Detroit’s Detroit River Cruise tickets now on sale to public

Ticket sales for the annual Marine Historical Society of Detroit’s Detroit River Cruise, scheduled for Saturday, September 7, from 1-4 p.m. aboard the the Diamond Jack River Tours boat DIAMOND QUEEN, are now open to the public.

Passengers will have the opportunity to photograph vessels and historic sites along the Detroit River and enjoy a narration by local history expert Ken Borg. The number of passengers will be limited to 100 so there will be lots of room to move about the boat. Tickets are now on sale at MHSD.org. Or pay by check to the Marine Historical Society of Detroit for $28.50 and mailed to MHSD Cruise,1020 Iroquois, Detroit, MI, 48214. If there are any tickets left the day of sailing, they will be sold at the dock for $30.

Marine Historical Society of Detroit

Sidelined ferries mean smaller fleet is handling Mackinac Island’s heavy summer traffic

MACKINAC ISLAND, MI – A much smaller than normal fleet of boats is handling the ferry traffic to Mackinac Island during this summer’s peak tourist season – an issue that’s likely to continue, ferry officials said.

The pinch point is the aging fleet that belonged to Mackinac Island Ferry Company, formerly known as Star Line, which was purchased by the Hoffmann Family of Companies at the end of June. The Florida-based private equity firm also owns Shepler’s, the other ferry company that takes passengers between the mainland and the island.

Once Hoffmann Marine took over daily operations of Mackinac Island Ferry Company (MIFC), it quickly became clear that the bulk of its fleet needed major mechanical work – not the Band-Aid-type fixes that had been going on under the previous owners, said Chris Shepler, who is now overseeing daily operations of both the MIFC fleet and Shepler’s.

The MIFC’s faster Hydro-Jet boats have been sidelined in the last few weeks. This means the group has some of its slower “classic” ferries still running to and from the island each day. But customers who want a faster ride are being re-directed to a nearby Shepler’s dock, where ferry departures are being spaced every 15 minutes when possible.

“This Mackinac Island Ferry Company fleet has been neglected, maintenance-wise, for a very long time,” Shepler said. “And with that, I think everything came to a head after the purchase. It all happened very quickly.”

Today for example, all six of the MIFC fast boats are off the schedule. Three of the slower ferries are running. This includes the Straits of Mackinac II, the Good Fortune pirate ship, and the Anna May, a freight boat.

“Their freight boat is running passengers right now because we need that capacity,” Shepler said.

So what should tourists do? It depends on the experience they want, Shepler said. If they’re fine with a slow-paced trip to the island, MIFC tickets can be purchased at the dock or online here.

If they are looking for a more efficient ferry ride, right now it’s best to book a Shepler’s trip.

Mackinac Island

So what’s the future for the MIFC ferry boats? A lot of work, Shepler said. New maintenance and mechanical overhaul plans were quickly drawn up to address the needs of the MIFC fleet. Hoffmann Marine has committed $4 million for new engines.

Island insiders likely are not surprised at how all this has played out on the ferry docks. Before the sale to Hoffmann, MIFC ferries had been running off-schedule and having mechanical issues to the point where people were complaining about it in town and on social media.

After the sale, the Hoffmann team had to take a hard look at what could actually be salvaged, Shepler said. A couple boats may be scrapped.

“We are not going to put a boat back on the water until it’s 100 percent,” he said. “There will be no more Band-Aid fixes. We want to make sure a boat is reliable.”

The hope is to have all this repair and engine replacement work done on the MIFC fleet by May 1, 2025. “We’ve started to order parts. We physically have to order brand new engines for a couple of them. Then we will be overhauling.”

The private firm also purchased the island’s Sip n’ Sail boat cruise company earlier this year, and also owns the local newspapers, including the St. Ignace News.

M Live

Michigan Awards $5 Million for Maritime Infrastructure Projects

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has revealed the winners of the 2024 Michigan Maritime and Port Facility Assistance Grant Program, which will allocate $5 million to maritime projects throughout the state.

The five chosen projects aim to enhance Michigan’s maritime infrastructure, bolstering the state’s economic edge, lowering freight transportation costs, increasing reliability and lessening the environmental effects of freight movement, MDOT said.

MDOT’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget included a one-time appropriation of $5 million for the program, which was signed into law in 2022.

Port of Monroe has been awarded $1.5 million toward a $3.6 million project to build a roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) dock capable of accommodating any Seaway-size vessel importing and exporting diverse and oversize/overweight cargoes.

Verplank Dock Co. has been awarded $1 million toward the $3.5 million excavation of dredged material at the confined disposal facility (CDF) for beneficial reuse.

The City of Cheboygan and U.S. Energy will receive $500,000 toward a $1.9 million project to expand and secure motor fuel supply for northern Michigan by adding a petroleum storage tank at the Cheboygan marine terminal.

The City of Sault Ste. Marie was awarded $ 500,000 for a $1.2 million project to provide safety and security to the cargo area and other enhancements at the Carbide Dock in Sault Ste. Marie.

Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority has been awarded $1.5 million toward a $20 million project to acquire a marine terminal and develop the Detroit-Wayne Mobility Innovation Terminal (DW-MIT) to spur zero-carbon, innovative, intermodal cargo and freight solutions, jobs, and economic development.

Mark Schrupp, executive director of the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, said, “This grant will help the Port Authority develop infrastructure to launch innovative maritime services and expand the utilization of the Great Lakes for freight operations and power our local and Michigan economies.”

“The Great Lakes and the maritime industry are critical assets to Michigan and our nation,” State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich said. “MDOT looks forward to building upon our existing partnerships with the maritime industry by helping support our economy and add new jobs.”

Michigan’s 3,200 miles of shoreline along four of the five Great Lakes contain 33 active cargo ports that ship or receive cargo. Michigan’s ports handle 51.7 million tons of cargo valued at $4.1 billion annually.

Detroit’s Detroit River Cruise tickets now on sale to public

Ticket sales for the annual Marine Historical Society of Detroit’s Detroit River Cruise, scheduled for Saturday, September 7, from 1-4 p.m. aboard the the Diamond Jack River Tours boat DIAMOND QUEEN, are now open to the public.

Passengers will have the opportunity to photograph vessels and historic sites along the Detroit River and enjoy a narration by local history expert Ken Borg. The number of passengers will be limited to 100 so there will be lots of room to move about the boat. Tickets are now on sale at MHSD.org. Or pay by check to the Marine Historical Society of Detroit for $28.50 and mailed to MHSD Cruise,1020 Iroquois, Detroit, MI, 48214. If there are any tickets left the day of sailing, they will be sold at the dock for $30.

Marine Historical Society of Detroit

Misguided Draft Guidance Causes Bulk Carrier Grounding in Lake Huron

Mike Schuler

Inadequate operating company guidance on underkeel clearance led to the grounding of a bulk carrier in Lake Huron in April 2023, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported on Tuesday.

The John J Boland grounded twice while completing its final loading at Port Dolomite, Michigan, on April 21, 2023. After setting sail, the crew discovered flooding and hull damage.

The investigation revealed that crew planned to load 30,000 tons of aggregate stone based on a load plan created by the first mate using previous plans, loading software, and draft guidance. The plan required drafts not exceeding 26 feet 8 inches, but the first mate incorrectly assumed the draft guidance included a safety factor for underkeel clearance, believing that the draft guidance had a “built-in safety factor” that was “usually” 18 inches, meaning there would be “at least 18 inches” underkeel when finished loading.

The NTSB concluded that the operating company’s inadequate guidance for creating a load plan with sufficient underkeel clearance was the probable cause. The report stressed the importance of vessel crews understanding the characteristics of their operating facilities.

“To safely carry out cargo loading operations, it is important for vessel crews to understand the characteristics of the facilities where they will be operating, including the depth of water at the dock and potential hazards, such as nearby shoaling, that could impact the loading process,” the report said.

The NTSB emphasized that effective company policies should clearly identify underkeel clearance requirements to assist in developing safe load plans. Crewmembers should also consult nautical charts, surveys, tidal information, ship-specific stability and loading information, and dock/facility data when developing load plans.

The investigation also found that the master’s decision to use the main engine to free the vessel after it grounded a second time contributed to the hull damage. Initially, the crew used mooring lines to free the vessel after the first grounding and continued loading, which likely worsened the situation. When the vessel grounded a second time, the master used the main engine to back the vessel off the dock, causing further scraping along the bottom.

You can find the NTSB report here.  https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MIR2419.pdf

Rand Logistics Acquires Andrie

 Eric Haun, Editor

July 31, 2024

Rand Logistics, a dry bulk shipping group operating on the Great Lakes, announced on Wednesday that it has reached a deal to acquire Andrie from Auxo Investment Partners, marking the company’s expansion into liquid bulk shipping. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Andrie, based in Muskegon, Mich., transports specialty liquid products such as asphalt, cement, refined oil products and calcium chloride, connecting North American production assets with distribution networks throughout the Great Lakes region. According to the Andrie website, the company’s fleet consists of seven tugs and eight barges, including three owned tugs and four owned barges.

Following the acquisition, Andrie will operate under its existing name as a Rand business unit. Andrie’s CEO Sven Christensen and the current management team will remain in place.

For Rand, a portfolio company of private investment firm Duration Capital Partners, the deal marks an expansion into liquid bulk shipping. Through its subsidiaries, American Steamship Company, Grand River Navigation and Lower Lakes Towing, Rand currently operates a fleet of 21 vessels, including one conventional bulk carrier and 20 self-unloading bulk carriers including three tug/barge units for the transport of dry commodities including iron ore, aggregates, grain, metallurgical coal and salt.

“As we continue to thoughtfully grow our platform and service offerings, we are pleased to partner with an industry leader in Andrie that brings together complementary cultures and capabilities, while expanding our presence in the Great Lakes region,” said David Foster, CEO of Rand. “Andrie’s exceptional reputation with customers, dedication to employee safety and client service, and experienced management team makes them an ideal partner for Rand, and we look forward to working closely with Sven and the entire Andrie team to achieve greater success together.”

“We’re proud of the legacy we’ve built over the last 36 years as one of the premier providers of bulk cargo transportation on the Great Lakes, and see incredible growth opportunities for our business as part of the Rand platform,” Christensen said. “The Rand team shares our focus on safety and customer service, and we look forward to joining forces with David and the team to both efficiently and safely deliver for our customers.”

Marinelink

Senators say $450M in federal funds secured for Soo Locks project

Peters and Stabenow pushed for $264 million in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ budget, secured $186 million in congressionally directed spending to complete project

SooLeader Staff
about 24 hours ago

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) say they have secured the $450 million in federal funding included in the Fiscal Year 2025 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for the Soo Locks construction project.

In a news release, Peters and Stabenow say they pushed for more than $264 million for the project in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ budget. Peters and Stabenow then additionally secured more than $186 million in congressionally directed spending for the completion of the project.

Once passed into law, the funding secured in this bill should allow the Army Corps to award all remaining construction contracts for the Soo Locks project, putting the project on a glidepath towards timely completion, according to the release.

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Peters voted to advance the bill to the full Senate.

“The Soo Locks are critical not only to Michigan but to our entire country. Even a temporary shutdown of just one lock would have catastrophic impacts on U.S. jobs, supply chains, and national security,” said Senator Peters. “Building this new lock is necessary to protecting this vital gateway for transporting goods throughout the Great Lakes and beyond, and I was proud to secure the funding needed that will finally see this project across the finish line.”

“In Michigan, we know how vital the Soo Locks are. We are on borrowed time until something happens that shuts them down, which would have devastating consequences for the economy and our national security,” said Senator Stabenow. “That’s why I’ve been fighting in the Senate for over 15 years to ensure the Army Corps has the resources and flexibility they need to build a new lock. This funding is a crucial step in keeping this project on track and finally finishing a second Poe-sized lock.”

The new lock system will be the same size as the existing 55-year-old Poe Lock, the only lock capable of handling the largest vessels that travel through the Great Lakes.

The Soo Locks allow ships carrying essential cargo – such as iron ore pellets used to make steel for autos and appliances – to travel between Lake Superior ports and those in the lower Great Lakes. Reports have indicated that if the Poe Lock were to suffer a long closure for any reason, it could lead to a national recession. 

The senators’ release states that in 2007, Stabenow authored language in the Water Resources Development Act making construction of the new lock 100 percent federally funded, eliminating the need for Michigan to foot the bill. In 2015, Stabenow requested a study and a report that led the Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize the Soo Locks project. In 2017, Stabenow led a bipartisan Congressional delegation on a tour of the Soo Locks, highlighting the importance of the Locks to our state’s and nation’s economy and national security and the urgent need for modernization.

In 2018,  Stabenow’s Soo Locks Modernization Act, which Peters cosponsored, was signed into law as part of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, authorizing Congress to provide the necessary funding to build another Poe-sized lock.

Peters and Stabenow were instrumental in enacting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including $479 million they announced in January 2022 for modernizing the Soo Locks.

In December 2022, they helped pass the bipartisan Water Resources and Development Act as part of the annual national defense bill and it included needed funding flexibility for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to keep building a new lock at the Soo on schedule.

Peters and Stabenow additionally secured a $257.4 million federal investment to support ongoing construction of the new lock.

Link to full Article:  https://www.sooleader.com/local-news/senators-say-450m-in-federal-funds-secured-for-soo-locks-project-9302464

Dredging to begin this week at St. Joseph Harbor

 Army Corps of Engineers expect project to be done by late August

By TONY WITTKOWSKI HP Local News Editor 7 hrs ago

St. JOSEPH — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin dredging near the entrance of the St. Joseph Harbor this week, the agency announced Wednesday.

The project, which would require the removal of about 29,500 cubic yards of shoaling, is expected to be completed by late August. While the project is expected to begin Thursday, Brandon Hubbard – a spokesperson for the Army Corps, Detroit District – said the start date is weather dependent.

“They are in place out there on the river now,” Hubbard told The Herald-Palladium on Wednesday. “When the weather is good to go, they will start.”

The Army Corps maintains about 1.5 miles of federal navigation channel to a depth of up to 21 feet in the St. Joseph Harbor entrance and river channel, as well as 18 feet in the turning basin. About 40,000 cubic yards of shoaling have been removed annually from the mouth of the St. Joseph River, which allows access for the U.S. Coast Guard and larger commercial vessels.

The King Company of Holland has been contracted to complete the $693,000 project, which is funded from the 2024 Fiscal Year President’s Budget.

Workers removed about 20,000 cubic yards in 2022 and 102,000 cubic yards in 2023 from the harbor.

“St. Joseph Harbor is a critical southern port in the Great Lakes Navigation System and dredging it is an important part of our annual maintenance program,” said Liz Newell Wilkinson, the operations manager at the Grand Haven Office of the USACE, in a news release. “We thank the public for their patience as we work to keep the harbor safe and open.”

Dredging material will be placed for beach nourishment at the state-permitted area south of Park Street and extending southward about 3,000 feet through Lions Park to the St. Joseph Water Filtration Plant.

The public is asked to avoid active dredging and placement locations during the work, as well as any areas marked with orange cones and caution tape.

While the pumped material has been tested to ensure clean and safe placement on the beach, the pipes and the outfall of sand at the beach create quicksand-like conditions during active pumping.

Hubbard said bulldozers and other heavy machinery will be used to grade the new material into place on the beach.

Contact: twittkowski@TheHP.com, 932-0358, Twitter:

@TonyWittkowski

Bay Shipbuilding Delivers US’ Largest LNG Bunker Barge to Crowley

 July 31, 2024

Crowley on Wednesday announced it has taken delivery of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge Progress, the largest U.S. Jones Act-compliant vessel of its kind, after construction was completed at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wis.

The Progress will expand access to cleaner energy for ship operators at the Port of Savannah, Georgia, upon final commissioning there this month. Shell NA LNG, LLC, (Shell) signed a long-term agreement with Crowley to operate the barge, providing another fueling location to ships using LNG.

Designed by Crowley’s engineering services group, the 416-foot-long barge has a capacity of 12,000 m3 (3.17 million gallons). Progress’ technologies include capability developed by Shell and Crowley’s engineering services group to flexibly deliver LNG to various types of LNG containment systems.

“The Progress LNG bunker barge sets a new standard for quality and capability to serve the energy needs of the shipping industry,” said James C. Fowler, senior vice president and general manager, Crowley Shipping. “LNG offers a safe and reliable solution for ocean carriers that advances the transition to lower emissions. We congratulate the people whose dedication and hard work in designing and building this world-class vessel allowed us to reach this milestone for the U.S. industry and our customers.”

“Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding continues to be an industry leader in building LNG bunkering barges. We take tremendous pride in seeing another FBS-built vessel leave Sturgeon Bay to its new operational home port. I am proud of the work of our entire Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding team,” said Jan Allman, vice president and general manager of Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding.

LNG is the lowest carbon fuel currently available to shipping at scale, emitting up to 23% less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (well-to-wake) compared to very/ultra low sulfur fuel oil.

Shipbuilding • LNG • Barges • Bunkering

Know Your Ships Publisher Chosen for Historic Interpretation Award

The Association for Great Lakes Maritime History has selected Roger LeLievre, Editor and Publisher of the book Know Your Ships, to receive the 2024 Joyce S. Hayward Award for Historic Interpretation.

This award is presented annually to an individual who has made a major contribution, over many years, to the interpretation of Great Lakes maritime history in furtherance of the goals of the association. He was nominated for his commitment, since 1994, to editing and publishing the annual boatwatching field guide Know Your Ships.

Other accomplishments include his 21-plus years as president of The Marine Historical Society of Detroit and editing of The Detroit Marine Historian since 2011 (receiving the group’s Historian of the Year Award in 2006), as well as his volunteer work with the website boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/ and the Soo Locks Visitor Center Association.

The award will be presented at the Association’s Awards Dinner in September at Buffalo, NY, as part of the AGLMH’s 2024 Annual Meeting & Maritime History Conference co-hosted by the Buffalo Harbor Museum and the Buffalo Maritime Center.

Association for Great Lakes Maritime History

On Lake Michigan, a coal-fired steamship and ferry eyes a clean-energy future

August 1, 2024
Kelly House (Email)
Michigan Environment Watch
2024 Michigan EV road trip, Great Lakes

As the nation’s last coal-fired steamship, the SS Badger has long been a source of both wonder — and controversy

Now, the Badger’s new owners hope to transition the ship from coal to an emissions-free energy source

Options abound, from hydrogen to batteries. But as always, money poses a barrier

LUDINGTON — Nearly every summer day for decades running, the SS Badger steamship has transported hundreds of passengers across Lake Michigan in vintage splendor.

On the open deck, sunbathers lounge with drinks in hand. Inside, families play bingo, watch movies or enjoy hot dogs, popcorn and live music while traveling between Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and Ludington at a leisurely pace of 18 miles per hour.

And overhead, black soot billows from the 72-year-old ship’s smokestack, while workers sweep up coal ash in a sweltering boiler room below deck.

As the last coal-fired steamship in the country, the SS Badger is both a cherished symbol of the Great Lakes’ maritime heyday and a stubborn vestige of its polluted industrial past.

Now, its owners hope to make it a trailblazer of the clean energy future.

Interlake Maritime Services, an Ohio-based company that bought the Badger in 2020, is studying ways to convert it to emissions-free energy. By 2026, company officials hope to have a blueprint for replacing the coal-fired system with something far better for the environment.

That system, “has stood the test of time, and it will stand the test of time,” said Mark Barker, Interlake’s president. “But at the same time, looking at where the world’s going, at the end of the day, coal is not the cleanest fuel.”

History of a ship

The Badger wasn’t always a tourist vessel.

Built in 1952, it spent four decades ferrying railcars between Michigan and Wisconsin for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co. — a shortcut that avoided Chicago’s overcrowded railyards.

At the time, the 410-foot Badger was the biggest ship in a car-ferry fleet that numbered seven in Ludington alone. And from the moment it was built, its coal-fired boilers were outdated.

By the 1950s, other ships were already transitioning to oil. The C&O Railway chose coal for the Badger because it was already burning and transporting coal on its rails.

“The coal burning has, in many ways, been to the Badger’s detriment since day one,” said Nathan Wietrzykowski at the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum.

Yet despite its antiquated energy system, the Badger outlasted all of its contemporaries.

By the 1980s, railroad advancements made it easier to transport freight around the lake, rendering railcar ferries obsolete. While other railcar ferries vanished, the Badger found new work shuttling tourists, automobiles and commercial trucks.

Today, it’s the only car ferry still navigating the Great Lakes — and the last coal-fired steamship in the nation.

Fans of the ship marvel at the antique technology, the leisurely ride (the Badger takes four hours to travel 60 miles across the lake) and the onboard bingo games that have survived the advent of wireless internet and satellite television.

People view it as “a last defiant relic of a past era,” said Wietrzykowski.

And in Ludington, it’s both a point of pride and an economic driver. Downtown restaurants plan for “the Badger rush” when the ship docks at 7 p.m. Residents gather on front lawns and fishing piers to greet it.

For some passengers, the coal is part of the appeal.

“It’s a throwback,” similar to riding on a steam locomotive, said 72-year-old Mark Bielski of Chanhassen, Minnesota. “I like the simplicity.”

But the ship’s fuel source has long been a source of conflict.

It takes so much effort to get the boilers going, they stay on even when the Badger is docked. The smoke plume contains planet-heating greenhouse gases along with particulate matter, sulfur dioxide and other pollutants.

Decades ago, the city of Milwaukee battled the Badger over its air emissions. More recently, the ship’s former owners spent years sparring with environmentalists and the EPA over the million pounds of coal ash it dumped in Lake Michigan every summer.

Following a 2013 consent decree, the ash is now captured in containment bins instead.

“The ultimate solution, of course, was to stop burning coal,” said Howard Learner, executive director of the Chicago-based Environmental Law & Policy Center, but “the prior management was just stubborn in its refusal.”

In the years since, many things have changed.

Climate change has been getting worse. Michigan has passed laws to shift the state toward clean energy, and public concern over fossil fuel pollution has intensified.

And the Badger has gained new owners with a different philosophy.

Interlake employs an environmental stewardship manager, and has been working to reduce the carbon footprint of its entire 12-vessel fleet.

“Obviously, decarbonizing is hard to talk about, with the elephant in the room being a coal-fired ferry,” said Katie Wells, Interlake’s manager of environmental stewardship and quality.

It won’t be easy

On modern diesel ships, it’s relatively easy to install scrubbers that strip pollutants out of the exhaust. Decarbonizing the Badger will be more difficult.

“It’s so distinctly different from a modern platform,” Wells said. “There really is not a way to just up and change from coal to diesel.”

Walking into the Badger’s engine and boiler rooms feels like walking back in time. It’s loud, hot, and sooty.

Unlike modern ships that are highly automated, the Badger’s energy system requires a full staff: In the boiler room, a fireman and a coal passer tend to the fires, sweep up ash and maintain machinery that superheats steam to power the ship’s two hulking engines, which are nearly three stories tall. Three more workers keep watch in the engine room.

A chief engineer oversees it all.

“There’s a lot of pride in doing what we do, and keeping the traditions and history alive,” said Chief Engineer Andy VerVelde. “Everybody works as a team. We suffer in the heat together. We troubleshoot the problems together. We overcome the challenges and keep the boat going.”

Ships in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway (which connects the lakes to the Atlantic Ocean) emitted 1.6 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2021. That’s roughly as much as 350,000 passenger vehicles.

But international, national and state regulators are pushing the industry to become emissions-free by 2050.

Companies are exploring everything from alternative fuels like hydrogen and biofuels to new powering systems like fuel cells, batteries and modern wind power that looks nothing like a traditional sailboat.

But greening the maritime sector setting isn’t as easy as, say, switching to electric cars.

For one thing, ships are far bigger. They often must travel long distances between refueling. And in the Badger’s case, it needs power not just for propulsion, but for keeping the burger grills hot, the stateroom lights on and the toilets flushing.

“Every service aboard the ship ultimately comes from the steam plant,” VerVelde said. “The lights, the drinking water, the everything.”

A testbed for a greener maritime sector?

The first step toward a greener Badger is figuring out what’s possible. A $600,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation is funding the study, which should be complete by mid-2026.

Barker, the Interlake president, envisions turning the Badger into a testing grounds for greener technologies that could be deployed industrywide.

Ideas include powering the ship with diesel, methanol, hydrogen, fuel cells or even batteries powered by onshore electricity. The company is also looking into carbon capture systems that could zero out emissions if the ship continues to run on fossil fuels.

In some ways, the Badger is a natural candidate for experimentation. Its fixed, relatively short 60-mile route makes electrification more realistic, because the Badger could theoretically recharge a battery during daily trips to the dock.

On the other hand, Wells said, “I can’t imagine the size of the battery you would need.”

Company officials insist they’re under no regulatory obligation to switch fuels. Cost will likely determine whether they do, and Wells said the price tag would be “several millions, at least.”

The company is hoping to secure federal funding.

The idea of a Badger without coal is bittersweet for some, said Wietrzykowski, the maritime historian and Ludington resident.

“But at the end of the day, what really matters the most is the continuation of the ship itself,” he said. “And what matters to the local economy is the continuation of the service across the lake.”

If you go…

The SS Badger
Where: Ludington to Manitowoc, Wisconsin
When: Twice daily in the summer. See a detailed schedule.
How long: 4 hours
How much: Adult one-way tickets are $88. Bringing a car adds $96. See full fare details.
For a higher-speed trip across Lake Michigan:

The Lake Express
Where: Muskegon to Milwaukee
When: Twice daily in the summer. See a detailed schedule.
How long: 2.5 hours
How much: Adult one-way tickets are $111.50. Bringing a car adds $121. See full fare details.

Master alone on bridge when bulker grounded while leaving dock

Professional Mariner StaffJuly 23, 2024

(WASHINGTON) — The bulk carrier American Mariner was leaving a dock near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, last year when the master — acting alone on the bridge during complicated maneuvers — overshot a turn and grounded on shoals, damaging three ballast water tanks, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported Tuesday.

The vessel was heading outbound in the Vidal Shoals Channel en route to Superior, Wis., when it grounded on Jan. 7, 2023. NTSB investigators found that the master of the vessel was alone on the bridge at the time. Other factors compromising the master’s ability to successfully navigate the vessel included transiting in the dark, unlit channel buoys, and not using all available features in the electronic chart system.

Damage to the port ballast water tanks of the bulk carrier American Mariner after the grounding. U.S. Coast Guard photo

The NTSB found that the master’s initial angle of departure from the dock and close approach to the shoal water positioned the vessel at a poor angle to successfully maneuver into the channel, which resulted in the vessel overshooting the turn and grounding on the opposite side of the channel. The grounding resulted in $600,000 of damage to the vessel. No pollution or injuries were reported.

“While maneuvering in confined waters, it is difficult for a single bridge crewmember to effectively drive, look out and monitor and use available bridge equipment,” the report said. “Owners, operators and vessel masters are responsible for ensuring that vessel bridge teams are staffed with a sufficient number of certificated/credentialed mariners who are familiar with all bridge navigation equipment and able to independently take immediate action.”

Click here to read the complete report:   Grounding of the Bulk Carrier American Mariner (ntsb.gov)

– National Transportation Safety Board

Toronto to explore “relief” vessels to ease Islands ferry lineups

 Jon Woodward

CTV News Toronto Videojournalist

Published July 28, 2024 1:47 p.m. CDT

As the city of Toronto waits for delivery of two new electric ferries to ease long lines at the ferry terminal to the Toronto Islands, city staff have now been tasked with finding “relief ferries” to tackle congestion in the meantime.

 Mayor Olivia Chow said she’s not sure the best way to get the vessels in place, but said that it’s important to find a solution for ferry lineups which in some cases have stretched from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal to around the front of the Westin Hotel.

 “My motion is to say, “Hey, why don’t we see if we could lease, rent, something in between now and the end of 2026 to get people over to the islands,” Chow told council on Thursday as she advanced a motion to find other vessels.

 The motion came as Toronto approved the purchase of two new electric ferries to carry people to the Toronto Islands at a cost of $92 million.

 The boats will replace aging ferries that have been in service for between 61 and 114 years. They will be built in Romania by Damen Shipyards Galati.

 They’re expected to be delivered in late 2026 to early 2027. City council heard they will take six minutes to charge, can travel four times across the harbour without charging, will save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on fuel and will increase the capacity of 1,000 passengers per trip for the passenger vessel.

 Similar vessels ordered from the same company to Kingston to serve the Kingston-Wolfe Island route have been out of service, but council heard that’s because the charging infrastructure on that route hasn’t yet been built.

 Councillor Paula Fletcher urged the city to ensure the chargers are in place for when the vessels arrive. She said another option that is being explored for easier access to the islands, a bridge, would interfere with commercial shipping.

 “I’ve done the numbers as far as the number of ships that travel there. There are 200. Economic-wise, let’s put that puppy to bed right now,” she said.

 Another motion, proposed by Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, directed city staff to find new ways of offering tickets to the ferries, including linking it to the regional’s transit payment system, the Presto Card.

Ottawa County
Ships parade down channel at Coast Guard Festival

by: Rachel Van Gilder, Brittany Flowers

Posted: Jul 29, 2024 / 12:22 PM EDT

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (WOOD) — It’s a fan favorite at the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival: Vessels decked out in flags cruised down the Grand Haven channel Monday for the annual Parade of Ships.

It featured U.S. Coast Guard Cutters Spar, Mobile Bay, Morro Bay and Buckthorn, as well as Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Samuel Risley, all escorted by smaller U.S. Coast Guard and Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office boats.

Coast Guard Festival organizers expecting record crowds for 100th anniversary

People lined up along the channel to welcome the ships, waving and cheering as the vessels blew their horns and an orange Coast Guard helicopter circled above. The Morro Bay sprayed water on some bystanders.

An often overlooked branch of the military because of its size, the 43,000 active-duty men and women in the Coast Guard serve an instrumental purpose. Most Coast Guard members are stationed in cities along the Atlantic, Pacific, Great Lakes and Gulf coasts. Assignments normally last between two and four years, while deployment can last for days or months.

“I love the Coast Guard and what they do, how they serve their country, their willingness to put their lives on the line for others. It’s amazing,” Shirley Hawks said. “They do not get the support that they deserve. They’re not noted. People don’t realize how much they give up.”

“Especially now they aren’t getting much gratitude, the armed forces so I appreciate them and I want them to know that,” Richard Hawks said.

The Coast Guard Festival, which began Friday, is celebrating 100 years. The first event in 1924 was just a picnic for Coast Guard members and their families. Now, it’s a huge party that draws some 350,000 people from around the country. It’s a boon for the Grand Haven economy, with shop owners ready for a busy stretch.

“We do schedule our vacation specifically for this week because there’s so much more to do with the Coast Guard Festival,” Caitlin Williams said. “It’s great experience for the kids. They get to see these ships that are just huge in size and they do free tours and a lot of stuff’s free, so it’s a great family event because you don’t have to have a big budget to do it.”

The festival runs through Sunday.

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