600 vessels call on the port each season,” Joe Cappel, the VP of Business Development with the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority said.

Those numbers add up to thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in economic impact.

“There are about 8,000 jobs dependent on the activities at the facilities like the one we are at today and that generates more than 900 million annually in economic impact,” Cappel said.

A lot of different cargo moves in and out of Toledo, like grain, coal, iron ore, road salt and aluminum.

“We are one of the most cargo-diverse ports on all the great lakes. We handle a little bit of everything,” Cappel said.

…

Click here for full article – WGTV

St. Catharines goes to bat for Hoverlink

The City of St. Catharines team advocated for a proposed cross-lake passenger hovercraft during sit downs with provincial ministers at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference this week.

Mayor Mat Siscoe said provincial officials were already enthusiastic about Hoverlink Ontario Inc.’s plan to create a rapid transit link between St. Catharines and Toronto when St. Catharines broached the subject.

“That was probably my biggest take home from the meeting with the Minister of Infrastructure. They’re very enthusiastic about the project and they see it as a very viable way to get people off of the highway,” Siscoe said.

“I am very cautiously optimistic that it’s moving forward.”

The mayor and other city officials met with Associate Minister of Transportation Stan Cho and Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma during the conference in London and discussed what the city can do to help make the transit link happen.

Hoverlink Ontario Inc. announced plans in September 2022 to launch a high-speed, eco-friendly, year-round hovercraft service for passengers across Lake Ontario. The St. Catharines to Toronto trip would take an estimated 30 minutes over the lake, avoiding the 130-km trip on the busy QEW.

In June, Hovercraft Chief Executive Officer Chris Morgan told the Standard the company had received all of its approvals to operate the service on the Niagara side of the lake in St. Catharines’ Port Weller.

But the company is now waiting for approvals for a landing site on the Toronto side of the lake and has been in talks with Infrastructure Ontario about locating the site at Ontario Place.

Siscoe said St. Catharines tried to impress upon the ministers how important the project is and that the city is willing to advocate or help in any way.

“I think it can be an important part of the transportation puzzle, getting people into the GTA and back,” Siscoe said.

“But beyond that, there are a lot of tourism opportunities, there’s a lot of employment opportunities and we want to see that.”

He added everything Hoverlink has put forward makes it appear the service will be a very affordable option for residents.

“If that’s the case, we want to try and help them get up and running as quickly as possible.”

Siscoe said he’s been very clear to anybody who’s looking to build a link from St. Catharines to Toronto – one that doesn’t involve driving a car on the highway — that the city will be there to support them too.

Hoverlink’s plan, which required permissions from federal Fisheries and Oceans and St. Lawrence Seaway Management, will see a terminal built at the Welland Canal entrance to the city on unused land north of Sunset Beach and south of the Coast Guard station.

The Standard

Newlab announces partnership with Port of Monroe

Click here for press release – Newlab, LinkedIn

Port of Oswego announces new grain conveyor system

Click here for article – Oswego County News Now

Seaway cargo growth spurred by Thunder Bay grain shipments

Click here for article – Northern Ontario Business

Esmark bows out of U.S. Steel bid

Click here for article – Reuters