Wilfred Sykes loses power; Block tows her to shelter

UPDATED 1:30 p.m. Monday: The U.S. Coast Guard received a report that the Wilfred Sykes experienced generator issues on Lake Superior at approximately 5:35 p.m. Sunday. Crew aboard the 678-foot vessel contacted the crew of fleetmate Joseph L. Block, which was nearby, for an escort and assistance with anchoring.

The Block tied up alongside the Sykes, towing her on the hip to a safe anchorage in Batchawana Bay. There are no reported injuries. The Block has resumed her trip to Two Harbors.

The Sykes can be seen on the Soo Today webcam here: https://www.sootoday.com/webcams/lake-superior

Tug/barge close Seaway season

Tug Everlast and her barge Norman McLeod were the last vessels to transit The St. Lawrence Seaway for the 2024 season.

Attempt to refloat ship that ran aground
in St. Lawrence won’t happen till Sunday

A second attempt to refloat a cago ship that ran aground in the St. Lawrence River north of Montreal after losing power on Christmas Eve will take place Sunday, Jan. 5, a Fisheries and Oceans Ministry spokesperson official said.

An attempt to float the ship last Friday was unsuccessful. In an email to the Montreal Gazette, ministry spokesperson Émilie Proteau-Beaulieu said the M/V Maccoa would in the meantime be lightened by having two barges unload 3,000 kilograms of its cargo of grain.

Rainy weather could slow the operation, since the corn cannot be exposed to precipitation, but for the time being the unloading is expected to be completed by Jan. 4.

The ship’s crew of 20 remains aboard and there is no sign of pollution, the ministry said.

MSN

Icebreaking advisory for Midland, ON

Sarnia, ON – The Canadian Coast Guard advises residents in Midland, ON, that the CCGS Griffon will carry out icebreaking operations in the Georgian Bay area on or around Jan. 7. The purpose of this operation is to break up the ice to allow commercial vessels safe and efficient movement.

It is recommended that all traffic on the ice, including pedestrians, fishers, snowmobilers, and all-terrain vehicle operators, leave the ice during icebreaking operations. The ice may move, creating a real danger for anyone on it. Additionally, plan activities carefully and use extreme caution after operations are complete as the ice will remain unstable even once the icebreaker has left the area.

Icebreaking on the Great Lakes and connecting waterways is delivered through close co-operation between the Canadian and United States Coast Guards. By working together, the two Coast Guards ensure scheduled vessel traffic can move through the shipping channels and in and out of community harbors. Vessels will be assigned as needed to provide this service.

The date and assets are subject to change with no notice, as activities could begin before or after that period, depending on operational requirements or weather conditions.

CCGS

Win a trip on the Alpena

Information in the gallery below.

MHSD’s Ahoy & Farewell III book
documents 30 years of laker history

Ahoy & Farewell III, the third installment of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit’s long-running series marking the MHSD’s 80th anniversary, is now available. The book documents the vessels we welcomed, and those to which we had to bid farewell, during the last 30 years. This 308-page, hardcover book features many color photos, with multiple images of each vessel referenced.

In a departure from the MHSD’s previous volumes, the nearly 308-page, hardcover book includes color photos, with multiple images of every vessel. The book’s authors are marine historians William Moran and Viktor Kaczkowski, and Know Your Ships publisher Roger LeLievre.

“Putting the book together has been a much greater challenge than any of us had expected,” Kaczkowski said. “With the influx of foreign-built new and used tonnage, writing the histories required a lot more research to ensure the information was correct, particularly due to the wide variety of languages that came into play.”

Order Ahoy & Farewell III now at MHSD.org.

Federal Bering last eastbound ship in Seaway

Federal Bering was the last eastbound ship through the St. Lambert Lock for the season, passing through around 8 p.m. Saturday. She is bound for Waterford, Ireland.

Rene Beauchamp

Icebreaking advisory for Midland, ON

Sarnia, ON – The Canadian Coast Guard advises residents in Midland, ON, that the CCGS Griffon will carry out icebreaking operations in the Georgian Bay area on or around January, 7, 2025. The purpose of this operation is to break up the ice to allow commercial vessels safe and efficient movement.

It is recommended that all traffic on the ice, including pedestrians, fishers, snowmobilers, and all-terrain vehicle operators, leave the ice during icebreaking operations. The ice may move, creating a real danger for anyone on it. Additionally, plan activities carefully and use extreme caution after operations are complete as the ice will remain unstable even once the icebreaker has left the area.

Icebreaking on the Great Lakes and connecting waterways is delivered through close co-operation between the Canadian and United States Coast Guards. By working together, the two Coast Guards ensure scheduled vessel traffic can move through the shipping channels and in and out of community harbors. Vessels will be assigned as needed to provide this service.

The date and assets are subject to change with no notice, as activities could begin before or after that period, depending on operational requirements or weather conditions.

CCGS

NEWS RELEASE: Lake Superior water
levels below average for January

The International Lake Superior Board of Control expects the total St. Marys River flow in January to be 1,790 m3/s (63,200 cfs), as 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 gate setting of the Compensating Works will be maintained at the typical winter gate setting (Gate #1 and Gates #7 through #10 open 20 cm each) equivalent to approximately one-half gate open. Therefore, the average St. Marys Rapids flow in January is expected to be approximately 87 m3/s (3,100 cfs). Gate #1 will remain at its typical setting which supplies a flow of about 15 m3/s (500 cfs) to the channel north of the Fishery Remedial Dike.

  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

Water level changes over the month of December:

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

  Lake Superior declined by 7 cm (2.8 in) last month while the seasonal long-term average pattern is for Lake Superior to decline by 8 cm (3.1 in) in December.

   Lake Michigan-Huron declined by 6 cm (2.4 in) last month, while the seasonal long-term average pattern is for Lake Michigan-Huron to decline by 5 cm (2.0 in) in December.

Water levels as of the beginning of January:

    At the beginning of January, the lake-wide average water level of Lake Superior was 15 cm (5.9 in) below the seasonal long-term average (1918-2023) and 14 cm (5.5 in) below the level of a year ago.

    At the beginning of January, the lake-wide average water level of Lake Michigan-Huron was 11 cm (4.3 in) below the seasonal long-term average (1918-2023) and 22 cm (8.7 in) below the level of a year ago

International Lake Superior Board of Control

Water Level chart in gallery below

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                                                  Information in the gallery below.

MHSD’s Ahoy & Farewell III book
documents 30 years of laker history

Ahoy & Farewell III, the third installment of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit’s long-running series marking the MHSD’s 80th anniversary, is now available. The book documents the vessels we welcomed, and those to which we had to bid farewell, during the last 30 years. This 308-page, hardcover book features many color photos, with multiple images of each vessel referenced.

In a departure from the MHSD’s previous volumes, the nearly 308-page, hardcover book includes color photos, with multiple images of every vessel. The book’s authors are marine historians William Moran and Viktor Kaczkowski, and Know Your Ships publisher Roger LeLievre.

“Putting the book together has been a much greater challenge than any of us had expected,” Kaczkowski said. “With the influx of foreign-built new and used tonnage, writing the histories required a lot more research to ensure the information was correct, particularly due to the wide variety of languages that came into play.”

Order Ahoy & Farewell III now at MHSD.org.

Win a trip on the Alpena

                                                  Information in the gallery below.

MHSD’s Ahoy & Farewell III book
documents 30 years of laker history

Ahoy & Farewell III, the third installment of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit’s long-running series marking the MHSD’s 80th anniversary, is now available. The book documents the vessels we welcomed, and those to which we had to bid farewell, during the last 30 years. This 308-page, hardcover book features many color photos, with multiple images of each vessel referenced.

In a departure from the MHSD’s previous volumes, the nearly 308-page, hardcover book includes color photos, with multiple images of every vessel. The book’s authors are marine historians William Moran and Viktor Kaczkowski, and Know Your Ships publisher Roger LeLievre.

“Putting the book together has been a much greater challenge than any of us had expected,” Kaczkowski said. “With the influx of foreign-built new and used tonnage, writing the histories required a lot more research to ensure the information was correct, particularly due to the wide variety of languages that came into play.”

Order Ahoy & Farewell III now at MHSD.org.

Unloading ship stranded Maccoa to begin Saturday

The unloading of corn from the Cypriot ship that ran aground on Christmas Eve on the St. Lawrence River in the Verchères area of ​​Montérégie is expected to begin Saturday.

According to the current plan, more than 3,000 metric tonnes of corn from the M/V Maccoa will need to be unloaded. Authorities hope that lightening the ship will allow it to float and then be refloated.

Weather permitting, unloading should begin during the weekend of January 4th and 5th, the Canadian Coast Guard said in an email.

However, the schedule could be changed depending on weather conditions and the availability of Groupe Océan tugs.

Indeed, Fisheries and Oceans Canada said that rain could complicate and slow down operations. Corn cannot be unloaded in the rain and certain conditions must be met for it to remain edible.

The Canadian Press & News

Hands-free mooring coming to Welland Canal’s Lock  8

Hands-free mooring is coming to Port Colborne’s Lock 8, making it the final lock on the Welland Canal with the technology, says the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp.

A news release from the seaway said the work is part of a $180-million investment over the next three years to maintain critical infrastructure along the canal. The seaway is also investing more than $170 million in the Montreal to Lake Ontario section.

It said the ongoing local investments ensure the safety and reliability of its infrastructure while providing economic benefits to communities, businesses and suppliers in the region.

Hands-free mooring units are remote-operated vacuum pads that hold ships in place during lock transits. The mooring units move up or down on rails recessed within a lock’s wall as a vessel is raised or lowered.

In the release, the seaway said work at Lock 8 starts Jan. 2 and may cause disruptions for local residents and businesses. It said it would make every effort to minimize noise and other impacts.

The project will involve loud construction activities, and the work is typically scheduled for 20 hours per day, with a 24-hour schedule only if necessary.

Workers will begin setting up at the lock on Dec. 30, with concrete/rock drilling operations in early January. Excavator-based demolition is targeted from mid-January to mid-February, and additional construction activities unrelated to drilling or demolition will continue through the end of March.

The seaway said the canal closes to shipping traffic Jan. 10, and the Montreal to Lake Ontario section Jan. 5.

Welland Tribune

Welland looks to canal corridor
for industrial expansion

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                                                  Information in the gallery below.

MHSD’s Ahoy & Farewell III book
documents 30 years of laker history

Ahoy & Farewell III, the third installment of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit’s long-running series marking the MHSD’s 80th anniversary, is now available. The book documents the vessels we welcomed, and those to which we had to bid farewell, during the last 30 years. This 308-page, hardcover book features many color photos, with multiple images of each vessel referenced.

In a departure from the MHSD’s previous volumes, the nearly 308-page, hardcover book includes color photos, with multiple images of every vessel. The book’s authors are marine historians William Moran and Viktor Kaczkowski, and Know Your Ships publisher Roger LeLievre.

“Putting the book together has been a much greater challenge than any of us had expected,” Kaczkowski said. “With the influx of foreign-built new and used tonnage, writing the histories required a lot more research to ensure the information was correct, particularly due to the wide variety of languages that came into play.”

Order Ahoy & Farewell III now at MHSD.org.

A Very Happy New Year from Boatnerd

Plenty of traffic at the Soo Locks on last day of the year

The last day of 2024 was a busy one at the Soo Locks, with several vessels having to go to anchor to wait for their turns to pass through. Unbound traffic included Walter J. McCarthy Jr., Algoma Compass, Herbert C. Jackson, Kaye E. Barker, Algoma Innovator, Samuel Risley, Atlantic Huron, Whitefish Bay and Ashtabula/Defiance. Downbound traffic included Michigan Trader/Joyce L. VanEnkevort, Algoma Niagara, John J. Boland, CSL Assiniboine. At one point, five vessels could be seen in the vicinity of the Nine Mile Port anchorage. As evening fell, Philip R. Clarke was rounding Whitefish Point downbound headed to Nanticoke, ON. Atlantic Huron told the captain of another vessel it was going into layup at the Twin Ports.

Know Your Ships

Thunder Bay shipyard gets winter
work with Federal Yoshino

THUNDER BAY — The owners of the Thunder Bay shipyard have landed a contract that will result in the idled yard mobilized for the winter. Hamilton-based Ontario Shipyards Inc. will use local labor to do repair work on the bulk carrier Federal Yoshino.

The ship, which sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands, was recently moved to the yard near the mouth of the Current River.

According to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, the Federal Yoshino was damaged in late November when its stern struck a submerged portion of a wharf on the Kam River after it sustained “total engine failure.”

The 625-foot (190.4 metres) ship was in the process of leaving the port with a cargo of potash.

A TSB report on the incident lists the degree of damage as major, but provides no details.

“It’s a unique scenario. We don’t usually have foreign-flagged vessels winter in the Great Lakes…We’ve been called upon to do some emergency repairs,” said Ted Kirkpatrick, director of business development and government relations for Ontario Shipyards.

Port of Thunder Bay chief executive officer Chris Heikkinen said he’s pleased to see the shipyard back in business, even if it’s only for one job.

Ontario Shipyards temporarily suspended operations in Thunder Bay last winter, citing market conditions and a lack of skilled labor.

“It’s a great thing that we have that asset there and they’re able to get it going when needed, for sure,” Heikkinen said. “It’s a really good news story for the community and for the industry as well. This is sort of a site in the right direction. We see that not only are they willing to continue utilizing the site, but they’re also going to be utilizing some local labor.”

The company stated earlier this year that it’s committed to finding work for the Thunder Bay yard, and still sees it playing a key role in shipbuilding.

In an interview Monday, Kirkpatrick said “to have an opportunity to utilize it is great, and it will provide significant local employment through the winter, which is fantastic.”

He wasn’t able to say yet how many workers will be employed on the project.

“It’s a fluid situation. The vessel’s up, we’re going to assess it, then we’ll wait for guidance from the owner as to what the extent of the repairs will be.  But it’s important to focus on the fact that the Thunder Bay shipyard is a strategic location, and having that capability there and being able to call upon it in situations such as these just highlights how important it is to have shipbuilding and ship repair capacity in Ontario.”

Last June, when the hull of the Great Lakes carrier Michipicoten ruptured on Lake Superior, the vessel was initially brought to Keefer Terminal, but then had to be taken to a shipyard in Superior, Wisc. for repairs.

In August, the Ontario government announced a $10 million contribution to Ontario Shipyards to help it train workers for its facilities in Hamilton, St. Catharines and Thunder Bay.

The government said the company would deliver training, re-skilling and up-skilling programs for careers in the millwright, welding, electrical and painting trades in the three locations.

But Kirkpatrick said none of that money is currently allocated specifically for training in Thunder Bay.

“We do have it if we need it, and I would imagine that this particular scenario will merit some funding being allocated to the Thunder Bay shipyard. I can’t say that for sure, but we are hopeful we will be able to do that.”

He reiterated that Ontario Shipyards continues to consider the Thunder Bay facility an important asset.

“That’s why we have not divested from it. It is a strategic asset, and it’s there for situations like these. Obviously it would be great to do more work up there, and I hope this situation will aid that, in that it highlights the ability to spin that capacity up more or less at a moment’s notice. So it does bode well for the future of the shipyard.”

Thunder Bay’s Open Discussion

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                                                  Information in the gallery below.

MHSD’s Ahoy & Farewell III book
documents 30 years of laker history

Ahoy & Farewell III, the third installment of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit’s long-running series marking the MHSD’s 80th anniversary, is now available. The book documents the vessels we welcomed, and those to which we had to bid farewell, during the last 30 years. This 308-page, hardcover book features many color photos, with multiple images of each vessel referenced.

In a departure from the MHSD’s previous volumes, the nearly 308-page, hardcover book includes color photos, with multiple images of every vessel. The book’s authors are marine historians William Moran and Viktor Kaczkowski, and Know Your Ships publisher Roger LeLievre.

“Putting the book together has been a much greater challenge than any of us had expected,” Kaczkowski said. “With the influx of foreign-built new and used tonnage, writing the histories required a lot more research to ensure the information was correct, particularly due to the wide variety of languages that came into play.”

Order Ahoy & Farewell III now at MHSD.org.

Federal Biscay closes saltie season at Duluth

DULUTH, MN – The 2024 Great Lakes shipping season is coming to a close.

The Federal Biscay left Duluth-Superior Saturday as the last oceangoing departure of the 2024 navigation season.

“It’s our way of being able to help feed the world, so that’s a nice aspect of it and certainly it’s our way for helping regional farmers and producers throughout the upper Midwest get their products to global markets,” said Duluth Seaway Port Authority Director of Communication and Marketing Jayson Hron.

According to officials, the port saw a roughly 19.5% increase in oceangoing vessels this year alone for interlake traffic.

Federal Biscay is carrying durum wheat destined for North Africa. While the departure of Federal Biscay will conclude Duluth-Superior’s oceangoing navigation season, interlake shipping to and from Duluth-Superior will continue through mid-January.

Northern News Now

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                                                  Information on the billing in the gallery below

MHSD’s Ahoy & Farewell III book
documents 30 years of laker history

Ahoy & Farewell III, the third installment of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit’s long-running series marking the MHSD’s 80th anniversary, is now available. The book documents the vessels we welcomed, and those to which we had to bid farewell, during the last 30 years. This 308-page, hardcover book features many color photos, with multiple images of each vessel referenced.

In a departure from the MHSD’s previous volumes, the nearly 308-page, hardcover book includes color photos, with multiple images of every vessel. The book’s authors are marine historians William Moran and Viktor Kaczkowski, and Know Your Ships publisher Roger LeLievre.

“Putting the book together has been a much greater challenge than any of us had expected,” Kaczkowski said. “With the influx of foreign-built new and used tonnage, writing the histories required a lot more research to ensure the information was correct, particularly due to the wide variety of languages that came into play.”

Order Ahoy & Farewell III now at MHSD.org.

Cuyahoga relocated at Ashtabula

On December 20, the Lower Lakes Towing / Rand Logistics MV Cuyahoga was relocated to the southernmost part of the Minnesota slip at Ashtabula. The move enables the port to accommodate eight vessels for winter layup and repairs. The vessel will be towed to Marine Recycling Corp. at Port Colborne, ON, for recycling this spring.

Dré Marquese Houston

Cyprus-flagged ship Maccoa remains stuck near Verchères

The motor vessel Maccoa, a cargo ship registered in Cyprus, that ran aground on Christmas Eve in the St. Lawrence River near Verchères, Que., was still trapped on Saturday, after the Friday’s attempt to refloat it failed.

An operation to free the vessel was launched on Friday morning, involving three tugboats and an officer from the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) Environmental Response and Marine Hazards team.

However, the attempt did not “significantly improve the condition of the vessel so that it could be refloated’,” said Kariane Charron from the Canadian Coast Guard’s Quebec office.

Late Friday, the decision was made to pause refloating operations. “The ship’s owner and other experts will look into unloading part of the cargo to make it easier to refloat the vessel,” Charron said.

The ship ran aground on December 24 due to a power failure, the cause of which is still unknown. At the time, 20 crew members were on board. No one was hurt, the ship was not damaged, and no pollution was found nearby.

Generators, heaters, and other supplies were delivered to the ship on Christmas Eve. The crew restored power shortly afterward using the ship’s own generators.

The Coast Guard said the ship’s position is not blocking maritime traffic, but a speed reduction has been put in place for other vessels passing through the area.

The Canadian Press

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Win a trip on the Alpena

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