Port of Green Bay marks earliest shipping season kickoff in recent history

GREEN BAY, WI – The Port of Green Bay's shipping season is off to its earliest start in
recent history, following a record warm meteorological winter.

The first ship of the 2024 season arrived in the Port of Green Bay on Sunday at 10:38
a.m. The 392-foot Margaret with Tug Albert arrived with a delivery of petroleum products
to U.S. Venture.

“It’s an early start this shipping season. In fact, this is the earliest Port opening in my 25
years here,” said Dean Haen, Port Director. “With it officially underway, we’re looking
forward to another great year for Great Lakes commerce! The big ships entering the
Port of Green Bay provide economic stability for our region, along with plenty of
enjoyment for ship watchers in the area!”

Shipping season start dates in recent years were March 15 (2023), March 18 (2022),
March 19 (2021), March 15 (2020) and April 5 (2019).

WLUK

Biden opposes plan to sell US Steel to a Japanese firm

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden came out in opposition to the planned sale of
U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel of Japan, saying on Thursday that the U.S. needs to
“maintain strong American steel companies powered by American steel workers.”

In a statement, Biden added: “U.S. Steel has been an iconic American steel company
for more than a century, and it is vital for it to remain an American steel company that is
domestically owned and operated.”

By opposing the merger, Biden has chosen to support unionized workers in a critical
election year at the risk of upsetting the business community and an essential ally in
Japan. Thursday’s announcement, coming as Biden is campaigning in the Midwest,
could have ripples in his race against the presumptive Republican presidential nominee,
Donald Trump.

The Democratic president has made the restoration of American manufacturing a
cornerstone of his agenda as he seeks reelection, and he has the endorsements of the
AFL-CIO and several other prominent unions. The White House said Thursday that
Biden called David McCall, president of United Steelworkers, to reiterate his support for
its members Nippon Steel announced in December that it planned to buy the Pittsburgh-
based steel producer for $14.1 billion in cash, raising concerns about what the
transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and U.S. national security.

The Japanese company has tried to assuage critics by promising no job losses due to
the merger. It also committed to keeping the U.S. Steel name and Pittsburgh
headquarters, while noting it already has a presence in the American market and would
bring in new resources to foster job growth.

The company, which is the world’s fourth largest steel producer, launched a website with
supportive statements from Larry Summers, the former treasury secretary, and Pat
Toomey, a Republican and former senator from Pennsylvania.

Shortly after the steel deal was announced, the White House indicated it would be
under review by the secretive Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

The government does not officially provide updates on the CFIUS review process.

Associated Press

Seaway to open next Friday, March 22

MASSENA, NY – Ships will soon be on the St. Lawrence River.

The Great Lakes- St. Lawrence Seaway’s 2024 navigation season will officially begin on, according to a press release from the Seaway system.

The Montreal, Lake Ontario and Welland Canal will all open at 8 a.m. on opening day, the Seaway confirmed.

All ship transits will be subject to weather and ice conditions. Restrictions may apply in some areas until lighted navigation aids have been installed, Seaway officials said in the press release.

In the Montreal and Lake Ontario Section, the maximum allowable draft will be 26’3″. The maximum draft will be increased to 26’6″ when the South Shore Canal is ice-free. The maximum draft in the Welland Canal will be 26’6″ from the start of the navigation season.

The international waterway previously closed following its 2023 season on January 5.

WWTI

2024 “Know Your Ships” launches; book signing at Soo Locks March 23

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – The new shipping season is at hand, and so is the release of
the 2024 edition of Know Your Ships, the popular annual field guide to boats and
boatwatching on the Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Seaway, now in its 65th year.

To mark the opening of the Soo Locks, Editor & Publisher Roger LeLievre will be at the
Soo Locks Visitor Center Saturday, March 23, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., to sign copies of the
new edition. Buy them right from him, or from Das Gift Haus and Island Books and
Crafts in the Soo, bring them to the Visitor Center and he will sign them. Standard and
spiral bindings are available.

Order at this link: https://www.knowyourships.com/

Lake Superior is warming fast. Its national parks are starting work to cut fossil fuels

As national parks around the country try to raise awareness about climate change,
those around Lake Superior are taking steps to cut their emissions.

“Even though the carbon footprint is small, the example being led by these parks is
huge,” said Tom Irvine, executive director of the National Parks of Lake Superior
Foundation, which supports five sites around the largest of the Great Lakes.

The foundation and the National Park Service announced last week that the parks are
starting to implement plans to get their operations off fossil fuels. The coordinated effort,
called Decarbonize the Parks Project, launched last year and has roots in long-standing
plans to stop using diesel generators on Isle Royale, according to Irvine.

“It’s been a dream of the park service for years to be able to shut those generators
down and create a green energy source to power the island, and that being primarily
solar and solar battery storage,” he said. Now, the park is working toward that goal by
installing heat pumps for staff housing and administrative buildings.

Isle Royale’s superintendent, Denice Swanke, said in a news release that each park is
working based on its own budget and capacity. Other plans include electrifying mowers,
trimmers and chainsaws in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and exploring solar
options in Keweenaw National Historical Park.

The efforts around Lake Superior are part of National Park Service’s Green Parks Plan,
which lays out net-zero energy goals for parks across the country and includes reducing
waste and water use and phasing out single-use plastics.

The country’s national parks emit 179,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually according to
the National Park Service, which says that’s equal to about 40,000 gasoline-powered
cars driven over a year.

Last year, more than a million people visited the parks around Lake Superior — Apostle
Islands National Lakeshore, Grand Portage National Monument, Isle Royale National
Park, Keweenaw National Historical Park and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

A 2023 report on the project found that the parks could reduce their emissions by 93%
and save $2.7 million over 25 years compared to their current operations. Cutting
emissions fully would cost $3.5 million. The difference in price is because of the solar
arrays and battery storage needed to bring energy to off-grid locations in all weather
conditions. Both options would reduce operating costs by millions of dollars.
Implementing the parks’ plans is expected to take years, funded by public and private
dollars. Fueling these efforts is the rapidly changing climate. Lake Superior is one of the
fastest-warming lakes in the world, and Irvine said they have seen more intense storms
and much less ice in the winter.

“The fact that climate change is so radically apparent on Lake Superior every day is just
a constant reminder to all of these parks,” he said.

Interlochen Public Radio

Interlake releases fit-out schedule

We wish Everyone a Safe & happy season.  Interlake fitout list is posted below in photo section.

Fire breaks out on freighter being scrapped at Soo, ON

UPDATE: There were no injuries sustained in the blast.

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – A fire broke out Wednesday on a retired freighter docked on the
St. Marys River. Nearby residents reported a loud noise in the area shortly before 6 p.m.
Wednesday, followed by visible flames coming from the Mississagi. Smoke and fire
could be seen from the Michigan side of the river. The cause of the fire is unknown.

Mississagi was the longest-operating Canadian flagged laker on the Great Lakes when
it went out of service in late 2020. Stripped for parts and equipment while docked in
Sarnia, the Mississagi was towed to the Purvis Marine scrapyard in October 2021.

Demolition has continued at a slow pace since then.

View a video at this link: https://www.sooleader.com/local-news/video-fire-breaks-out-on-freighter-in-st-marys-river-8407758

Soo Leader, Soo Today

Soo Locks to open early for 2024 shipping season

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI. – The Poe Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, MI, will open to marine
traffic at 6 p.m. on March 22, marking the start of the 2024 Great Lakes shipping
season. The shipping industry requested an early season opening due the urging of
major steel producers.

“The St. Lawrence Seaway has announced that it will open this spring on March 22. We
would like to match that early opening at the Soo,” President of the Lake Carriers’
Association James Weakley said. “We also note that the Seaway strike in 2023 and
extreme wind events toward the end of the last operating season left the fleet with
undelivered cargo.”

“Our winter maintenance period is a critical time for us to invest in our aging locks,”
Detroit District Commander Lt. Col. Brett Boyle said. “This year, a number of factors
worked in our favor that allowed us to safely deliver this critical maintenance and also
open to navigation traffic a few days early, with the St. Lawrence Seaway.”

Federal regulation (33 CFR 207.440) establishes the operating season based on the
feasibility of vessels operating during typical Great Lakes ice conditions.

The locks officially closed after the last vessel of the 2023 season on January 16, to
undergo critical repairs and maintenance during the 10 week-long winter shutdown.

Maintenance crews performed a variety of critical tasks on the Poe Lock, including
structural inspections, maintenance, and installation of lifting lugs on the upstream miter
gate. On the downstream miter gates crews installed anchorage components and
completed critical structural repairs. Major rehabilitation continued on the Poe Lock’s
upstream and downstream ship arrestor systems.

“We worked hard to accelerate work up-front during our annual closure, with crews
working extended days and hours to optimize the short time available for critical
maintenance and repairs,” Maintenance Branch Chief Nicholas Pettit said. “Due to the
hard work of our maintenance crews and some mild weather, we’ve been able to
accomplish all required work ahead of schedule.”

“We welcome visitors into the park for the 2024 Soo Locks season opening,” Chief Park
Ranger Michelle Briggs said. “The park and viewing platform will stay open until 8 p.m.
to allow visitors to watch the first ship from the viewing platform.”

All persons entering are subject to a security search at the Soo Locks entry checkpoint.
Firearms, weapons, drugs, pets (except service animals) and bicycles are not permitted.

For those unable to attend in person, the Detroit District will host a Facebook Live of the
event at https://www.facebook.com/USACEDetroitDistrict starting at 5:55 p.m.
The MacArthur Lock, located south of the Poe, will remain closed for maintenance until
April 24. Great Lakes cruising expected to bring $200M, 20,000 passengers to region in
2024.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District

West Neebish Channel to open

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI. – lce throughout the St Marys River is deteriorating. With the
unseasonably warm temperatures ahead, VTS St Marys River plans to open the West
Neebish Channel in accordance with 33 CFR 162.117. Effective 09 March 2024 at 1300
local, the West Neebish Channel will be open to vessel traffic.

USCG

Cruise ships expected to have big economic impact in 2024

The upcoming Great Lakes cruising season is expected to bring 20,000 visitors and
$200 million in economic impact to the region, officials said.

Cruise the Great Lakes, the region’s cruise marketing program, announced its forecast
today for the 2024 cruising season, which follows a record-breaking season in 2023.

“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.”

Six cruise lines will make nearly 600 port visits this year, the release said.

That’s down from eight cruise lines in 2023. Pearl Seas Cruises, Viking Cruises, St.
Lawrence Cruise Lines, Ponant, Hapag-Lloyd and Plantours Cruises are all returning
while American Queen Voyages and Vantage are not.

On the other hand, economic impact is expected to be up by $20 million, from $180
million, in 2023, the release said. The increase is “driven by an upward trend in
passenger numbers, port visits, shoreside spending,” and the appeal of Great Lakes
cruises.

However, passenger numbers appear to be down. In 2022, total passenger visits were
estimated at 150,000. It was 170,000 in 2023. This year, the prediction is 140,000.

Read more here: https://www.mlive.com/news/2024/03/great-lakes-cruising-expected-to-bring-200m-20000-passengers-to-region-in-2024.html

Soo Locks to open early for new season

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI. – The Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan will open the Poe Lock to all marine traffic at 6 p.m. on March 22, marking the start of the 2024 Great Lakes shipping season. The shipping industry requested an early season opening due the urging of major steel producers.

“The St. Lawrence Seaway has announced that it will open this spring on March 22. We would like to match that early opening at the Soo,” President of the Lake Carriers’ Association James Weakley said. “We also note that the Seaway strike in 2023 and extreme wind events toward the end of the last operating season left the fleet with undelivered cargo.”

“Our winter maintenance period is a critical time for us to invest in our aging locks,” Detroit District Commander Lt. Col. Brett Boyle said. “This year, a number of factors worked in our favor that allowed us to safely deliver this critical maintenance and also open to navigation traffic a few days early, with the St. Lawrence Seaway.”

Federal regulation (33 CFR 207.440) establishes the operating season based on the feasibility of vessels operating during typical Great Lakes ice conditions.

The locks officially closed after the last vessel of the 2023 season on January 16, to undergo critical repairs and maintenance during the 10 week-long winter shutdown. Maintenance crews performed a variety of critical tasks on the Poe Lock, including structural inspections, maintenance, and installation of lifting lugs on the upstream miter gate. On the downstream miter gates crews installed anchorage components and completed critical structural repairs. Major rehabilitation continued on the Poe Lock’s upstream and downstream ship arrestor systems.

“We worked hard to accelerate work up-front during our annual closure, with crews working extended days and hours to optimize the short time available for critical maintenance and repairs,” Maintenance Branch Chief Nicholas Pettit said. “Due to the hard work of our maintenance crews and some mild weather, we’ve been able to accomplish all required work ahead of schedule.”

“We welcome visitors into the park for the 2024 Soo Locks season opening,” Chief Park Ranger Michelle Briggs said. “The park and viewing platform will stay open until 8 p.m. to allow visitors to watch the first ship from the viewing platform.”

All persons entering are subject to a security search at the Soo Locks entry checkpoint. Firearms, weapons, drugs, pets (except service animals) and bicycles are not permitted.

For those unable to attend in person, the Detroit District will host a Facebook Live of the event at https://www.facebook.com/USACEDetroitDistrict starting at 5:55 p.m.

The MacArthur Lock, located south of the Poe, will remain closed for maintenance until April 24. Great Lakes cruising expected to bring $200M, 20,000 passengers to region in 2024.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District

Coast Guard opening Pipe Island Passage

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI. — Due to the absence of ice formation and unseasonably warm

Forecasted temperatures VTS St. Mary’s River plans to open Pipe Island Passage (East of Pipe Island Shoal and North of Pipe Island Twins from Watson Reef Light to Sweets Point) in accordance with 33 CFR 161.117. The channel will close effective 0900 EST on 07 March 2024. The Pipe Island Course will return to one-way traffic.

The Coast Guard recommends that members of the public who recreate on the ice, particularly those who fish, or operate snowmobiles or all-terrain vehicles on ice-covered waters, plan their activities carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from charted shipping channels.

USCG

Raffle offers trip on steamer Alpena

Have you ever wanted to take a trip on a classic Great Lakes freighter? Alpena Lodge 19 is raffling off a trip for four aboard the steamer Alpena. More information and tickets available at:

https://northeastmichiganlodge19.com

International Ship Masters’ Association

S.S. Badger Licensed Deck Officer 

Responsible to manage, oversee and direct the Deck Department for the daily operations of the vessel:  Knowledge of the fire and lifeboat stations along with signals and procedures associated with an emergency in order to properly carry out a fire and lifeboat drill to US Coast Guard standards, on-scene commander in emergency situations and drills, supervises the Deck Department assuring that work is accomplished in a safe and efficient manner, supervises the general management of loading and off-loading passengers and cargo, maintenance of all cargo gear, deck gear, hold, decks, hatches and hull, management of all emergency station bill assignments, posting of lists, and search parties, manages the cleanliness of exterior, car deck and holds of the vessel, be prepared to live and work aboard the vessel the duration of the sailing season, from mid-May to mid-Oct, room and board provided, employee will stand a 4-hour watch, twice a day, 7 days per week, eligible for AMO medical, LMC dental, vision and 401K after completing 60-day probationary period.

APPLICANTS FOR THIS POSITION MUST HOLD A MATE’S LICENSE WITH UNLIMITED TONNAGE

 Qualifications/Certifications required:

• Valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
• Valid Merchant Mariners Credential issued by the U.S. Coast Guard
• Current US Coast Guard Medical Certificate
• Legally eligible to be employed in the United States (Proof of identity and eligibility will be required upon employment.

 

Raffle offers trip on steamer Alpena

Have you ever wanted to take a trip on a classic Great Lakes freighter? Alpena Lodge 19 is
raffling off a trip for four aboard the steamer Alpena. More information and tickets available at:

https://northeastmichiganlodge19.com

International Ship Masters Association

Ice-clearing to start near Eisenhower and Snell Locks

Ice-clearing activities will begin on or about March 4, 2024 and continue throughout the St.
Lawrence River, including the area between the Eisenhower and Snell Locks in preparation for
the Seaway’s upcoming navigation season.

All ice fishermen, snowmobile operators, and All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) operators should refrain
from using the areas where ice has been cleared to avoid numerous open water leads and
unstable ice cover caused by the clearing.

All persons, including ice fishermen, snowmobile and All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) operators, are to
refrain from using the canal in the area between the Eisenhower and Snell Locks due to the
possibility of unstable ice cover.

The Montreal-Lake Ontario section of the St. Lawrence Seaway is scheduled to open at 8 a.m.,
March 22.

Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp.

Lake Superior College to offer opportunities
with new maritime designation

DULUTH, MN – The designation from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime
Administration will now give the school more support to provide opportunities for students
who want to work in the maritime industry.

Lake Superior College, along with Saint Paul College and Minnesota State College Southeast, is
one of 50 maritime training locations nationwide to earn the designation. The college currently
trains students in skills like firefighting, welding, repairs, and machining.

The Duluth Seaway Port Authority celebrated the new designation, including that it could help
an aging workforce. “To have an opportunity to create more educational opportunities for
people to enter that field, or accelerate their development within that field is definitely a good
thing,” Jayson Hron, the Director of Communication and Marketing, said. “When you’re looking
at a maritime workforce that is largely retiring before it can be replaced.” According to Hron,
the port contributes about 7,000 jobs to the region, both on land and water.

The designation can both train new students and ones currently in the maritime industry,
according to Lake Superior College.

Northern News Now

Harboring Growth: How the first Black Port Milwaukee Director is breaking records

MILWAUKEE, WI – You might think of Port Milwaukee as salt piles and cruise ships, but the
person in charge wants you to know it has a lot more to offer. Jackie Q. Carter is the first
woman and Black person to hold the position of Municipal Port Director. She now has one year
of service as administrator in Foreign Trade Zone No. 41.

It’s a relatively mild February morning, but Lake Michigan still has that cold look to it. Jackie Q.
Carter doesn’t see the cold. She sees an opportunity. Opportunity drives Carter as she oversees
the Port’s $6.7 million budget and nearly 500 acres.

It’s a big piece of land, stretching from the steps of the Milwaukee Art Museum, south past the
Lake Express Ferry building, and west underneath I-794 to Jones Island. The Port operates as a
landlord with tenants that include Cargill Salt and Kinder Morgan. Carter says, It’s daunting,
but that’s where it’s important to remember there’s a team.

And Carter is all about teamwork. She listens and brainstorms with staff and community leaders
to improve and attract more ships, more trucks, and more trains with the backdrop of her
historic appointment.

It’s encouraging but also somewhat discouraging, right? Because in 2023 we shouldn’t still be
having that conversation. But the encouraging part is it allows other young people who look like
me who come from the same community that I come from to know that it’s possible.

One of the biggest surprises and challenges is getting the word out that Milwaukee has a port,
even though the first commercial vessel called on the west shore of Lake Michigan in 1835.

Carter started at the Port in 2017 overseeing finances and became Port Director six years later.

Carter says When I was appointed, when people saw it, they were like, congratulations, this is
great, but they had no idea we had a Port.

And now, Carter is on a mission to change that by getting the word out about what the Port
does and can offer businesses. Cruising has increased the port’s profile by breaking records in
2022 with nearly 14,000 visitors. She also wants to expose young people to the career
opportunities available at the Port without a college education. She envisions Port Days for
students to learn about careers working on ships, rails, and maybe even tourism, because after
all, not everyone wants to be a doctor or an athlete.

Not only is Carter the first woman and Black person to be the Port Director, but she is also the
first person of color to head up a port authority in Wisconsin.

Carter was appointed to the municipal role by Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and the
Milwaukee Common Council confirmed her appointment in 2023. Jackie Q. Carter took her
Oath of Office on February 23, 2023.

Read the full story here: https://www.tmj4.com/lifestyle/black-history-month/harboring-growth-how-the-first-black-port-milwaukee-director-is-breaking-records

 

Great Lakes cruise business, Cleveland, take a hit with American Queen shutdown

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The nascent cruise industry in Cleveland will take a hit this summer as one
of the major players in Great Lakes cruising is going out of business.

American Queen Voyages announced recently that it was shutting down. The company, based
in Fort Lauderdale, operated both the Ocean Navigator and Ocean Voyager, sister ships carrying
202 passengers each, which spent their summers in recent years crisscrossing the Great Lakes.

Last year, the two ships made as many as 30 stops in Cleveland – far more than any other cruise
line.

Dave Gutheil, chief commercial officer with the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, said
that while the two American Queen ships will be missed in the region, Great Lakes cruising –
and Cleveland’s port of call – are still strong. “The number of calls will be down,” he said. “But
we’re hoping that the number of passengers per call will be up.”

In 2023, eight ships made a total of 48 stops in Cleveland, bringing 8,100 visitors to town,
primarily for daytime tours of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and other Northeast Ohio
attractions. It was the port’s busiest year for cruise ships since the resurgence of Great Lakes
cruising a decade or so ago.

This year, the port is expecting 26 cruise ship calls in Cleveland, starting May 26. Because
several of the ships coming are larger than the Navigator and Voyager, the number of overall
passengers shouldn’t drop too much, Gutheil said.

Among those with planned stops in Cleveland: Both the Viking Polaris and the Viking Octantis,
with room for 378 passengers each, ships with the well-known Viking Cruises brand, best
known for its upscale European river cruises.

Viking made its first stop in Cleveland last year and plans 10 stops in the summer of 2024. Also
on the schedule for Cleveland’s port, which sits just west of Cleveland Browns Stadium in
downtown:

• The Pearl Mist, an all-balcony small ship that accommodates a maximum of 210 passengers.
• Ponant’s luxurious Le Bellot, with an underwater lounge and room for 184 passengers, sailing
  a Toronto-Chicago itinerary that’s part of several late-summer Tauck tours.
• MS Hamburg, operated by German-based Plantours, which was built in 1997 and is the oldest
  and largest ship in the Great Lakes, with room for 420 passengers.

Gutheil added that he and others who promote Great Lakes cruising are pursuing other cruise
lines to come to the region, as well.

“I’m still optimistic for the future of cruising in the Great Lakes,” he said. “There are still lines
out there looking for new places to go. The Great Lakes is still virgin territory.” Many Great
Lakes passengers, Gutheil noted, have never been to the Midwest, haven’t seen Niagara Falls or
toured the Rock Hall. “They’re excited and have a good time when they come through,” he said.

The two Voyager ships were among the first to buy into this new era of Great Lakes cruising.

The two were formerly part of Victory Cruise Lines, which started sailing in the Great Lakes in
2016.

Victory Cruise Lines was purchased by American Queen Steamboat Company in 2019, which
changed its name to American Queen Voyages in 2021.

American Queen Voyages was perhaps best known for its domestic river cruises on the
Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and other inland waterways. American Queen owns numerous
other ships, including the American Queen, built in 1995 as a replica of a classic Mississippi
River paddle-wheeler.

Last year, American Queen said it planned to discontinue its Great Lakes sailings in 2024, to
concentrate on its river cruise business. Then, in late February, American Queen’s parent
company, Hornblower Group, announced that it was shutting down the entire cruise line and
putting it up for sale, as part of a bankruptcy filing.

“Despite our best efforts, demand for overnight cruises has not recovered following the
pandemic, and AQV has become financially unsustainable,” the company said on its website.

“We thank you for your support and deeply regret any inconvenience this causes you.”

Booked passengers are directed to aqvrefunds.com for refund information.

Cleveland.com

S.S. Badger Licensed Deck Officer 

Responsible to manage, oversee and direct the Deck Department for the daily operations of the vessel:  Knowledge of the fire and lifeboat stations along with signals and procedures associated with an emergency in order to properly carry out a fire and lifeboat drill to US Coast Guard standards, on-scene commander in emergency situations and drills, supervises the Deck Department assuring that work is accomplished in a safe and efficient manner, supervises the general management of loading and off-loading passengers and cargo, maintenance of all cargo gear, deck gear, hold, decks, hatches and hull, management of all emergency station bill assignments, posting of lists, and search parties, manages the cleanliness of exterior, car deck and holds of the vessel, be prepared to live and work aboard the vessel the duration of the sailing season, from mid-May to mid-Oct, room and board provided, employee will stand a 4-hour watch, twice a day, 7 days per week, eligible for AMO medical, LMC dental, vision and 401K after completing 60-day probationary period.

APPLICANTS FOR THIS POSITION MUST HOLD A MATE’S LICENSE WITH UNLIMITED TONNAGE

 Qualifications/Certifications required:

• Valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
• Valid Merchant Mariners Credential issued by the U.S. Coast Guard
• Current US Coast Guard Medical Certificate
• Legally eligible to be employed in the United States (Proof of identity and eligibility will be required upon employment.

 

S.S. Badger Licensed Deck Officer 

Responsible to manage, oversee and direct the Deck Department for the daily operations of the vessel:  Knowledge of the fire and lifeboat stations along with signals and procedures associated with an emergency in order to properly carry out a fire and lifeboat drill to US Coast Guard standards, on-scene commander in emergency situations and drills, supervises the Deck Department assuring that work is accomplished in a safe and efficient manner, supervises the general management of loading and off-loading passengers and cargo, maintenance of all cargo gear, deck gear, hold, decks, hatches and hull, management of all emergency station bill assignments, posting of lists, and search parties, manages the cleanliness of exterior, car deck and holds of the vessel, be prepared to live and work aboard the vessel the duration of the sailing season, from mid-May to mid-Oct, room and board provided, employee will stand a 4-hour watch, twice a day, 7 days per week, eligible for AMO medical, LMC dental, vision and 401K after completing 60-day probationary period.

APPLICANTS FOR THIS POSITION MUST HOLD A MATE’S LICENSE WITH UNLIMITED TONNAGE

 Qualifications/Certifications required:

• Valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
• Valid Merchant Mariners Credential issued by the U.S. Coast Guard
• Current US Coast Guard Medical Certificate
• Legally eligible to be employed in the United States (Proof of identity and eligibility will be required upon employment.

 

Mark W. Barker starts season with Cleveland ore shuttles

The Mark W. Barker’s 2024-25 shipping season is underway with early-season Cleveland iron
ore shuttles up the Cuyahoga River. She departed her winter lay-up berth in Detroit on Sunday.

In other Lake Erie news, the USCGC Neah Bay was off Cleveland Monday, making her way to
Sault Ste Marie, MI. Northern Venture is now in Ashtabula loading coke for Thessalon, ON.

CCGS Samuel Risley has been tasked with icebreaking at Thessalon in preparation for her
arrival.

Interlake Steamship Co., DRE Designs

 

Warm winter keeps Great Lakes ice coverage very low

Thunder Bay, ON – An icebreaker may be an unlikely sight in the Port of Thunder Bay this year,
as ice coverage across the Great Lakes remains low. We are having a historically low ice year
and that’s due basically entirely to the fact that we’ve had a really warm winter so far, said Jay
Austin of the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Large Lakes Observatory.

Ice cover is a very, very strong function of average winter air temperatures, he said. We’ve
just really had no conditions that have been conducive to the formation of ice. We had some
cooler air earlier [last] week and there was a bit of an uptick in coastal lake ice, but really very
little, if any, on the open lake.

Austin said that prior to 1998, 50 to 60 per cent of Lake Superior would be covered in ice at this
time of year; in the years after 1998, the normal ice coverage for the lake would be 25 or 30 per
cent.

According to the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, total ice cover across all the
Great Lakes was 6.1 per cent as of Feb. 22, 2024.

Why the air temperature this winter is as warm as it is can be due to a number of different
factors, Austin said. This is a strong El Niño year, and so that plays a significant role in upper
midwest air temperatures. And of course there are the effects of long-term trends toward
warmer air because of us changing the chemistry of the atmosphere, he said. We pump
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and we trap more heat.

There are several factors that are contributing to the fact that we’re having this very warm
winter, and it’s going to take some time before we really understand exactly what was
responsible for the anomalous conditions we’re having.

Austin said there are clear ecological impacts when there’s not much ice.The coastal ice
serves as a refuge for spawning fish, he said. Coastal ice can also act as armor against coastal
erosion, and so we will expect there to be enhanced coastal erosion from spring storms this
year.

There are going to be cultural and commercial effects. You don’t have people going over to the
Wisconsin south shore to visit the ice caves. Sitting here in Duluth, we don’t see people ice
fishing off the shore.

The lack of ice could mean an extended shipping season, however, and Austin said ice cover is a
good predictor of conditions coming later in the year.

What we should expect in a year like this, with very little ice cover, is that the the start of the
summer season, where the lake starts forming a warm layer on top, will be considerably earlier
this year, he said. So I predict that instead of the early July onset of those conditions, we
might see that in mid-to-late May this year. That typically leads to warmer water temperatures
through the summer.

It also means there may not be a need for an ice breaker to visit the Port of Thunder Bay in
advance of the 2024 shipping season.

This year, the ice is well-below the normal for this region, said Guillaume Paradis, ice-breaking
superintendent for the central region with the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG). At the approach
of the opening of the Soo Locks, if there is a need, an ice breaker will go [to] Thunder Bay to
help. But at this point, there is not a lot of ice in the bay.

In an email, a CCG spokesperson said that during periods of low ice coverage, coast guard
vessels remain on standby for any ice breaking requests,to keep waterways clear and open to
prevent potential flooding caused by ice jams, as well as respond to any search and rescue
operations or marine pollution incidents.

Ice breaking is getting underway in other places, however, with the CCGS Samuel Risley
scheduled to start breaking ice in the Thessalon, Ont., area on or around Feb. 25.

The purpose of this operation is to break up the ice to allow commercial vessels safe and
efficient movement, the CCG said in a media release.

CBC

 

Lawmaker to host hearing on expanding icebreaking capacity

Green Bay, WI – A congressional lawmaker is coming to Wisconsin later this week to talk about
an important resource that keeps the Great Lakes region’s economy afloat: icebreaking.

Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin is set to host a field hearing in Green Bay on March 1 with
Admiral Linda L. Fagan, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, several other U.S. Coast Guard
officials, and business leaders to testify on the need to expand icebreaking capacity on the
Great Lakes.

Baldwin, who is the chair of the Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change
and Manufacturing, which has jurisdiction over the U.S. Coast Guard, helped negotiate a
measure called the Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act in the National Defense Authorization
Act of 2022. The bipartisan measure authorized $350 million for a new heavy icebreaker for the
lakes.

If the Great Lakes region were a country, it would be the third largest economy in the world
after the U.S. and China, according to the Council for the Great Lakes Region. Shipping is the
backbone of this economy with more than 90 million tons of cargo moving throughout the
Great Lakes each year. Keeping shipping lanes open by icebreaking is an integral part of
commerce in the winter months.

In 1979, the U.S. and Canadian coast guards had 20 icebreakers stationed throughout the Great
Lakes. Now, there are only 11, which must cover more than 2,300 miles from Duluth,
Minnesota, to the Atlantic Ocean and the 94,000 square miles of ice-covered lakes in between.

The U.S. Coast Guard owns nine of these icebreakers.
The Mackinaw is the only icebreaker in the U.S. fleet capable of leaving a wide enough path for
large freighters to pass through. The new heavy icebreaker that was authorized will be similar
in size to the Mackinaw.

While ice may not be on the top of everyone’s mind this winter, the lack of icebreaking capacity
has had costly consequences in some years. For instance, during the 2018-19 ice season, the
Great Lakes maritime industry lost more than a billion dollars and roughly 5,800 jobs.

“If we can’t break the ice on the Great Lakes, our Made in Wisconsin economy suffers,
consumers might not see the goods they need on the shelf, and thousands of jobs are on the
chopping block, Baldwin said.

I’m proud to have secured funding to support a new icebreaker for the Great Lakes, and now
I’m excited to be bringing Washington, D.C., to Wisconsin to show the real impact of the Great
Lakes on Wisconsin’s economy, way of life, and future, she said.

Baldwin and Fagan will be joined by Master Petty Chief Heath Jones, Master Petty Chief of the
U.S. Coast Guard; Rear Admiral Jon Hickey, Ninth District Coast Guard Commander; Master
Chief Mathew Buckman, Ninth District Coast Guard Command Master Chief; Dean Haen,
director of the Brown County Port and Resource Recovery department; Ken Przybyla, vice
president of operations of GLC Minerals; and James Weakley, president of the Lake Carriers’
Association.

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

HELP WANTED: S.S. Badger

Once again we are searching for some Navigational Deck/Navigational Engine crew for
our 2024 sailing season. Applications must be filled out on-line by visiting our website
at: www.ssbadger.com and click Join The Team.

Able-Seaman (AB): Performs navigational watch in and around the pilot house, assists
Mate on duty with supervising the deck crew, assists in loading and off-loading
passengers and cargo, proper use and care of deck equipment, supplies and material,
work alongside deck crew, undertaking tasks as necessary, learn fire and lifeboat
stations along with signals and procedures associated with an emergency to properly
carry out a fire and lifeboat drill to US Coast Guard standards, be prepared to live and
work aboard the vessel the duration of the sailing season, from mid-May to mid-Oct.

Room and board provided, employee will stand a 4-hour watch, twice a day, 7 days per
week and eligible for medical, dental, vision and 401K after completing 90-day
probationary period. APPLICANTS FOR THE AB POSITIONS MUST BE QUALIFIED
AND POSSES THE CREDENTIALS NEEDED FOR THIS POSITON.

QMED: Works under the direction of the watch Engineer, employee will stand a 4-hour
watch, twice a day, 7 days per week, be prepared to live and work aboard the vessel
the duration of the sailing season, from mid-May to mid-Oct. (room and board provided).

APPLICANTS FOR THE QMED POSITIONS MUST BE QUALIFIED AND POSSES
THE FIREMAN/OILER/WATERTENDER ENDORSEMENTS ON THEIR MMC. QMED –

Oiler: Assists with operating and maintaining all vessel equipment and systems, assists
with monitoring plant operation, assists with record-keeping, assigned a cleaning
station. QMED – Fireman: Manages the fires in the operating boilers, ensures an
adequate fuel supply to the boilers, assists the Coal passer on duty with ash removal
conveyors, assigned a cleaning station. Qualifications/Certifications required: Valid
Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), valid Merchant Mariners
Credential issued by the U.S. Coast Guard, endorsement as QMED

Fireman/Oiler/Watertender on MMC, current US Coast Guard Medical Certificate,
legally eligible to be employed in the United States (Proof of identity and eligibility will be
required upon employment.

LICENSED ENGINE OFFICER: Supervise a watch with the assistance and direction
from the Chief Engineer. Responsible for the safety of the personnel assigned to the
watch and their task performance in the operation of the vessel. Assists with the
operation and maintenance of all vessel operating equipment and systems. Maintains
the engine room records as required by various agencies. Conducts periodic safety
inspections of departmental tools and safety equipment as directed. Required to make
descriptive entries of all work performed in the Engineer log. Be prepared to live and
work aboard the vessel the duration of the sailing season, from mid-May to mid-Oct.
(room and board provided). Employee will stand a 4-hour watch, twice daily, 7 days per
week. Eligible for AMO medical, dental, vision and 401K after completing 60-day
probationary period. APPLICANTS FOR LICENSED ENGINEER POSITIONS MUST
BE QUALIFIED AND POSSESS LICENSED ENGINEER OF STEAM VESSELS OF
UNLIMITED ENDORSEMENT OF 4000 HP OR HIGHER. Qualifications/Certifications
Required: Valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), Valid Merchant
Mariners Credential issued by the U.S. Coast Guard with proper endorsements,
including at least Third Assistant Engineer of steam vessels of unlimited horsepower,
current US Coast Guard Medical Certificate and be legally eligible to be employed in the
United States (proof of identity will be required upon employment).

Interlake Steamship Co.