Apron issue causes Badger to cancel sailings
UPDATE: Departures through July 27th canceled.
UPDATE: Please see press release in the gallery below.
LUDINGTON, MI – Travel aboard the SS Badger has been halted due to an issue in the car ferry’s loading area on Friday morning.
Sailing was called off for the day, and Lake Michigan Carferry is unsure when it will resume, according to a statement on social media. “We had a problem with our apron this morning so we will not be able to load anything onto the ship,” the statement read.
The situation is still being evaluated. Passengers are asked to call 1-800-841-4232 to reschedule or get a refund.
Ludington Daily News
Benefit-to-cost ratio of Soo Locks project bumped up
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District New Lock at the Soo project fiscal year 2023 (FY23) Supplemental Economic Update has been approved with a policy-compliant Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) of 2.1 at the 2.5 percent Federal Discount Rate, allowing the Corps of Engineers to more accurately document benefits and analyze the value this project will bring.
“The economic update was completed to evaluate critical assumptions and uncertainties in the BCR, justification of the project was not in question,” Mollie Mahoney, senior new lock project manager said. “The primary focus was on updating the benefits identified in the 2018 Validation Study, including the cost estimate for the Escanaba Build Out.”
The 2018 outdated cost estimate for the hypothetical Escanaba Build Out required a robust reevaluation. The cost of the Escanaba Build Out included expansion of the Port of Escanaba and associated rail infrastructure from Duluth to Escanaba as well as operation and maintenance costs. To calculate the BCR, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers updated and evaluated the hypothetical plan of constructing the Escanaba Build Out to calculate what the costs of an alternative mode of transportation would be in the case of an unscheduled Poe Lock outage to derive the benefits.
“Construction of the New Lock at the Soo has continued through the economic update based on the total project benefits and criticality to the nation,” said Mahoney. “Resiliency of the Soo Locks is vital to America’s economic and national security.”
The economic update, including the new BCR of 2.1 (at 2.5 percent Federal Discount Rate for FY23), further emphasizes the justification of the project and its value to the nation.
With the updated BCR and more accurate comparison of benefits to cost, the New Lock at the Soo project will continue to follow the agency’s budgeting process for project implementation and should compete more favorably with other construction projects throughout the country.
The Supplemental Economic Update is an addendum to the FY22 Post Authorization Change Report and was conducted by the Corps of Engineers.
To find more information on the New Lock at the Soo, visit the Detroit District website.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation and Canadian Minister of Transport to join marine shipping industry in release of comprehensive economic study
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and the Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport for the Government of Canada, will join Administrator of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation Adam Tindall-Schlicht, President and Chief Executive Officer of the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation Terence Bowles, and John Martin of Martin Associates for the release of a comprehensive economic study via a virtual event. The study provides an assessment of the contributions made by commercial maritime shipping in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region to the bi-national, national, and state/provincial economies, which is intended to help inform future policy and investment decisions that facilitate trade and economic growth, strengthen supply chains, and make transportation more sustainable. Key statistics captured in the study include jobs and wages, economic activity, tonnages volumes, and taxation generated.
Date and Time:
The virtual event for the release of the study will be held on Friday, July 21 at 11:00 a.m. Those attending the event are asked to register in advance at https://www.meetview.com/
The event will be broadcast in 1080p resolution, and a video recording of the event can be made available to media as of 4:00 p.m. EST provided they request a copy in advance. Requests for video recordings can be advanced to the communications contacts provided in this advisory.
A technical briefing will be provided to media in advance of the event via a virtual session at 9:30 a.m. (i.e. 90 minutes prior to the event). Media planning to attend are asked to pre-register via https://www.meetview.com/
Chamber of Marine Commerce
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- Rendering of the new Soo Locks project. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
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- Press release from Lake Michigan Carferry.
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- Badger cruises along on Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan Carferry
