Michigan plans to chart a greener course for Great Lakes shipping, boating

From the electrification of major cargo ports to sustainability improvements for Great Lakes ferries, a first-of-its-kind statewide “maritime strategy” could offer a roadmap toward a potential green future for shipping and boating in Michigan.

The strategy is set to be crafted over the coming year and a half, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy announced on Monday, June 10. The agency is kicking off the process by seeking an outside entity to take on development of the plan using a $200,000 grant.

While several existing state plans already touch on aspects of the maritime sector, there currently isn’t a document that takes a comprehensive look at commercial shipping, ferries and recreational boating, as is intended with the new strategy document, according to EGLE Great Lakes Policy Specialist Simon Belisle.

“A big component of it is helping the sector move toward low-emission or zero-emissions activities,” he said.

Marine transportation is big business in the state. Some 33 active ports handle 51.7 million tons of cargo valued at $4.1 billion annually, according to the Michigan’s Maritime and Port Facility Assistance Office.

Shipping by water is generally the least carbon intensive means of transportation per unit of weight or volume, Belisle said, but EGLE officials still recognize the industry has an impact on port communities and contributes to the state’s emissions.

While it’s too early to say what recommendations will end up in the final state maritime strategy, efforts to green shipping and boating in the Great Lakes are already underway, according to Belisle.

The Port of Detroit has mapped its current carbon emissions and outlined strategies to slash them in the coming years, while also improving air quality for surrounding neighborhoods. Its strategies include switching from diesel to biofuels and electrifying shipping vehicles, according to port’s plan, unveiled in April.

On the recreational side of things, Belisle pointed to the state’s “Fresh Coast Maritime Challenge,” a grant program helping efforts to transition watercraft from diesel to electric power and develop shoreside charging facilities at marinas.

EGLE’s Office of the Great Lakes has also supported a Lake Superior research site focused on autonomous vessels run by Michigan Technological University, according to the request for proposals the state agency issued for the development of the new maritime strategy.

The office recognizes the importance of collaboration for projects taking place on Michigan’s coasts, and the new maritime plan should help local entities working to cut carbon emissions identify potential partners, while also guiding the projects and investments of the Office of the Great Lakes, Belisle said.

Larger regional strategies already in place have similar goals to the Michigan project. The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers, an organization uniting chief executives from Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces, in 2016 adopted a strategy to boost maritime trade while cutting its environmental footprint.

The organization is now exploring biofuel applicability, working on an electrification pledge ports and carriers can sign on to, and conducting a project identifying ferries that could be early candidates for the switch to electric power, according to John Schmidt, program manager with the group’s regional maritime initiative.

Belisle said the state is looking for an outside group to craft the strategy to minimize any government bias that could come with doing it in house. “We’re part of the project, but not the only part of it,” he said.

M Live

Make Your Plans Now for Soo
Boatnerd Picnic, Freighter-Chasing Cruise

Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Picnic and Freighter-Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River during the annual Engineers Day weekend at Sault Ste. Marie June 27-38. Find details on both events here: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/boatnerd-soo-gathering-june-27-28-2024/

Thunder Bay divers put a patch on Michipicoten’s cracked hull

THUNDER BAY — A crew from a Thunder Bay dive company has temporarily sealed the crack that caused an emergency aboard the Great Lakes bulk carrier Michipicoten on Saturday. Water leaking through the hull caused a 15-degree list although bilge pumps were able to reverse the flooding, and the vessel was able to make it to Thunder Bay under escort.

The ship’s owner – Lower Lakes Towing – and Canadian and American authorities continue to investigate the cause of the four-metre-long hull fracture but have said there’s been no indication the ship struck something in the water between Two Harbors, Minnesota and Isle Royale.

“This appears to be a result of fatigue/structural failure,” the Transportation Safety Board indicated Monday.

At dockside at Keefer Terminal on the weekend, a team from Big Lake Dive & Marine entered the water for an initial inspection and located the breach in the hull.

Company owner Judson Beals told TBnewswatch the crew then went back down with welding equipment, accompanied by a specialist from southern Ontario, to patch the crack.

“We located the crack that they believed was on the hull of the ship, confirmed the length for them, and the size, and that was on Saturday. Then, on Sunday we were able to stop the leak, the water ingress, by putting on a plate with rubber for a temporary patch until it can get to dry dock and have proper repairs done.”

Beals said all the water in the ship has been pumped out, and it is no longer listing. He described the width of the crack in the hull as about a quarter of an inch, or “very minimal.”

“I can’t speak for the owner, but I believe it is repairable. The problem with our shipyard is they’ve closed down,” he said, referring to the currently-idled Ontario Shipyards facility in Thunder Bay.

So far, there’s no word from Lower Lakes Towing on its plans for the 72-year-old ship.

The U.S. Coast Guard has said a proper inspection will require offloading its cargo of iron ore pellets before it goes into dry dock.

On Facebook, a post attributed to a member of the Michipicoten’s crew described the incident on the lake as a “horrifying journey,” and said they were lucky the weather was on their side on Saturday.

He wrote: “We went through a day of pure terror…not know[ing] if we would see another day was frighten[ing].”
TBnewswatch has reached out to this individual but has not received a response.

 Swimmers can complete Edmund Fitzgerald’s journey to commemorate 50th anniversary of shipwreck

By: Kellen Voss Posted at 12:10 PM, Jun 10, 2024

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich (WXYZ) — Next year, open water swimmers will have the chance to participate in a 17-stage, 411-mile relay swim from Lake Superior to Detroit to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

The swim is scheduled for July 26, 2025, and swimmers will be featured in an upcoming documentary film. The swim will start in Lake Superior from above the wreck and finish at Belle Isle Beach. Registration for the swim opened at 9 a.m. EST this morning, and anyone interested can register at this link.

The 729-foot shop was heading to Detroit in 1975, carrying more than 26,000 long tons of iron ore when the ship went down during a Lake Superior Storm on November 10. All 29 crew members were killed in the shipwreck. The ship currently sits in Canadian waters, 17 miles north-northwest of Whitefish Point.

“The Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim presents epic, once-in-a-lifetime experiences for up to 68 swimmers to be part of history, play a role in a documentary film, and swim where no one has ever swum before and may never swim again,” said organizer Jim Dreyer, who has swam across all five Great Lakes.

Swimmers will be raising money for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS)to help preservethe Whitefish Point light station.

“The Edmund Fitzgerald, has come to represent, in many ways, shipwrecks in general on the Great Lakes, and the Whitefish Point Light is the most important beacon for all vessels entering or leaving Lake Superior,” said Bruce Lynn, GLSHS Executive Director. “Preserving the legacy of the 29 men who lost their lives in this historic maritime tragedy and helping to preserve a lighthouse that safeguards mariners along Lake Superior’s ‘Shipwreck Coast,’ are causes the swimmers can really rally around while they are themselves making history.”

Anyone looking for more information about this swim can find it at this link. https://www.edmundfitzgeraldswim.org/

TBNewswatch

Make Your Plans Now for Soo
Boatnerd Picnic, Freighter-Chasing Cruise

Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Picnic and Freighter-Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River during the annual Engineers Day weekend at Sault Ste. Marie June 27-38. Find details on both events here: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/boatnerd-soo-gathering-june-27-28-2024/

Divers find 13-foot crack in hull of Great Lakes ship

THUNDER BAY — A massive crack has been found in the hull of the Michipicoten, the ship that limped into Thunder Bay on the weekend after water started pouring into it on Lake Superior.

Divers have found a four-metre-long crack during an underwater inspection conducted at Keefer Terminal, where the vessel is now tied up.

“This appears to be a result of fatigue/structural failure,” a spokesperson for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada told TBnewswatch in an email Monday.

In an interview with TBnewswatch, US Coast Guard spokesperson Lorne Thomas said the rupture is from “the turn of the bilge, which is where the side shell turns to the bottom plate. A 13-foot-long crack was detected by the divers, which is clearly indicative of a hull failure.”

Thomas said a loud bang the ship’s crew reported hearing while the vessel was in deep water likely happened at the time of the hull failure.

“It looks like a hull failure, which could be the result of stress, fatigue, age of the vessel,” he said, but cautioned that a full investigation is needed to determine the cause for certain.

“The investigation will look at the entire transit from where the vessel originated its voyage, and to see if there’s a possibility that another event, like striking a submerged object, or running aground, initiated that hull failure which eventually completely failed out in the middle of Lake Superior.”

He added “there’s no indication” at present that the ship struck something first, but that Canadian and US authorities will certainly look at that possibility.

“We won’t definitively know if an event preceded the hull failure until the investigation is complete, and a big part of that is gonna be when the vessel gets up on dry dock, they offload the cargo. de-water the vessel, and take a good look at the damage.”

Initially, Thomas said, Transport Canada and the US Coast Guard contemplated separate investigations, but they are now discussing a cooperative probe in which Canadian officials would take the lead.

The Michipicoten had picked up a cargo of iron ore pellets for Algoma Steel at Two Harbors, Minnesota and was en route to Sault Ste. Marie on Saturday morning when the incident occurred.

At one point it was listing by 15 degrees before pumps alleviated the flooding.

Half the 22-person crew was taken off the 698-foot vessel but it was successfully escorted into Thunder Bay harbor and docked at Keefer Terminal.

TBnewswatch reached out to Lower Lakes Towing of Port Dover, Ontario the subsidiary of U.S.-based Rand Logistics which owns the ship, but was told the company has no statement to make at this time, as it is still assessing the situation.

According to information posted by Rand Logistics, the Michipicoten was launched in 1952, but underwent multiple modifications over the following years. In 1957 it was lengthened by 72 feet, and in 1980 it was converted to a self-unloader to prolong its life. Thirty years later, it was converted from steam power and oil-fired boilers to diesel propulsion.

Chris Heikkinen, CEO of the Thunder Bay Port Authority, said arrangements have been made for the vessel to remain at Keefer for as long as necessary. Heikkinen said it’s not uncommon for ships to require emergency repairs, which is why the port authority maintains a vacant berth at Keefer.

He noted “the great binational effort” into ensuring the safety of the Michipicoten and its crew “because obviously that’s the number one priority, and everyone made it back to shore safe and sound. So we’re just really thrilled with that outcome, and happy to have played a small role.”

TBNewswatch

Grain volumes increasing on St Lawrence Seaway

Grain Brokers Australia, Peter McMeekin, June 11, 2024

Thunder Bay, Ontario, is one of the ports that loads Canadian grain making its way to export customers via the Great Lakes St Lawrence Seaway. Photo: Michael Hull

THE 66th navigation season on the Great Lakes St Lawrence Seaway system commenced on March 22, and early tonnage reports indicate a robust beginning. The world’s longest and most extensive bi-national waterway system has remained a vital deep-draft waterborne transportation link for the movement of goods between North America’s heartland and international markets since it opened in 1959.The waterway is a system of locks, canals, channels and lakes that permits oceangoing vessels to make the 3770km journey from the Atlantic Ocean west to the Great Lakes, as far inland as Duluth,Minnesota, at the western end of Lake Superior. The elevation gain from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Superior is 183m, and ships can reach ports in all five of the Great Lakes via the Great Lakes Waterway.

The St Lawrence Seaway portion of the system extends from Montreal to the middle of Lake Erie and is named after the St Lawrence River which flows from Lake Ontario, downstream of the Great Lakes, to the Atlantic Ocean. The St Lawrence River section of the waterway is not a continuous canal; rather, it consists of several stretches of navigable channels within the river, a number of locks, and canals along the banks of the river to bypass a number of rapids and dams.

Managed jointly by the US Department of Transportation’s Great Lakes St Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation and the Canadian St Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, the two collectively advertise the system as Highway H2O. A typical season runs for about nine months from late March to late December each year.

The marine highway currently supports almost 360,000 jobs and contributes around US$47 billion to the economic activity between Canada and the US. It offers shippers direct access to North America’s commercial, industrial and agricultural heartland, a market of over 150 million people and a vast network of more than 40 ports, many of which have critical intermodal connections.

The Great Lakes St Lawrence Seaway System is serviced by a variety of international and domestic vessels that contribute to the efficiency of the waterway. These include multi-purpose oceangoing vessels, often referred to as “salties”, tug and barge units, and a specialised lake fleet, referred to as “lakers”, many of which are equipped with self-unloading devices. It takes the average vessel around 8.5 sailing days to navigate the entire length to open sea.

Vessel size limited

The channels and locks are currently the limiting factor for vessel size, being a maximum of 225.5m in length, a maximum beam (width) of 23.8m and a draft of no more than 8.08m. Each lock holds almost 80 million litres of water, equivalent to roughly 30 Olympic-sized swimming pools, and lockages require around 30 minutes from start to finish, regardless of direction. Proposals 20 years ago to modify the channels and locks to transit earlier generation panamax vessels met with strong environmentalist resistance and the cost was considered prohibitive.

Over 80pc of system traffic comprises bulk cargoes such as grains, iron ore, coal, chemicals and oil. Manufactured goods of all kinds, including finished and semi-finished steel products make up the rest of the seaway payloads. Since its opening, the St Lawrence Seaway has moved more than 2.5 billion tonnes of goods with an estimated value of around US$375 billion. Almost 25 percent of this cargo travelled to and from overseas ports, and ships from more than 50 nations call at Great Lakes and Seaway ports in Canada and the US each year.

Early spring traffic

Early fleet positioning due to unseasonably low winter-ice coverage on the Great Lakes jump-started new-season grain and potash traffic. Canadian and US grain shipments totalled approximately 1.21 million tonnes (Mt) to the end of April, an increase of 39,000t, or 3.32pc, compared to the previous corresponding period.

Similarly, potash traffic posted an increase of 83,000t, bringing the season-to-date total up to 110,000t. Potash, encompassing various potassium-rich minerals, is essential in fertilisers for enhancing plant growth, crop yield, disease resistance and plant water retention.

Grain exports out of the Canadian Port of Thunder Bay have been strong since Great Lakes navigation commenced this year, with 923,700t reportedly moved in May. That marked the second-highest monthly grain shipments of the past two years and compares with 899,100t in May 2023. A total of 2.07Mt of grain has moved through the port on the northern shores of Lake Superior since the season opened, up 14pc from the same time last year.

However, total cargo volumes in the first five weeks of new season operation fell by 379,000t, or 8.85pc compared to the same period in 2023. Total vessel transits fell by 2.04pc from 441 last year to 432 this year. Iron ore traffic saw the biggest fall, down 281,000t, or 34.27pc, to 539,000t.

Long 2023 season

In 2023, nearly 37.56Mt of cargo transited the bi-national system, representing an overall increase of more than 3.37pc from 2022. However, the total number of vessel transits across the season fell from 4008 to 3934, meaning that the average cargo size increased by 5.33pc from 9065t to 9548t. The 2023 Great Lakes St Lawrence Seaway shipping season was one of the longest on record, running from March 22 through to January 7.

At 10.5Mt, grain cargoes made up 27.9pc of total system movements, an increase of 500,000t, or 5.01pc compared to 2022. Wheat accounted for 6.5Mt, or 61.9pc of the total. This was 28pc higher year-on-year, with Canadian origin wheat making up just over 90pc of the wheat volume. Canola shipments were 6.5pc higher compared to 2022 at 666,464t. However, soybean shipments fell by 35.4pc at 1.5Mt, while corn movements dipped by 7.0pc at 1.4Mt.

Dry bulk cargoes, excluding iron ore and coal, were the biggest freight category at 12.32Mt, up 5.43pc from 11.69Mt in 2022. Iron ore shipments were up 1.93pc to 6.32Mt, and coal movements increased by 13.96pc to 2.02Mt.

St Lawrence Seaway tonnage statistics for the month of May are scheduled to be released within the next week and are expected to reveal a continuation of the positive trend exhibited in the early part of the 66th navigation season.

Make Your Plans Now for Soo
Boatnerd Picnic, Freighter-Chasing Cruise

Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Picnic and Freighter-Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River during the annual Engineers Day weekend at Sault Ste. Marie June 27-38. Find details on both events here: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/boatnerd-soo-gathering-june-27-28-2024/

Make Your Plans Now for Soo
Boatnerd Picnic, Freighter-Chasing Cruise

Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Picnic and Freighter-Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River during the annual Engineers Day weekend at Sault Ste. Marie June 27-38. Find details on both events here: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/boatnerd-soo-gathering-june-27-28-2024/

Michipicoten arrives at Thunder Bay after Lake Superior Incident

LAKE SUPERIOR – A situation Saturday morning on western Lake Superior that could have had a tragic ending concluded instead with the safe arrival of the motor vessel Michipicoten at Thunder Bay, ON.

The Coast Guard received a report of the incident at 6:53 a.m. Saturday from the Michipicoten when it was located about 35 miles southwest of Michigan’s Isle Royale with 22 people on board.

Initial reports indicated the vessel, loaded with taconite pellets taken aboard at Two Harbors, MN, had struck something, however waterfront observers speculate that is unlikely. Rather, the vessel may have experienced a hull failure that allowed water to enter.

Boat crews, helicopter and members of the U.S. Coast Guard, Border Patrol and National Park Service responded. The Edwin H. Gott, which was nearby, also responded. Coast Guard officials said pumps aboard the Michipicoten, plus additional pumps brought to the vessel by the tug Glenada, had removed some water on board. At one point, the list was reported to be 15 degrees to starboard, but that was reduced to around five degrees. Two more pumps were placed aboard once the vessel docked. The Coast Guard said 11 crewmembers were safely evacuated, however 11 others remained on board to guide the ship to Thunder Bay.

Michipicoten was escorted by the Gott as well as CCGS Cape Challion to Thunder Bay’s Keefer Terminal, where it docked safely, although with a noticeable starboard list.

Officials say details about the collision, and what caused it, will be released after “the situation is stabilized.”

Michipicoten (named Elton Hoyt II when it entered service in 1952) is a self-unloading lake freighter owned and operated by Canadian shipping firm Lower Lakes Towing.

USCG and other sources

Soo Locks tour boat Bide-A-Wee runs aground

SAULT STE MARIE, MI – U.S. Coast Guard units responded after receiving a report that the passenger vessel Bide-A-Wee ran aground Saturday afternoon.

Coast Guard Sector Northern Great Lakes was contacted via VHF Channel 16 at approximately 2:30 p.m. with a report that the 65’ tour boat Bide-A-Wee had run aground in Canadian waters on the north side of the St Marys River above the Soo Locks. The vessel reported they did not have any injuries and the vessel was stable.

Out of an abundance of caution, it was requested all the passengers onboard the boat be transferred off the vessel. A boat from U.S. Coast Guard Station Sault Ste. Marie arrived on scene and transferred all passengers safely to the tour boat Hiawatha. The Bide-A-Wee was assisted by a tug and was able to transit back safely under its own power. The cause of the grounding and any other damage to the vessel will be investigated once the situation has stabilized.

Bide-A-Wee is owned by the Original Soo Locks Boat Tours, which in turn is owned by the Interlake Steamship Co.

USCG

Busy weekend for Boatnerd Events

There are two events this weekend that should be of interest to ship fans. On Saturday, check out the Port Huron Marine Mart at the American Legion Post 8, 1026 Sixth St., Port Huron, MI, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Nautical items are bought, sold and traded at this long-running event. Admission: $5.

On Sunday, the National Museum of the Great Lakes, Toledo, OH, is hosting Know Your Ships author Roger LeLIevre for a book signing, from noon- 3 p.m. With special guest Great Lakes cartoonist/illustrator Don Lee. Admission: Free.

Make Your Plans Now for Soo
Boatnerd Picnic, Freighter-Chasing Cruise

Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Picnic and Freighter-Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River during the annual Engineers Day weekend at Sault Ste. Marie June 27-38. Find details on both events here: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/boatnerd-soo-gathering-june-27-28-2024/

Busy weekend for Boatnerd Events

There are two events this weekend that should be of interest to ship fans. On Saturday, check out the Port Huron Marine Mart at the American Legion Post 8, 1026 Sixth St., Port Huron, MI, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Nautical items are bought, sold and traded at this long-running event. Admission: $5.

On Sunday, the National Museum of the Great Lakes, Toledo, OH, is hosting Know Your Ships author Roger LeLIevre for a book signing, from noon- 3 p.m. With special guest Great Lakes cartoonist/illustrator Don Lee. Admission: Free.

Iron Ore Trade Down in May

CLEVELAND – Shipments of iron ore from U.S. Great Lakes ports totaled 5.4 million tons in May, a decrease of 3 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments were 2.8 percent above the month’s 5-year average.

Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 14.4 million tons, an increase of 2.1 percent compared to the same point in 2023.  Iron ore shipments were also 8.2 percent above their 5-year average for five months of the year.

Since 1880, Lake Carriers’ has represented the U.S.-flag Great Lakes fleet, which today can move more than 90 million tons of cargos annually that are the foundation of American industry, infrastructure, and power: iron ore, stone, coal, cement, and other dry bulk materials such as grain, salt, and sand.  More information is available at www.lcaships.com.

Information based on data from knowledgeable sources.  However, accuracy cannot be guaranteed.  Lake Carriers’ Association assumes no legal responsibility for the outcome of decisions or commitments made on the basis of this information.  Report represents the views of Lake Carriers’ Association and may not necessarily represent the views of its individual members.

Eric Peace
Vice President
Lake Carriers’ Association
25651 Detroit Road, Suite 102
Westlake, Ohio  44145
(440) 333-9996 (office) | (410) 703-8792 (mobile)
www.lcaships.com

Make Your Plans Now for Soo
Boatnerd Picnic, Freighter-Chasing Cruise

Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Picnic and Freighter-Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River during the annual Engineers Day weekend at Sault Ste. Marie June 27-38. Find details on both events here: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/boatnerd-soo-gathering-june-27-28-2024/

National Museum of the Great Lakes and The Sandpiper

Collaborate for Ultimate Great Lakes History Day

TOLEDO, OH – National Museum of the Great Lakes is partnering with The Sandpiper tour boat for Ship & Shore: The Ultimate Great Lakes History Day.

This summer, on Saturday, July 6 and Saturday, August 3, visitors can purchase a special ticket
that combines full access to the National Museum of the Great Lakes with a scenic trip along
the Maumee River aboard The Sandpiper.

“The Ship & Shore experience provides an immersive way to explore Great Lakes history all
day long,” said Ellen Kennedy, Director of Museum Operations at the National Museum of the
Great Lakes. “Guests will enjoy full access to our family-friendly exhibits and museum boats.
Mid-day, they will embark on a trip along the Maumee River aboard The Sandpiper, visiting
spots like the Port of Toledo. The tour departs and returns from the museum docks.”

During the Maumee River tour, visitors will engage with the award-winning “Port of Toledo:
Then and Now” exhibit. This interactive exhibit uses QR codes onboard The Sandpiper,
allowing cruisers to delve into the rich history along the Maumee River. The QR codes provide
images and information, enabling visitors to visually compare the historical and current views
of the river.

Tickets for “Ship & Shore: The Ultimate Great Lakes History Day” can be purchased in advance
at nmgl.org or by calling 419-214-5000. Day-of tickets will be available only if space permits.

For additional information, visit nmgl.org/events.
Event Highlights:

• Ultimate Great Lakes History Day: July 6 and August 3, 2024
• Full Museum Access: Explore the museum’s family-friendly exhibits, the 617-foot Col.
  James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, and Museum Tug Ohio

• Maumee River Tour: Board The Sandpiper at 1 PM for a two-hour guided tour,
  featuring the interactive “Port of Toledo: Then and Now” exhibit.

• All-Day Exploration: The museum opens at 10 AM, with the last chance to board
  museum ships at 4 PM.Tips for Visitors:

  Start Early: Arrive around 10 AM to maximize your visit.
  Plan for Lunch: Food is not included; consider bringing a picnic to enjoy in the
  Maritime Park before the Sandpiper tour.

• Dress Comfortably: Wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate attire.

Experience Great Lakes history first-hand, from tugboats and freighters to local industry in
action.

Make Your Plans Now for Soo
Boatnerd Picnic, Freighter-Chasing Cruise

Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Picnic and Freighter-Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River during the annual Engineers Day weekend at Sault Ste. Marie June 27-38. Find details on both events here: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/boatnerd-soo-gathering-june-27-28-2024/

Make Your Plans Now for Soo
Boatnerd Picnic, Freighter-Chasing Cruise

Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Picnic and Freighter-Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River during the annual Engineers Day weekend at Sault Ste. Marie June 27-38. Find details on both events here: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/boatnerd-soo-gathering-june-27-28-2024/

50th anniversary of shipwreck: Swimmers to complete Edmund Fitzgerald’s tragic journey

by Matthew SafferMon, June 3rd 2024 at 9:32 AM

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI — To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in 2025, open water swimmers will have an opportunity to participate in a 17-stage, 411-mile relay swim from Lake Superior, where the shipwreck lies, to Detroit, the ship’s intended destination. The Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim, is scheduled to begin on July 26, 2025, and will be the subject of a documentary film.

Registration for the swim opens at 9:00 a.m. EDT on June 10, 2024.

The 729-foot Edmund Fitzgerald was bound for Detroit carrying over 26,000 long tons of iron ore when the ship went down in a violent Lake Superior storm on November 10, 1975, taking the lives of all 29 crew members aboard. The ship lies in Canadian waters, 17 miles north-northwest of Whitefish Point, Michigan.

Seventeen teams of 4 relay swimmers will symbolically complete the intended route and cargo delivery that the Edmund Fitzgerald was tragically unable to complete on that fateful night 50 years ago, by passing between them iron ore pellets from the same dock in Superior, Wisconsin, where the ship took on its last load.

The event is being organized by Jim Dreyer, who has himself swam across all five Great Lakes.

“The Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim presents epic, once-in-a-lifetime experiences for up to 68 swimmers to be part of history, play a role in a documentary film, and swim where no one has ever swum before and may never swim again,” Dreyer said.

“The swim is tentatively planned to start in Lake Superior from above the Edmund Fitzgerald wreck, subject to permit approval. Here, the swimmers will leave a memorial to the crew resting below in a very moving ceremony. Then, participants will swim to shore at Whitefish Point, the site of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.”

“The swim will finish at Belle Isle Beach in Detroit where our delivery of iron ore is presented to receiving dignitaries. Then, a march from the finish line to the Mariners’ Church of Detroit is tentatively planned, pending approval of permits. In a memorial service, the church bell will be rung 29 times for each crew member of the Edmund Fitzgerald, just as it was 50 years ago.”

“In between Lake Superior and Detroit, there are many other incredible adventures,” Dreyer added.

“Participants will swim the St. Marys River to Sault Ste. Marie, which may allow them the chance to safely get up close and personal with giant freighters on either side of the Soo Locks.”

“Participants will ride the currents and swim the entire length of the St. Clair River.”

“There will be significant open water crossings of Whitefish Bay, Lake Huron between Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas, across the mouth of Saginaw Bay, and across Lake St. Clair to Detroit.”

Swimmers will raise funds for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS) to preserve the Whitefish Point Light Station.

“The Edmund Fitzgerald, has come to represent, in many ways, shipwrecks in general on the Great Lakes, and the Whitefish Point Light is the most important beacon for all vessels entering or leaving Lake Superior,” said Bruce Lynn, GLSHS Executive Director. “Preserving the legacy of the 29 men who lost their lives in this historic maritime tragedy and helping to preserve a lighthouse that safeguards mariners along Lake Superior’s ‘Shipwreck Coast,’ are causes the swimmers can really rally around while they are themselves making history.”

To learn more about the Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim and to register, go online to the group’s website.

Wagenborg confirms presence of Queen Máxima during Delfsail for christening EasyMax vessels

DURING THE SEVENTH EDITION OF DELFSAIL, HER MAJESTY QUEEN MÁXIMA WILL CHRISTEN TWO EASYMAX VESSELS OF ROYAL WAGENBORG. THE CHRISTENING AND NAME GIVING CEREMONY OF BOTH GENERAL CARGO SHIPS WILL TAKE PLACE IN WAGENBORG’S HOME PORT DELFZIJL
.
In the presence of 2,000 guests, Queen Máxima will be the guest of honour at Wagenborg’s relation event during Delfsail. This is a special milestone for the family company. Wagenborg is therefore particularly proud to welcome the Queen on Friday 14 June.

Egbert Vuursteen, CEO Royal Wagenborg: “In 1995, we had the christening of ‘Kroonborg’ by then Crown Prince Willem Alexander. In 2009, then Queen Beatrix christened our ‘Beatrix’ and now Her Majesty the Queen is our guest of honour during Delfsail. I am delighted that she wants to christen no fewer than two vessels.”

Livestream
During the afternoon programme, Wagenborg looks back on 126 years of Wagenborg with all attendees and casts a glance at the future of the family company. The Easymax ships play a prominent role in this future, which will be entered with a new company motto to be launched during the event. For all interested parties, the official programme can be followed live via a livestream.
Green
The Easymax is the latest ice-strengthened vessel type with unmatched fuel efficiency performance. Today, with the lowest CO2 footprint per tonne of cargo carried, the Easymax series leads the global Energy Efficiency Design Index. The ship has the traditional Wagenborg red-grey colours, but she could have been all green!

Make Your Plans Now for Soo
Boatnerd Picnic, Freighter-Chasing Cruise

Join us for the Annual Boatnerd Picnic and Freighter-Chasing Cruise on the St. Marys River during the annual Engineers Day weekend at Sault Ste. Marie June 27-38. Find details on both events here: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/boatnerd-soo-gathering-june-27-28-2024/