The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at  https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026

Labor Department Eases Insurance Rules for U.S. Shipbuilders

Mike Schuler
February 6, 2026

   The U.S. Department of Labor has issued new guidance easing insurance requirements for shipbuilding and other strategically important industries, a regulatory shift aimed at lowering costs across America’s maritime industrial base.
   The guidance lays out a clearer, more structured framework for how insurers calculate security deposit requirements under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA). By formalizing how risk is assessed, the department says it is reducing unnecessary financial burdens while preserving protections for injured workers.
   “As we restore America’s maritime and energy dominance, the Department of Labor continues to put American workers’ safety and health first,” Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said. “These guidelines will protect workers while creating a fairer environment for businesses that do vital work for our country.”
   Under the new approach, the department will consider multiple factors when determining insurance security requirements, including an insurer’s financial strength, experience writing LHWCA policies, and track record for paying accepted claims promptly. While the LHWCA has long allowed for reduced security under certain conditions, this marks the first time the department has applied a formal risk- and performance-based framework.
   The LHWCA and its extensions, administered by the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, require private-sector employers to provide workers’ compensation coverage for employees in covered maritime roles. Insurers approved to write those policies must post security with the department to cover potential liabilities.
   The move aligns with President Trump’s executive order on “Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance” and is expected to lower insurance costs for U.S. shipyards, improving their ability to compete with foreign builders.
   The guidance is scheduled for publication in the February 9, 2026 edition of the Federal Register.
   The change comes as the Trump administration is months late rolling out a broader Maritime Action Plan to revive domestic shipbuilding. U.S. yards currently account for roughly 0.2% of global ship production, compared with an estimated 74% in China—an imbalance the administration says justifies a coordinated federal response, including new financing tools and incentives to attract private investment.

[gCaptain]

Algoma Steel makes first plates for new Canadian icebreaker

SAULT STE MARIE, ON – Representatives from Quebec-based Chantier Davie Canada were in the Sault Feb. 5 as Algoma workers made the first plates for the shipbuilder’s new icebreaker.
   Davie ordered the steel for its Polar Max project, two icebreaking vessels commissioned by the federal government to be operated by the Canadian Coast Guard.
   As part of the deal, which was in response to tariffs imposed by the U.S., steel for the project was to be sourced from Canadian manufacturers.
   Algoma Steel will send a total of 600 net tons of metal plates to Davie for the Polar Max project.
   The first steel plates for the order were rolled in Algoma Steel’s plate mill Thursday, with representatives from Davie on hand, as well as George Pirie, Ontario’s minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth.
   Pirie said this first shipment of steel from Ontario to Quebec is a promising sign of things to come.
   “Two magnificent Canadian companies partnering together — one in Ontario, one in Quebec — I don’t think there’s a better story that could be created.”
   Marcel Poulin, vice-president of public affairs for Davie, said the Quebec-based shipbuilder will begin constructing the icebreakers in March, using steel that rolled off the line this week.
   “Shipbuilding is important, but there’s no ships without steel and what we will be building starts here,” said Poulin during a presentation at Algoma Steel after a tour of the plate mill.
   MP Terry Sheehan spoke during the presentation by video from Ottawa. In his remarks, Sheehan thanked Algoma Steel workers for their part in the process.
   “We are rebuilding our military, our Coast Guard and our national ship-building program that will serve the Royal Canadian Navy as well. This is about our sovereignty, in particular, our Arctic sovereignty,” said Sheehan.
   Sault MPP Chris Scott, who sits as an independent, was not in attendance, but Algoma – Manitoulin MPP Bill Rosenberg was.
   In his remarks, Algoma Steel chief commercial officer Chris Ford commended the higher levels of government for encouraging Buy Canadian and Buy Ontario policies.
   “The ambitious Build Canada initiative from our prime minister and the commitment from the premier has opened up many doors and many opportunities for our domestic market.
   “We are positioned well as a partner in the national strategic projects that will strengthen the Canadian supply chains and help secure Canada’s economic sovereignty,” Ford said.
   “It’s not what we are capable of, it’s what we are willing to do. That’s what all of these policies are starting — to get us back together as a country.”
   Rajat Marwah, CEO of Algoma Steel, who wasn’t in attendance, said the company “is proud to supply Canadian-made steel for programs that matter to Canadians.”
   “This partnership supports skilled jobs in Ontario and strengthens the industrial foundation Ontario and Canada needs to build and maintain critical assets for the future,” Marwah said in a news release.

[Northern Ontario Business]

2 days left to vote for National Museum of the Great Lakes in USA Today poll

Vote here: https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/national-museum-of-great-lakes-toledo-ohio/?fbclid=IwY2xjawP0R2ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe-ECD5tugg-6IANVAYguQAAeQF2Wk67BZr3HZGz9IKD85ll62hTrQewQaxMI_aem_IndfScSdTwTt7vyBdmXQ1w

Lake Superior water levels drop more than average in January

The International Lake Superior Board Of Control expects the total St. Marys River flow in February to be 1,870 m3/s (66,000 ft3/s) as prescribed by Regulation Plan 2012.
   The gate setting of the Compensating Works at the head of the St. Marys Rapids will remain at the typical winter gate setting of one-half gate open (Gates #1 and #7 through #10 open 20 cm (8 in) each). The St. Marys Rapids flow will remain at approximately 83 m3/s or 2,900 ft3/s (equivalent to approximately one-half gate open). The Poe Lock closed for scheduled winter maintenance on January 15, 2026, and is expected to reopen in March.
   Water supply conditions were drier than average in the Lake Superior basin while supplies were near average in the Lake Michigan-Huron basin in January.
   Lake Superior decreased by 9 cm (3.5 in) last month, while the seasonal long-term average pattern is for Lake Superior to decline by 7 cm (2.8 in) in January.
   Lake Michigan-Huron declined by 2 cm (0.8 in) last month, consistent with the seasonal long-term average pattern for Lake Michigan-Huron to decline by 2 cm (0.8 in) in January.
   Water levels as of the beginning of February
   At the beginning of February, the lake-wide average water level of Lake Superior was 13 cm (5.1 in) below the seasonal long-term average (1918-2024) and 3 cm (1.2 in) above the level of a year ago.
   At the beginning of February, the lake-wide average water level of Lake Michigan-Huron was 31 cm (12.2 in) below the seasonal long-term average (1918-2024) and 13 cm (5.1 in) below the level of a year ago.
   Forecast outlook
   If weather and water supply conditions are near average in February, Lake Superior may decline by approximately 5 cm (2.0 in) and Lake Michigan-Huron may decrease by approximately 1 cm (0.4 in).
   If conditions are much wetter than average, Lake Superior may decrease by approximately 1 cm (0.4 in) and Lake Michigan-Huron may rise by approximately 5 cm (2.0 in) in February.
   If conditions are much drier than average in February, the water level of Lake Superior may decrease by 9 cm (3.5 in), and Lake Michigan-Huron may decrease by about 5 cm (2.0 in).

[Soo Leader]

The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at  https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026

Polsteam adds Polsteam Wadag to its growing Laker-Class fleet list

   SZCZECIN, POLAND – The Polish Steamship Co. (Polsteam) has added another vessel to its growing fleet of Laker-Class vessels.
   The newest addition is the Polsteam Wadag IMO 1027196 built in 2026 at Shanhaiguan, Quinhungdao, China. Polsteam Wadag becomes the 10th member of Polsteam’s Laker-Class fleet. The fleet’s renewal program began in 2024 with the addition of the Polsteam Dabie.
   Each of the 10 new vessels are 199.99 meters or 656 feet in length and 23.700 meters or 78 feet in width. The first three vessels in the series have three deck mounted cranes for loading and unloading bulk cargoes, whereas the remaining seven members of the series have four deck- mounted cranes.
   The 10 member Polsteam Laker-Class series built in 2024 are Polsteam Dabie IMO 9971850, Polsteam Koprowo IMO 9971862, Polsteam Lebsko IMO 9971874 and Polsteam Pile IMO 9971886. In 2025, three more vessels joined the series, Polsteam Okra IMO 9984819, Polsteam Rudno IMO 9984821 and Polsteam Insko IMO 9984833.
   Also in 2025, Polsteam added the Polsteam Weltyn IMO 9984845 built in 2025 and the Polsteam Wigry IMO 1027184. These two new vessels have yet to make any inland voyages to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway but are expected to arrive sometime in 2026, as is the Polsteam Wadag.
   The new vessels will be replacing older vessels in the Polsteam Laker-Class fleet. The new ships are named after lakes in Poland.

[Denny Dushane]

All locked up: winter maintenance efforts inside the Soo Locks

Abby LaForest, Ben Raymond

   SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. (WBUP/WJMN) — The Soo Locks have closed to marine traffic for their annual maintenance period, but the critical Great Lakes shipping gateway remains a hub of activity as engineers and technicians work to prepare the massive structures for another shipping season.
   While the locks are open, chambers and gates assist traveling ships by raising and lowering the boats between the levels of Lake Superior and Lake Huron. Currently, two locks are in operation during the navigation season – the MacArthur Lock and the Poe Lock – to help ships navigate the 21-foot drop along the St. Marys River to travel between the upper and lower Great Lakes.
   The locks typically shut down for 10 weeks between January and March, allowing maintenance crews to perform essential repairs and upgrades on the infrastructure that enables ships carrying iron ore and other materials to navigate between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes.
   The maintenance work presents unique challenges due to the age and scale of the facility, according to operations officials. The locks feature construction dating back to the 1940s and 1960s, requiring specialized expertise and custom-manufactured components.
   “We have 1960s and 1940s era construction, different types of materials, everything here. You can kind of think of it as it’s custom. This is not something that you can just go to the store and buy typically to, to fix or replace,” said LeighAnn Ryckeghem, Operations Manager for the Soo Locks. “So it does take like I said, it takes a lot of skilled, skilled workers, unique materials and that kind of thing are large components being the size and scale of, of this type of facility as well.”
   Ryckeghem explained that planning for winter maintenance is a massive strategic effort, requiring the work of engineers and skilled trades from every area to determine replacement and repair priorities.
   “It’s really important to do this type of maintenance during the non-navigation season, which is that ten-week shutdown we have between January 16th and March 25th. We start planning immediately as soon as we open. We’ll start looking at what worked well, what didn’t go well, and then what we need to prioritize for the following year,” said Ryckeghem. “It’s aging infrastructure, so it’s something that does take delicate time and attention to make sure we maintain (it) appropriately.”
   The complexity extends beyond visible repairs, Ryckeghem noted, with crews working on sophisticated technology systems that keep the locks operational throughout the shipping season.
   “There’s a lot going on and sometimes it’s just not visible, but very unique types of technology that we use too,” she said.
   While maintenance crews focus on the existing infrastructure, construction continues on a new lock that represents a significant investment in the facility’s future. The project, which began in 2020, reached its halfway point this past August, marking a major milestone in the multi-year effort to modernize the critical shipping channel.
   Taking great responsibility and pride in her role as the Operations Manager, Rychkeghem said that ensuring everyone can conduct their jobs safely during this maintenance period is top priority.
   “As the operations manager, I get to make sure that everybody here is able to do their job safely, and that they have the right equipment, tools and protective gear to be able to do that,” she included. “Obviously in the winter, it’s harsh conditions, so we make sure that we give time for proper safety training. We make sure that they have all of the adequate resources to do their jobs efficiently and safely. The rewarding part is seeing the actual work get done and the pride that everybody takes in completing that work.”
   The public will have an opportunity to witness the return of shipping activity when the locks reopen for the season. Officials have scheduled opening day for the end of March, when visitors will be invited to observe the first ships of the year transit through the massive structures.
   The Poe Lock is set to reopen on March 25th for shipping traffic. For more information about the Soo Locks, please visit some of the following websites:

[My UP now.com]
For full story and video click link:     https://www.myupnow.com/news/all-locked-up-winter-maintenance-efforts-inside-the-soo-locks/article_ca664e06-372d-4c9c-93a2-3a8871957ac 1.html

The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at  https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026

Manitowoc-built crane stops in San Diego

   SAN DIEGO, CA – Portal Crane 70, the first of seven 175-ton heavy-lift portal cranes procured under a $294-million Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Atlantic contract, made a stop in San Diego during its transit from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Washington, Feb. 4.
   The crane is a major component of the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program’s line of effort to modernize industrial plant equipment at the Navy’s four government owned and operated shipyards. The crane will lift shop stores, parts and materials that are critical to maintain and modernize ships and submarines and return them to the fleet, including radar arrays and antennas at extreme elevations and increasingly heavy propeller shafts at the lowest levels of the shipyard’s dry docks.

[U.S. Navy] 

Mackinaw relieves ice jam so Sugar Island ferry can run

    SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – USCG icebreaker Mackinaw arrived in the Soo Thursday to relieve ice pressure that has been hampering runs by the Sugar Island II ferry. Broken harbor ice from the upbound passage of a tanker to Soo, ON, caused ice to block the ferry lane.   
   The tanker Algocanada is scheduled to go back downriver Friday, which would also disrupt the ice.  tomorrow sometime, so please be aware this could bring some ice

 Port of Duluth-Superior saw lowest tonnage since 1938

    DULUTH, MN – Cargo shipments at the Port of Duluth-Superior slumped last year due to headwinds driven by unfavorable market trends, shifting trade lanes and President Donald Trump’s trade war.   
   The amount of cargo moved through the port dropped to 25.3 million tons, declining 14.6% from 2024. That’s the lowest tonnage shipped through the port since 1938, according to season end figures released Friday by the Duluth Seaway Port Authority.
   Canadian trade dropped 41% across all cargoes, and overseas trade fell 30% to its lowest level since the St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959. The amount of grain moving through the port also dropped to roughly 560,000 tons, the lowest level seen since 1890.
   The drop in iron ore shipments played a significant role in the overall decline of cargo at the port.
   Iron ore accounts for more than half the port’s cargo every year, with nearly 19.4 million tons transported in 2024. But shipments dropped 15% to 16.5 million tons last year. A 2.5 million-ton drop in iron ore exports to Canada made up most of the decline amid President Donald Trump’s tariff war.
   The port faced challenges at the season’s outset, said Kevin Beardsley, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority.
   “Mines were being idled in the spring before we even started,” Beardsley said. “The auto industry and steelmaking industry were already in a challenging position.”
   The U.S. auto industry struggled with the onset of Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum, with billions of dollars in losses. The industry heavily relies on iron ore from mines on Minnesota’s Iron Range, and Cleveland-Cliffs idled two mines there early last year.
   In December, Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario also announced it was shutting down its blast furnace and coke-making operations as Trump’s 50% tariff on steel imports limited the company’s access to the U.S. market.
   Iron ore exports from the Port of Duluth-Superior went to the facility among others to be refined into steel, but port authority officials say they don’t know how much of the 2.5 million-ton drop would’ve gone there.
   Canada gets a lot of its iron ore from the Twin Ports, the ore coming from Minnesota’s Iron Range, said Daniel Rust, professor of transportation and logistics management at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.
   “When trade wars break out, I believe this is one of those casualties,” Rust said.
   A decision by an agribusiness firm also led to shipping declines.
   Earlier in the year, the global agribusiness firm CHS, Inc. announced it was closing the port’s largest grain terminal in Superior by the end of August after almost a century in operation. Rust said it was a major blow for grain exports, noting CHS handled most of the port’s grain volume.
   Once they stopped, it’s no surprise that those numbers are much lower than they would have been if CHS had continued to operate that facility,” Rust said.
   Port authority officials said former importers of grain like Russia are now competing with the Twin Ports. Rust added it makes more economic sense for CHS to move grain by rail for shipment on larger vessels at the Gulf Coast and Pacific Northwest.
   As grain shipments fell, the amount of coal shipped also dropped to 4.7 million tons.
   “It is all related to changing energy trends and policies,” Jayson Hron, the port authority’s spokesperson, said.
   Late last fall, Midwest Energy Resources Company announced the closure of its coal terminal in Superior, saying it would not renew its 50-year lease at the end of June. The move comes as utilities have shifted away from coal-fired power plants toward natural gas, wind and solar. midwest
   Coal shipments reached a record 22 million short tons in 2008 or roughly half the port’s total tonnage. Since then, they’ve dropped 75%.
   One bright spot for the port came from break bulk cargoes, which are usually heavy or oversized goods loaded individually on ships. The port saw a strong season for wind turbine components, and it’s moved 2.6 million freight tons since shipments first began in 2005. C. Reiss Company also opened a new bulk cargo terminal in Superior last year.
   Also, Amsterdam-based Spliethoff, which has been offering monthly container shipping service, expanded its service between Duluth and the Mediterranean. Rust said he thinks there’s an opportunity to use that service for other cargoes in the future.
   “I would anticipate in years to come that the port will lean into that even more,” Rust said. “Hopefully, we’ll see some growth.”

[Duluth News Tribune]

The 2025-2026 winter layup list is now up and running at  https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-lay-up-list-2025-2026

U.S.-Flag Shipping on the Great Lakes Down in 2025

   CLEVELAND – U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters (lakers) carried 71.3 million tons of cargo in 2025, an 8.9 percent decrease from a year ago. 2025 cargo movement on the Great Lakes was 8.1 percent below the fleet’s 5-year average.
   Except for salt shipments, which increased by 4.1 percent, all commodity shipments decreased in 2025. Iron ore shipments were down 10.8 percent from 2024 to 39.1 million tons. Coal cargos declined to 6.5 million tons, a decrease of 12 percent. Limestone shipments of 20.1 million tons were below last year’s shipments by 4.7 percent. Cement cargos saw a decrease of 1 percent, while sand and grain shipments were down 26.5 percent and 13.1 percent, respectively, in 2025.
[See Chart in gallery below]