“Know Your Ships” editor, cartoonist Don Lee, coming
to the National Museum of the Great Lakes June 9

TOLEDO – The National Museum of the Great Lakes looks forward to welcoming Roger LeLievre, the editor and publisher of the “2024 Know Your Ships: Guide to Boats & Boatwatching on the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway” on Sunday, June 9, from 12-3 pm. Get your author-signed copy of the latest edition (available in standard and spiral-bound versions) and engage with the expert behind this comprehensive guide.

“Having a maritime expert like Roger engage with our visitors enhances the experience for the beloved boatnerd community and provides a unique opportunity to dive deeper into the world of Great Lakes shipping,” said Ellen Kennedy, Director of Museum Operations at the National Museum of the Great Lakes.

“Know Your Ships” is an essential guide for both casual boat watchers and serious enthusiasts of nautical commerce,” Kennedy added.

In addition, the event will feature a special appearance by renowned cartoonist and illustrator Don Lee. Lee is offering personalized freighter caricatures to visitors and signing copies of his children’s book, “Boats Can’t Jump.” Don Lee Signature Series stickers and magnets featuring the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship and the Museum Tug Ohio will also be available for purchase and signing.

For more information, visit www.nmgl.org.

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/

Small ports welcome uptick in Great Lakes cruises

RIX STAFF | THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2024
Victory Cruise Lines plans to return to the Great Lakes in 2025.
Many small ports along Michigan’s coastline are eager for the upcoming cruising season on the Great Lakes.

Cruising officials are predicting another robust year, following a record-breaking 2023, and are welcoming Ponant’s Le Champlain back to the Great Lakes as the industry continues to develop.

Cruise the Great Lakes, an international partnership that promotes cruising on the Great Lakes, says vessels will make 600 port visits in 2024, bringing more than 20,000 passengers to experience cities on the American and Canadian sides of the Great Lakes. That’s roughly double the numbers a decade ago.

“As we look ahead to 2024, we remain committed to sustaining the vitality of our region’s cruising sector,” said Anna Tanski, tourism director of Cruise the Great Lakes. “In just a decade, the number of cruise passengers has more than doubled, and Great Lakes ports continue to thrive as hubs for visitors. We are focused on maintaining this momentum as we navigate the future.”

Bryan Esler

Michigan’s small-town ports include Muskegon, Mackinac Island, Sault Ste. Marie, Marquette, Houghton, Alpena and — new to the market — Bay City. Some towns are not expecting cruise ships this season; others, like Holland and Grand Haven, are part of shore excursions from ports – in this case, Muskegon.

The reasons for interest in the Great Lakes as a cruise destination are many. Sailing back and forth between two countries is a big selling point. American travelers are curious about destinations closer to home. Many vacationers are seeking “experience” travel.

“Cruising the Great Lakes has grown. There is an increasing number of ships that include Holland as a port destination. It’s good for everybody,” said Linda Hart, who is executive director of the Holland Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Holland, about 45 miles away — an hour bus ride — from the port in Muskegon, expects more visitors this season as well. Cruise ship passengers are drawn to Holland because of its rich Dutch history, vibrant downtown, heated streets and sidewalks and it’s the home of the only authentic working windmill in the United States. The Holland excursions typically last a few hours, with time for passengers to have lunch downtown. Passengers from 15 ships are expected this summer.

“We recognize that we are not an active port – we used to be, but we try to stay active (in the industry) and be present in conversations,” Hart said, adding city, tourism and business officials strive to provide the best experience for passengers.

Laura Maginnis
Holland welcomed cruise ships from 2014 to 2016; the ships docked at a utility dock used for aggregate material distribution. The city has plans to create a new dock, but, in the meantime, welcomes excursions from Muskegon.

Cruise the Great Lakes anticipates the regional economic impact generated by cruising will surpass $200 million in 2024, driven by the upward trend in passenger numbers, port visits, shoreside spending, and the growing domestic and international appeal of Great Lakes cruises. The 2024 season represents a remarkable increase in the economic impact of nearly 50 percent compared to 2022.

Cruise lines operating on the Great Lakes in 2024 include Pearl Seas Cruises, Viking Cruises, St. Lawrence Cruise Lines, Ponant, Hapag-Lloyd, and Plantours Cruises. Victory Cruise Lines recently announced its return to the region in 2025 with its Victory 1 and Victory II vessels.

Cruises along the Great Lakes are far more expensive than Caribbean cruises, costing thousands of dollars. They generally lure an older demographic, mostly from the United States but also from parts of Europe, people in their 60s and above, who are often retired and well-traveled. They’re seeking more laid-back, enrichment vacations. The ships generally don’t offer pools, casinos or shopping. On-board activities generally include music, lectures, and cocktail hours. The focus is more about personal enrichment.

History and local culture are a part of the appeal. It’s not just the Victorian charm of car-less Mackinac Island or its late 18th-century fort or the impressive locks at Sault Ste. Marie. Each port has its own story. In Muskegon, travelers explore the city’s lumbering and maritime past with a visit to one of the city’s many museums. The city also boasts an impressive art museum.

In Sault Ste. Marie, passengers disembark to explore the border city’s downtown of shops, restaurants, historic homes and other amenities, as well as joining pre-planned tours of the region. They range from adventure excursions to lighthouse tours. The Soo Locks are the biggest attraction for most people, curious about how the busiest lock system in the world works.

Houghton is among the Michigan ports not expecting any cruise ships this season, though there were visitors in 2022 and 2023. The Upper Peninsula city completed a new pier project in 2022, not with the intent of welcoming ships but to create an attractive waterfront space.

City of Houghton

“The Pier becoming Houghton’s ‘cruise ship dock’ was more serendipitous than anything,” said Eric Waara, Houghton’s city manager. “It worked out well being able to receive passengers right in the middle of our downtown.”

Passengers disembarked to visit historic resources, waterfalls, beaches and wilderness.

“These Great Lakes cruises are not your Caribbean-type megaships where the ships have ziplines, Disney princesses, bottomless margaritas and disco lights,” he said. “They are for passengers who want a real, unscripted experience more on the lines of an expeditions as opposed to a party at sea.”

Waara is hopeful cruise ships will return to Houghton next summer.

“We are a great port,” he said. “We’re hopeful we’ll see more stops in the future! Aside from the passengers getting a taste of Houghton, there’s nothing like a really BIG boat parked on the waterfront to bring young and old out for some fun.”

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/

Kingston tour boat operators call for action on LaSalle Causeway

KINGSTON — Tour boat and tourism officials are calling on the federal government, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau personally, to find a faster way to get their ships out of the Inner Harbour.

The owners of St. Lawrence Cruise Lines and the Kingston Destination Group gathered on board the Canadian Empress Thursday morning for a short trip from the Kingston Marina to the upriver side of the LaSalle Causeway.

There, they called on the Public Services and Procurement and Transport Canada to find an alternative to the proposed 10-week repair schedule for the bascule bridge, closed since the end of March after being damaged during renovations.

“This situation has been ongoing now since March 30,” said Jason Clark, president of St. Lawrence Cruise LInes. “As far as we’re concerned, the length of time that has been happening between the individual government agencies such as the PSPC and the Ministry of Transport, the communication is taking far too long. They’re taking far too long on the ground to get their men on the ground.”

In a letter to Trudeau, Clark asked that the prime minister personally intervene to get the work completed faster or accept an alternative solution.

“Your government’s failure to take speedy action to solve this problem has already caused millions in economic damage and put several Kingston businesses in jeopardy,” Clark wrote.

“My company is paralyzed because our flagship, the Canadian Empress, is trapped in the Inner Harbour due to damage caused during an overhaul to the LaSalle Causeway,” Clark added. “Other tour boat operators in Kingston are facing the same crisis, and the only dry dock in eastern Ontario is idle because it cannot be accessed from Lake Ontario.”

Whig Standard

A Strong Start to Shipping Shows Resilience on the St. Lawrence Seaway

Early tonnage figures show a strong start for the 66th navigation season on the St. Lawrence Seaway demonstrating the resilience, predictability, and sustainability of the bi-national system.

Early fleet positioning due to low winter ice coverage on the Great Lakes jump-started grain and potash traffic. Canadian and U.S. grain totals increased by 39,000 metric tonnes over the previous year, totaling approximately 1.21 million metric tonnes to date. Similarly, potash traffic posted an increase of 83,000 tonnes, bringing the total up to 110,000 metric tonnes to date. Potash, which includes various mined and manufactured minerals that contain potassium in water-soluable form, is used in fertilizers to support plant growth, increase crop yield and disease resistance, and enhance water preservation.

“Our dedication to investing in infrastructure renewal lays the foundation for the Seaway’s exceptional reliability. This is critical because marine transportation is the most fuel-efficient and cost-effective method to transport goods,” said Terence Bowles, President and CEO of the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation. “A recent study showed the marine industry in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway region supports almost 360,000 jobs and generates $66.1 billion dollars (CAD) in economic activity.”

Ongoing winter maintenance investments on the part of the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC), and the U.S. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) assure a constant state of readiness, and an exceptional level of reliability. SLSMC invested approximately $379 million (CND) from 2019 to 2024 on infrastructure renewal projects on Canadian-held assets, while GLS made comparable investments on U.S.-held assets totaling $225 million (USD) in such projects since 2009. In addition to operating a safe, reliable, and efficient bi-national waterway and lock system, the SLSMC and GLS are also working together, in partnership with industry stakeholders, to develop a Green Shipping Corridor Network Initiative, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability, driving collaborative efforts on decarbonization, and shaping a sustainable future for the marine sector.

“The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway System is vital to the health of the North American economy, the strength of our supply chains, and the quality of our very way of life,” noted Adam Tindall-Schlicht, Administrator of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. “We appreciate the tremendous responsibility that comes with the operation of this vital infrastructure, and meet it every day with planning, dedication, and ongoing investment to surpass the expectations of businesses and consumers who rely on us every day.  I thank our team and our partners for their continuous efforts and wish all users of the Seaway a successful shipping season.”

Tonnage statistics for the month of May will be issued shortly and are expected to demonstrate positive trends leading into the first part of the navigation season on the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Chamber of Marine Commerce

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/

Tour Grosse Ile North Range Lighthouse Sept. 8

Sunday, September 8th, from Noon to 3:00 PM (Noon, 1:30pm and 3pm)

Take one of our three tours of the 1906 Island Lighthouse.  The Lighthouse is only accessible this one time of the year.  The bus ride (there is no parking at the site) to the Lighthouse includes a narration on some of the history of Grosse Ile.

$20 for Historical Society members, $25 for non-members. Limited to 75 people, 10 years of age or older.

Tickets may be purchased on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/grosse-ile-north-range-lighthouse-tour-2024-tickets-912898533087

Please contact our office at (734) 675-1250 or gihistsoc@gmail.com for more details.  The phone is not staffed daily so someone will return your call.

NOTE:  We sold out last year and do not have any tickets available on the day of the event.  So as to not disappoint any prospective attendees, reservations are required

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/

Fincantieri snaps up $1 billion deal to build two more
Constellation-class frigates for US Navy

May 27, 2024, by Fatima Bahtić

Italian shipbuilding major Fincantieri, through its U.S. subsidiary Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM), has been awarded a contract worth over $1 billion to build the fifth and sixth Constellation-class frigates for the U.S. Navy.
Fincantieri
The contract for the lead frigate and nine options, signed in 2020, has a cumulative value of $5.5 billion, including post-delivery availability support and crew training.

Fincantieri’s proposal is based on the FREMM frigate platform, the backbone of a 10-unit program for the Italian Navy which Fincantieri is completing at present at its Italian shipyards.

Construction on the first frigate, the future USS Constellation, is currently ongoing at the newly revamped Wisconsin shipyard in Marinette. A keel-laying ceremony for the vessel was held in April this year.

The Constellation-class guided-missile frigate is a next-generation small surface combatant. This ship class will be an agile, multi-mission warship capable of operations in both blue-water and littoral environments, providing increased combat-credible forward presence that provides a military advantage at sea.

FFG 62 will be fielded with multi-mission capability to conduct air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, and electromagnetic maneuver warfare. These capabilities include an Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR), Baseline Ten (BL10) Aegis Combat System, an Mk 41 Vertical Launch System, communications systems, countermeasures and added capability in the electronic warfare/information operations area.

The future ships will be Constellation (FFG 62), Congress (FFG 63), Chesapeake (FFG 64), and Lafayette (FFG 65).

FMM is committed to the Littoral Combat Ships program for the US Navy and the Multi-Mission Surface Combatants (MMSC) program for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of the US Foreign Military Sales plan.

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/

All aboard! Keewatin opens to the public at Kingston

KINGSTON, ON – All aboard! The S.S. Keewatin officially opened to the public on Saturday, May 25, with a launch party and ribbon cutting.

Ahead of the launch party, the Great Lakes Museum – current steward and owner of the Keewatin – opened ticket sales for tours. Tour experiences, including visits to both the Great Lakes Museum and Keewatin, can be booked online on the Great Lakes Museum website. Students receive discounted rates, and children under five are admitted free.

“We are delighted to finally unveil this beautiful and historic ship to visitors and the community and to celebrate the hard work of our volunteers, staff, and board members,” said Chris West, Board Chair for the Great Lakes Museum.

“We’re excited to embark on the next phase of this important vessel’s life in Kingston and integrate its story into our collection covering the last 200 years of Great Lakes history.”

The Keewatin, built in Scotland in 1907, was formerly owned by Canadian Pacific Railway. CP Rail steamships such as the Keewatin transported tourists, settlers, and cargo throughout the Great Lakes and across the world from the late 19th century until their retirement in the 1960s. Of the approximately 3,800 similar passenger steamships built between 1900 and 1920, the Keewatin is one of only three to survive. It is the last remaining Edwardian-era passenger steamship liner in the world.

The ship was donated to the Great Lakes Museum in 2023 by its previous owner, Skyline Investments, to capitalize on Kingston’s strong tourism draws and ensure the Keewatin was housed with an organization which could adequately provide for its upkeep.

Keewatin underwent partial restoration work at Heddle Shipyards (now Ontario Shipyards) in Hamilton in the summer of 2023 before arriving in Kingston in the fall. Restoration work will continue on the ship in the years ahead as the Great Lakes Museum works to open additional areas of the boat for visitors.

This spring’s opening for tours was made possible in part due to the support of the Friends of Keewatin, a dedicated community group that previously operated tours aboard the ship in Port McNicoll, Ontario. The Great Lakes Museum even invited the Friends to visit Kingston and show the staff the ropes as they prepared the ship for public tours. Several Friends of Keewatin members visited in April to work alongside Kingston volunteers to stage the ship’s interior for public visits.

“It is an astonishingly long and detailed process. We are overwhelmed by the generous time commitment from Kingston and Port McNicoll volunteers. We are two teams working on one mission: to preserve and celebrate the Keewatin,” said Kelly Pope-Wiley, Board Vice-Chair for the Great Lakes Museum.

Programs And Communications Manager Michelle Clarabut said she was also grateful for the help, as she led a sneak peek tour of the ship in late April.

“We’re taking our cues from Port McNicoll… They are training us on how to stage her, and then as we go forward, we’ll start to figure out how we want to do it. We’ll make modifications, but this is a starting point. It’s part of the learning process,” explained Clarabut.

Connie Cochrane, the staging lead from Port McNicoll, travelled to Kingston to help the new crew navigate their mission. She said the Port McNicoll group hoped the Friends of Keewatin might get an invitation, so when they received it, they were “absolutely thrilled.”

“Our main purpose was to make sure the ship survived,” Cochrane shared as she demonstrated to a Kingston volunteer how to stack the set of antique travel trunks in the ship’s hold.

“This is a better place for her. You’ll have more tours and a little more money to take care of it.”

Tour options include guided tours of the passenger areas and tours of the engine room. In addition to the tour, the museum will offer an S.S. Keewatin exhibit to showcase artifacts and historical displays relating to the Keewatin and its connections to Great Lakes commerce, people and personal stories, and Canada’s westward expansion. This exhibit will open in June.

Donations to support the ongoing historical preservation and restoration work are appreciated and eligible for a tax receipt, as the Great Lakes Museum is a registered charity. Visit the Great Lakes Museum website to learn more about supporting or visiting the Museum and S.S. Keewatin.

Yahoo News

New, Greener Pellet Plant Opens In Keewatin

KEEWATIN, MN. – There’s a new $150-million pellet production plant In Keewatin. The new pellets contain less silica and more iron ore than traditional iron-ore pellets. Work began on the new U.S. Steel plant in 2022 and was completed last month on time and within budget.

During its construction phase, 250 construction jobs were created. Now in its operational phase, there are a total of 33 full-time positions to operate the plant. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was on hand for the official unveiling of the plant Thursday. He’s pleased that the new facility was built and that it’s already a benefit to the Iron Range and Minnesota.

“There’s a foundational piece of this, these are good-paying union jobs. These are jobs that built the middle class. These are the jobs that allow the people in this room to live the lives they choose to live, in the communities they choose to live,” said Governor Tim Walz.

The President and CEO of U.S. Steel spoke highly about the importance of this new pellet plant for all involved. “This facility is critical to the success of not just U.S. Steel but also Nippon. It all begins here. When we talk about mine melted in the U-S-A this is clearly a competitive advantage, this is the best mine site, Keetac and Minntac in all of Minnesota and nobody’s close to us,” said David B. Burritt.

The new pellets are greener and give the company a broader footprint in the industry while also better meeting it customers’ needs. The plant will produce up to 4 million tons of pellets each year.

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/

Door County maritime construction firm marks 75 years as a fourth-generation family business

Since its founding May 25, 1949, Roen Salvage has worked for clients that include governments, Fortune 500 companies and the Army Corps of Engineers.

Christopher Clough
Green Bay Press-Gazette

STURGEON BAY – In its 75 years, Roen Salvage Co. has established itself as one of the premier marine construction firms on the Great Lakes, with clients ranging from commercial dock owners to state and municipal governments, Fortune 500 companies, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Yet not everyone knows what the Sturgeon Bay-based company does. CEO John Asher laughingly told the Advocate of people who’ve called to ask if the business had a transmission or other parts for an old car, thinking the “Salvage” in the name meant it was an auto junkyard.

David Schanock, president of Roen Salvage Co. in Sturgeon Bay, and CEO John Asher are the fourth and third generation of their family to run the highly regarded maritime construction company, which celebrates its 75th anniversary on Saturday.

Nonetheless, Asher said there are no plans to change the name of the company to reflect its diverse maritime engineering offerings as it marks the 75th anniversary of its founding on May 25, 1949, by Asher’s parents, Charles Asher and Hilda Roen Asher, with help from Hilda’s father, Capt. John Roen.

That’s because in those 75 years, Asher said, those in the maritime industry know the Roen Salvage name for its history of top-quality, on-time work. In all that time, Roen Salvage has never defaulted on a job or failed to complete a contract on time, a press release from the company said.

That reputation dates to the company’s namesake, Capt. John Roen. He already had established himself as an extremely successful maritime entrepreneur in Sturgeon Bay in the 1930s and ’40s with the tugs and barges he operated under the Roen Steamship and Roen Transportation brands.

Then during World War II, Roen took on a potentially dangerous challenge no other maritime salvage company would, one that many said was impossible – raising the George M. Humphrey, a 586-foot-long freighter that sank in June of 1943 in the Straits of Mackinac between Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas.

Roen created a plan to raise the giant freighter, had his crew begin work in October of 1943, and was able to successfully complete the raising in September 1944 (after which he acquired it through a deal with the vessel’s insurance company, refitted it, renamed it the Capt. John Roen and made it the flagship of his shipping fleet). The feat gained Roen and his company national notoriety, with the December 1944 issue of Popular Mechanics magazine quoting a U.S. Corps of Engineers district engineer as saying, “The raising of the Humphrey is a feat unparalleled in American marine history.”

Thus, when Charles and Hilda Asher founded their business, they chose to use the Roen Salvage name and kept it even after the couple became sole owners in 1959 and began diversifying into heavy marine construction, John Asher said.
“They decided on (the name) Roen Salvage because it was so well-known around the Great Lakes,” Asher said.

The firm’s diversification has led Roen Salvage today into being able to perform all phases of marine construction, from dredging, underwater pipelines and cables, docks, marinas and breakwaters to navigational light structures, repair, demolition, rock removal and more. Among the six jobs it has on its 2024 schedule are the repair of the Lake Michigan south breakwater in Algoma and the north breakwater in Port Washington, dredging and confined disposal projects, and rehabilitation work on the condemned Carbide Dock in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

Among the honors Roen Salvage has earned, a reconstruction job in 1997-98 on the north and south harbor entrance piers at White Lake Harbor in Michigan saw the Corps of Engineers recognize the company with its 1998 Civil Works Construction Contractor of the Year Award.

Asher, who was named president of the company in 1985, also noted the business remains in the family for a fourth generation, as his stepson, David Schanock, was elected president in 2022 while John became CEO at that time. He pointed out how rare is a four-generation family business in the U.S., citing the statistic that only 3% of family-run companies continue to be run by a fourth generation of the same family.

Asher said he couldn’t name any one particular job the company has done that stands out above the others, instead noting its consistent performance throughout its history.

“I don’t think there’s any one signature job,” he said. “We just keep busting our butts year after year.”

The one element Asher and Schanock cited in Roen Salvage’s ability to not just stay in business but succeed for 75 years is its workers. They said that not every one of its staff is from Door County or even Northeast Wisconsin – as Asher noted, you can’t just go around the corner and find a licensed tug operator or a licensed crane operator – but Schanock said the company tries to recruit workers as much as possible within driving distance of Sturgeon Bay.

Plus, Schanock noted the company has promoted employees from within through the years, helping them learn new jobs in the company and get certifications to perform them.

“I think the foundation (of the company’s success) has been our ability to hire an outstanding workforce,” Schanock said.

“We have the finest civil engineers, crane operators, tug captains, deckhands, equipment operators and welders of any company on the Great Lakes,” Asher said.

Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com.

St. Lawrence Cruise Lines cancels 2 cruises due to bridge construction

Kingston, ON – Canadian-based small ship operator St. Lawrence Cruise Lines has been forced to cancel the first two cruises of their 2024 cruise schedule due to ongoing construction delays to the LaSalle Causeway in the company’s home port of Kingston, Ontario.

The bridge construction, which was initially scheduled to be completed by May 1st, is currently being delayed and the inability to raise the bridge is impeding the transit of multiple vessels from the Cataraqui River to the St. Lawrence River. This includes St. Lawrence Cruise Lines’ sole vessel the Canadian Empress, which is currently moored at Kingston Marina.

The bridge construction project is overseen by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), and the federal ministry has thus far been unable to offer a timeline for the bridge repair or a solution for a number of Kingston marine businesses affected by the construction delays.

“This is an extremely challenging situation for marine businesses in the region and the impact on everyone involved will be significant and damaging unless PSPC commits to a timely plan to allow all vessels access to the St. Lawrence River.” said President Jason Clark.

Kingston marine businesses have met with PSPC and offered up some potential solutions to the construction impediment, including the temporary removal of the smaller fixed eastern span of the crossing in order to allow ships to access the St. Lawrence River.

“We have pressed this issue through conversations with a number of government officials. There have been no plans shared with us and no timeline provided. As a result of the unknown status of the opening of the navigation season, we have been forced to cancel our first two cruises from May 12-16 and May 16-23.”

There are no other cruise cancellations planned at this time, and St. Lawrence Cruise Lines will continue to press government representatives for a timeline for normal operations.

“Frankly, our passengers deserve more information than we are able to give them right now and so do our staff. Everyone is eager and ready to begin the cruise season except for PSPC and that is a shame.” said Clark.

St. Lawrence Cruise Lines

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/

Robert S. Pierson grounds at Muskegon Friday

Robert S. Pierson ran aground briefly Friday morning while heading into Muskegon, MI. The Pierson worked her way free just before her sistership Manitowoc arrived to assist. As of noon she was at anchor north of the breakwall.

Freighter that ran aground in Detroit River near Belle Isle immortalized on Google Maps

A freighter that ran aground on the Detroit River near Belle Isle last year is, for now, immortalized in satellite images on Google Maps.

The Mark W. Barker was marooned near the east end of Belle Isle not far from the Dossin Great Lakes Museum and freed after several hours after running aground on May 17, 2023. But not before it was photographed from the sky forever. Or, at least, until the next Google Maps image is photographed.

Google Maps are reportedly updated constantly.

According to a 2021 interview with Business Insider, a Google Maps’ technical program manager said satellite images of big cities get updates every year, medium-sized cities every two years and it can three years or longer for more remote areas.

A Google Maps image taken of Belle Isle in May 2023 shows the Mark W. Barker running aground in the Detroit River near the east end of Belle Isle.

And Google doesn’t update the entire world at once. They usually release new satellite data every month, adding whichever images they have ready.

The freighter, longer than two football fields and loaded with about 20,000 metric tons of rock salt, was christened in 2022 and was the first large bulk carrier built on the Great Lakes since 1981.

The Mark W. Barker of the Interlake Steamship Company ran aground on Belle Isle in Detroit on Wednesday morning May 17, 2023.

The Barker wasn’t the only ship that ran aground in 2023.

The 623-foot freighter Barbo G got stuck in late November after it drifted into the Detroit River and its bow thrusters were determined inoperable. The Portuguese ship was carrying 21,000 tons of wheat and headed to Italy when its voyage was unexpectedly interrupted. The rescue effort took three tugboats.

Detroit Free Press

NGML Offers Free Admission for Veterans, Active Military

Good morning,

Hope you’re enjoying the warm weather! This weekend (Saturday – Monday), we are offering veterans and active military members free admission in honor of Memorial Day. More details in the attached media alert.

In addition, for anyone looking for a unique activity this weekend, we have our first Hard Hat Tours of the season scheduled for Saturday at various times. Participants go below deck for insider access to typically off-limits areas of our Museum boats, allowing them to learn more about the inner-working of these historical vessels. Here are more details.

Finally, construction is officially underway! As a reminder, the museum will remain fully open during the renovations. We just kindly ask that visitors pardon our dust (and some extra noise) at this time.

Thanks for all of your continued support! Have a great holiday weekend.

Ashley Streichert
Marketing and Communications Manager, NMGL

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/