Milwaukee welcomes first international ship of 2025 season

BY Rachel Ryan Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE — The first international ship of the 2025 season arrived in Milwaukee over the weekend.

The Singapore-flagged Patagonman docked in Port Milwaukee on Sunday, March 30, the first international ship of the 2025 shipping season

It corresponded with the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, which connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean

There were 42 international ships that came through Milwaukee in 2024

The port connects local farmers and businesses to international markets

The Singapore-flagged Patagonman docked in Port Milwaukee on Sunday, March 30 after sailing through the Atlantic Ocean and unloading cargo in Ontario.

It corresponded with the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway, which connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

Ships from around the world enter Milwaukee for about nine months of the year, serving as a link to world markets for local farmers and businesses. Last year, cargo coming through Port Milwaukee was from or set to go to Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

There were 42 international ships that came through Milwaukee in 2024. Together, they carried over 324,000 metric tons of cargo, which was 70% more than 2023.

“The Patagonman’s arrival signals the start of Port Milwaukee’s international season, and we are hopeful we’ll go above and beyond 2024 tonnage levels,” Port Director Jackie Q. Carter said in a release.

Staff celebrated the arrival of the first international ship with a plaque that was presented to Captain Eduard Kovalevskiy on Tuesday, April 1. After it finished loading, it shipped out to the United Kingdom.

“World markets strengthen our economy, and it is great to welcome the first international arrival of the 2025 shipping season,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said in the release.

2 Michigan lighthouses to get more than $100K in grants for preservation efforts

By: Max White

(WXYZ) — Two Northern Michigan lighthouses will receive more than $100,000 in grants to support ongoing preservation efforts.

According to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Charlevoix South Pier Lighthouse on Lake Michigan and the Gull Rock Lighthouse on Lake Superior will receive the grants.

They come from the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program from the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office and the MEDC.

“This year, SHPO is celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program and is proud of the important work that has been accomplished across the state to restore and repair these irreplaceable icons,” State Historic Preservation Officer Ryan Schumaker said in a statement. “SHPO is pleased to build on past preservation efforts by supporting these two lighthouses and their stewards in their continued efforts to invest in Michigan’s maritime heritage.”

The Charlevoix Historical Society was granted $60,000 with a matching $80,500 to support ongoing preservation efforts at the Charlevoix South Pier Lighthouse. The society will hire a contractor to clean and paint portions of the exterior and interior of the lighthouse.

“On behalf of the Charlevoix Historical Society, we are extremely grateful to the State Historic Preservation Office for the grant awarded through the MLAP program, and to all of those who participate in the ‘Save Our Lights’ license plate program,” President Emerita and Lighthouse Chair Denise Fate said in a statement. “This important project will ensure the long-term stability and preservation of Charlevoix’s beloved South Pier Lighthouse, which plays a significant role in the City’s identity.”

The remote Gull Rock Lighthouse off the eastern tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula in the Upper Peninsula will get more than $46,000 and another $23,233.33 in matching grants for its preservation.

The Gull Rock Lightkeepers will hire a contractor to clean and re-stain the cedar roof of the 1867 lighthouse, which is undergoing navigation.

Gull Rock is one of the most remote lighthouses in the Great Lakes and was among the earliest to be automated in 1913.

“The SHPO has been a critical partner in the ongoing restoration of the Gull Rock Lighthouse, both through its financial support via the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program as well as through the ongoing advice and technical expertise provided by its staff,” Gull Rock Lightkeepers Secretary David Younkman said in a statement. “We greatly value our partnership and the historic results that we have and will continue to achieve together. Protecting and restoring these lighthouses is a wonderful reminder of the long and important history America has had with our Great Lakes.”

Funding from the program comes directly from the sale of specialty Save Our Lights license plates which are available from the Michigan Secretary of State.
“Because of the generosity of people who pay a little extra for a lighthouse license plate, we are able to award grants each year that help preserve these symbolic Michigan structures for the long term,” Schumaker said.

Soo Locks Engineers Day 2025 will be June 27

 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in conjunction with the City of Sault Ste. Marie, the Sault Ste. Marie Convention & Visitors Bureau, the United States Coast Guard, the Lake Superior State University Center for Freshwater Research and Education, Hospice of the Eastern Upper Peninsula, and Superior Health Systems are hosting open house events for the 2025 Soo Locks Engineers Day on June 27. 

 Visitors are welcome into the Soo Locks facility and across the MacArthur Lock from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Friday, June 27. 

 Engineers Day honors the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ June 16, 1775, birthday. The Corps of Engineers is proud to celebrate 250 years of service to the nation. Since the beginning, the Corps of Engineers has been at the forefront of engineering excellence, responding to the nation’s most complex challenges with unmatched expertise and dedication.

 “The Soo Locks are a vital part of our community’s history. Engineers Day lets us celebrate the history and ingenuity behind the Soo Locks,” said Linda Hoath, executive director of the Sault Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Over the past few years, we’ve helped grow Engineers Day into an event that involves the whole downtown. We look forward to welcoming visitors and residents alike to downtown for Engineers Day.”

 “We are continuing the requirement for all bags coming into the Soo Locks to be clear,” Jason Wojnaroski Soo Project Office Assistant Operations Manager said. “Clear bags will allow park security to quickly inspect bags and assist with making this a fun and safe event for everyone.”

 For our visitors bringing bags, the Engineers Day policy for the Soo Locks follows:

    Clear bags cannot be larger than 12 inches long, 6 inches deep and 12 inches wide.

    Diaper bags are not allowed.

    Medical bags are exempt.

    Wallets must not have a strap and cannot exceed 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches.

 All people entering the Soo Locks are subject to a security search. Firearms, weapons including knives of any size, drugs, pets (except service animals) and bicycles are not permitted.

 “Visitors will not be able to cross the Poe Lock again this year, due to ongoing construction for the New Lock at the Soo project,” said LeighAnn Ryckeghem, Soo Project Office Operations Manager. “Visitors will be able to cross the MacArthur Lock and tour the first floor of the historic Administration Building.”

 Visitors should enter the Soo Locks facility at the east end, crossing the downstream gate of the MacArthur Lock, and exiting the west end, crossing back on the upstream gate. This path equals about a half mile (.5 miles) of walking.

 Along with welcoming visitors into the Soo Locks complex, Canal Park and the viewing platform will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the Soo Locks Visitor Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

 The Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau is closing a portion of Portage Avenue to focus on downtown city merchants and vendors. Downtown Portage Avenue will close to vehicle traffic and open for pedestrians and vendors between Ferris Street and Osborn Boulevard from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., June 28. 

 Along with allowing visitors into the Soo Locks facility, several other events will take place:

     United States Coast Guard open house from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

    Hospice of the Eastern Upper Peninsula and Superior Health Systems Arts, Crafts and Family Fun Fair at the City Hall grounds from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

    Lake Superior State University Center for Freshwater Research and Education will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

 To register to be a vendor (no-cost) on Portage Avenue, please contact the Sault Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at 906-632-3366 or admin@saultstemarie.com. 

 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Isle Royale National Park’s Ferry Stuck At Dock Without Engineers

 Reaching Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior could be hard this summer, as the National Park Service’s ferry that normally takes visitors to the park is without an engineering crew.

 The Ranger III, which traverses the 76 nautical miles between Houghton, Michigan, and the park in about six-and-a-half hours, requires an engineering staff to operate. Unfortunately, the engineer and assistant engineer reportedly took advantage of the Trump administration’s buyout program to retire now and collect pay through September. On top of that, the administration’s hiring freeze is keeping the park from hiring replacements.

 “The 165-foot vessel cannot operate without a full U.S. Coast Guard-licensed crew,” says Bill Fink, a former Isle Royale superintendent now retired and living in Houghton. “The Ranger III is the keystone of park operations. It carries staff and visitors, yes, but it also carries the fuel which runs generators for the developed areas; it carries the bulk of the frozen and fresh food for employees and the lodge; it carries the major freight load for projects; it carries off the refuse from the park staff and the lodge operation; it carries visitor boats (sometimes returning disabled visitor boats back to the mainland).

 “In short, if the Ranger III cannot operate, Isle Royale cannot be functionally open,” said Fink.

 The park is typically closed to visitors from November 1 to April 15. It was not immediately clear if the park would open on April 16 this year.

 Park staff referred questions about the matter to the National Park Service’s Midwest Region office, which referred questions to the agency’s Washington headquarters, which did not immediately respond Wednesday,

 National Park Traveler

New CSL cement carrier to be named Tamarack

Eureka Shipping, a provider high-efficiency cement carrier services jointly owned by SMT Shipping and The CSL Group, announced last April, the start of construction of this state-of-art mechanical/pneumatic cement ship specifically designed for operation in the Great Lakes.

Tamarack will be more suitable for lake trade than Sunnanvik, which is a deep draft vessel. Tamarack will have diesel-electric propulsion system, modern, fuel-efficient engines capable of operating on HVO biofuel and two rudder propellers with 360-degree thrust, plus a powerful bowthruster, for superior maneuverability.

The steelwork for Tamarack has been completed in China, and the hull towed to Holland Shipyard Group in the Netherlands, where she is being equipped with systems and electronics. Delivery is expected later this season.

Eureka Shipping/CSL Group

Port of Green Bay sees first arrival for 2025’s shipping season

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The first ship of the 2025 shipping season has officially arrived in at the Port of Green Bay, carrying cement. The Port of Green Bay said the shipping season kicked off as the Innovation with Tug Samuel De Champlain arrived on March 12, at 1:49 p.m.

“This year’s shipping season is now underway just two days later than last year’s start,” Director Dean Haen said via the release. “This makes for an early start and has us looking forward to what our new season will bring.”

Now that the first ship has arrived, the Port of Green Bay’s ‘First Ship’ contest has concluded, with the winner being Anne LaCour of Pembine, who predicted that the first ship would arrive at 2:13 p.m. on March 12.

Her prediction landed her a one-night stay at the Hotel Northland, a 200th anniversary Brown County-themed Monopoly game, six tickets to the National Railroad Museum and a gift certificate from the Voyageurs Sourdough Bakehouse.

WFRV

Federal Franklin Thunder Bay’s first saltie

THUNDER BAY— The first international “saltie” vessel to reach port in the shipping season was welcomed at Richardson’s Main Terminal for the second Top Hat Ceremony of 2025 on Wednesday.

The MV Federal Franklin and its 22-person crew, including Capt. Rohit Khosla, had the earliest arrival of a saltie in Thunder Bay for the second year running, after it arrived last year on March 28. Its arrival marked the official opening of international shipping in the Port of Thunder Bay for the 2025 shipping season.

“The 10-year average is about April 10th, so we’re well over a week ahead of what you’d anticipate and it marks only the fourth time that a saltie vessel has crossed through the break wall in March,” said Chris Heikkinen, the CEO of the Port of Thunder Bay.

Heikkinen added that it was one of the earliest openings they’ve ever had for international shipping in the Port of Thunder Bay. He explained that opening a little bit early always helps.

“There are finite days in the season and if the vessels can get another load in during that season, then you’re ahead of the game,” said Heikkinen.

The number of salties visiting our port has also increased over the last couple of decades, said Heikkinen.

“We’ve been flirting even with close to 200 in some years, so we’re definitely looking at probably at least 150 saltie calls this year,” said Heikkinen.

The vessel was commissioned in 2021 into the Fednav fleet of Seaway-max bulkers, Canada’s largest oceangoing bulk shipping company, which accounts for 40 per cent of saltie vessel calls to the port.

“I’ve been here in Thunder Bay many times in the past, but yes, I’m one of the fortunate guys who’s been here for the second consecutive year,” said Khosla.

Khosla joined the crew a month back, since travelling to Jamaica with some aluminum cargo, all the way to Baie-Comeau to discharge and from there to Thunder Bay in ballast (without cargo) to pick up thousands of tons canola destined for Veracruz, Mexico.

“The journey was quite impressive, I would say, in a way that it was very different from the last time when I arrived (in) Thunder Bay,” said Khosla.

“Things were a bit cold this time, especially the water levels we were concerned about when we were transiting the Saint Marys River and especially the thickness of the ice, which was quite well accumulated all around this area.”

As a second-time Top Hat Ceremony recipient, Khosla agreed he would like to make it a tradition going forward. He expects to be sailing out again on Thursday but, depending upon the weather, the vessel may stay in the port for 2 to 3 days more.

TB Newswatch

Thunder Bay shipyard owner offered to repair damaged vessel Michipicoten

THUNDER BAY, ON – When the damaged lake carrier Michipicoten headed to a Wisconsin port last summer for repairs, an opportunity for the Thunder Bay shipyard left as well.

The 689-foot self-unloading vessel suffered a 13-foot-long breach to its hull in June 2024 while carrying iron ore pellets southwest of Isle Royale.

After a temporary patch was applied at dockside at Keefer Terminal, owner Lower Lakes Towing of Port Dover, Ont. sent it to Fraser Shipyards in Superior, Wisconsin for more repairs.

Ontario Shipyards has now revealed that it offered to fix the vessel at its dry dock in Thunder Bay. “We pursued it. We provided them with a solution. They chose to go somewhere else. That’s their business, but we did try to bring that to Thunder Bay,” said Ted Kirkpatrick, director of business development and government relations for Ontario Shipyards.

In an interview Tuesday, he was asked why the company wasn’t able to land the job. “We felt we were able to be competitive. I can’t speak to business decisions that other groups make. We put forward what we felt was a real solution, and they chose to go in a different direction, and that’s their prerogative as a business owner.”

Lower Lakes Towing has not responded to media inquiries about the Michipicoten since the incident last year. As of Tuesday, the ship was still reported to be at the US shipyard.

The Thunder Bay facility was idled early last year but did receive a contract in December 2024 to repair the bulk carrier Federal Yoshino which was damaged in an incident in the Kam River a month earlier.

The work has just been completed. But Kirkpatrick said the local yard remains available for any other work that might come its way.

“It’s open. There are still Ontario Shipyards employees that work there. Have we had to slim it down and be more opportunistic? Yes, but it is an active facility and always has been.”

He said a skeleton crew remains on the site, but added that the repairs to the Federal Yoshino are a good example of how the facility can be mobilized quickly to undertake complex projects.

“We were able to complete it on time, which I know made the vessel owners very happy. We’re very thankful to Anglo- Eastern (a ship management firm) and Fednav (the owner of the ship) for giving us the opportunity and putting their faith in us. I think it was a great outcome.”

Kirkpatrick said the company will continue efforts to find more work for the Thunder Bay yard in the months to come.

TB Newswatch

The fate of the vintage tug James Whalen is put on hold

THUNDER BAY, ON –  A local company says they never offered to scrap the James Whalen for free. Harbour Metals Recycling did not email anyone at the city or on council offering to take the 119-year-old boat for free, according to James White, a trader with the local company.

Coun. Albert Aiello said during Monday’s committee of the whole meeting that the city had received an email from Harbour Metals suggesting they could take the tug at no cost to the city. City manager John Collin said staff were not aware of the email.

That email was the basis for Aiello’s motion to delay awarding a contract to destroy the tug to one of the two companies that bid on the project and have staff look into the possibility of having the boat scrapped for free.

Council voted nine to three in support of the motion, against staff advice.

Commissioner of Infrastructure and Operations Kayla Dixon told Newswatch there was an email sent to Aiello, but it was not sent from Harbour Metals. It was from a member of the public. “Administration at the time was unaware of the email,” said Dixon.

“After investigating this matter, we’ve determined that there was no actual proposal or a viable option that had been put forward by Harbour Metals.”

There is no possibility of Harbour Metals taking the James Whalen for free, said White.

“Unfortunately, looking at the scope of work, there are a lot more factors involved, such as asbestos abatement and other issues that would prevent Harbour Metals from being able to take this boat for free,” he said.

For several reasons, the company did not bid on the contract, said White, but he said they “would be willing to work with the successful bidder to remove scrap materials after any remediation and salvage efforts were completed.”

Administration will present a follow-up report to City Council at its April 7 meeting, reaffirming the initial recommendation to dispose of the James Whalen.

TB Newswatch

Coast Guard opening Grays Reef Passage

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI — Per 33 CFR 165.901, Captain of the Port Northern Great Lakes will open Grays Reef Passage, effective 1200 local time on 4 April 2025.

The Coast Guard would like to remind all recreational ice users to plan their activity carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from shipping channels.

Blacky earns Toronto port’s top hat

TORONTO, ON – The  Port of Toronto’s 164th annual Top Hat ceremony was held March 31onboard Canfornav’s motor vessel Blacky. PortsToronto President & CEO RJ Steenstra awarded Captain Sergei Soldatkin of the Blacky with the top hat for being the first ocean-going vessel to arrive at the port.

It was a tight race with Maccoa this year, bur Blacky arrived first from Imbituba, Brazil, with more than 19,000 metric tonnes of sugar for Redpath Sugar.

In attendance were MPP Chris Glover, Rev. Judith Alltree, Ashley Black of Redpath Sugar, and Jason Crooks of Canfornav.

Janey Anderson

Day of the Soo Locks Disaster — 1909’s Maritime Meltdown at Sault Ste. Marie

by Michael Hardy

On June 9, 1909, a mechanical failure at Canada’s Soo Locks led to the sinking of two ships, halting Great Lakes commercial traffic. This disaster exposed infrastructure vulnerabilities, prompting modernization efforts and highlighting potential economic repercussions from similar incidents today.

Soo Lock Disaster

On a quiet afternoon in June 1909, disaster struck at the heart of North America’s shipping network. The Canadian Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie—one of the busiest passages for commercial freighters on the Great Lakes—suffered a sudden mechanical failure. Within minutes, four ships were caught in a torrent of water. Two sank. Others were severely damaged. The locks were left in ruins, and commercial shipping on the Great Lakes came to a standstill.

While largely forgotten today, the Soo Locks disaster exposed a critical weakness in North America’s industrial infrastructure. This blog post revisits that moment in Michigan’s maritime history when a single lock gate failure turned into an international supply chain crisis—and forced lasting changes to the way freight moves through the Great Lakes.

On the afternoon of June 9, 1909, a mechanical failure at the Canadian Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie triggered one of the worst maritime infrastructure accidents in Great Lakes history. Four ships were caught in the torrent. Two sank. The locks themselves—vital to North American trade—were torn apart.

The incident stopped traffic cold on one of the busiest freshwater shipping corridors in the world and exposed just how vulnerable the region’s economy was to a single point of failure.

What Happened on June 9, 1909?

According to contemporary accounts from the Detroit Free Press and The Daily Nugget of North Bay, Ontario, the accident began when the Canadian Pacific steamer Assiniboia entered the Canadian lock chamber alongside the Crescent City, a steel freighter. At the same time, the Perry G. Walker was heading upstream toward the lock.

Suddenly, a leaf of the upper lock gate gave way. Water from the higher level of the canal surged into the chamber with tremendous force.

The Empire City, which had just exited the lock, was struck by the surge. Her bow was punctured, but she remained afloat.

The Perry G. Walker was pulled backward and sank at the lower entrance.

The Crescent City was holed in her side and sank in the middle of the canal.

The Assiniboia made it to the American side but was heavily damaged and slowly sinking.

Four lock gates were torn from their mounts and swept downstream. Officials initially suggested that the Assiniboia may have struck the gate while entering, though no official cause was confirmed.

A Wall of Water and a System Overwhelmed

As the gates failed, water from the upper level continued to pour into the canal. Emergency gates and backup systems were not designed to handle this volume. The result was a flood so strong it threatened to wash out the piers at the foot of the locks.

Canadian officials scrambled to install temporary dams to stop the torrent, but they were untested and of uncertain strength. For weeks, water continued to surge uncontrolled through the canal system.

The locks were effectively shut down.

The Economic Fallout

The Soo Locks, both American and Canadian, were vital to commerce. Iron ore from the mines of Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula moved through these narrow channels to reach steel mills in Pittsburgh and Detroit. Grain and coal shipments relied on the same route.

With the Canadian system offline, all pressure shifted to the U.S.-operated Poe Lock. Within days, hundreds of ships were either stuck in port or idling near the St. Marys River.

Factories across the Midwest felt the disruption. Iron ore deliveries were delayed. Coal shipments missed their windows. For a time, the economic engine of the industrial Great Lakes sputtered.

Recovery Was Swift—and Remarkable

Soo Locks wrecked

Despite the scale of the disaster, the response was fast and effective. Crews activated a swing dam, a massive pivoting bridge designed to slow the water and stabilize the canal. This move allowed the lock chamber to be drained and repair work to begin almost immediately.

The Assiniboia was patched and underway later that same day.

The Perry G. Walker was raised and operational within three days.

The Crescent City, which had sunk near the center of the channel, was raised, repaired, and sailing again in less than a week.

The Canadian lock was fully restored and reopened to commercial traffic through coordinated repair efforts within 12 days.

A Ghost of the Past in Echo Bay

Decades later, during a low water period on Lake Huron, a large metal structure was discovered on a sandbar near Echo Bay, not far from the bridge. Many believe it to be one of the original lock gates torn loose in the 1909 disaster. However, no official confirmation was ever made. The site remains unmarked, and the object remains curious for maritime historians and residents.

Aftermath and Long-Term Impact

The damage forced governments and shipping companies to rethink the system’s fragility.

The incident accelerated efforts to modernize and expand the lock systems on both sides of the river. Over the next decade, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would oversee the construction of upgraded locks capable of handling the increasingly massive freighters of the Great Lakes fleet.

The accident also led to deeper U.S. investment in maritime infrastructure resilience—a conversation that continues today.

Could It Happen Again?

Yep—and the stakes would be even higher.

A 2016 U.S. Department of Homeland Security study estimated that a complete six-month shutdown of the Soo Locks today could cost the U.S. economy over $1.1 trillion and halt more than 10 million jobs across sectors that rely on Great Lakes shipping.

The report also warned that most of the nation’s iron ore still passes through one lock: the Poe Lock. A failure like the one in 1909 could trigger a national supply chain emergency.

A Forgotten Maritime Crisis

The 1909 Canadian Soo Locks failure has largely been forgotten outside of shipping circles. Yet it remains a clear example of how infrastructure failures can ripple across industries and borders.

We almost take it for granted as we watch freighters moving through Sault Ste. Marie—many of them longer than football fields and loaded with millions in cargo—it’s worth remembering that this system once came to a crashing halt in a matter of seconds.

Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast International Film Festival Coming to Manitowoc

Mar 30, 2025 | 1:00 PM
Local News, Ryan Brahm

Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast International Film Festival Coming to Manitowoc
A night of films celebrating THE OCEAN AND our Great lakes – 1

The Friends of Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary have announced a new program aimed at sharing the history of the Great Lakes.

The First Annual Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast International Film Festival will be held at the Franciscan Center for Music Education and Performance on April 4th.

The event is hosted in collaboration with the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary, International Ocean Film Festival, and National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and will feature short films highlighting surfing, shipwrecks, Great Lakes exploration and more.

Russ Green, Superintendent of the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary, said of the program, “The films are really fantastic, and we hope will help inspire audiences to protect our special underwater places in the Great Lakes- and beyond.”

The doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and the films will begin playing at 6:30 p.m.

Film festival details, film descriptions and trailer, and free tickets are available at ShipwreckCoastFriends.org.