Soo Locks open early due to increased shipping demand

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – With the 6 p.m. Friday upbound passage of the freighter
Joseph L. Block, the Soo Locks are now open for the season. The shipping industry
and major steel producers requested the locks open a few days earlier than usual.

The ship’s owner and a chief with the Army Corps of Engineers said the early opening is
virtually unheard of, at least in their careers.

“We normally open March 25th by statute. This year, the winter activities, the concurrent
partners and mild winter season have all led us to open up just a few days early,” U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers Jeff Harrington said.

“When we found out the Soo locks were going to open early, we doubled our efforts to
have this boat ready, underway and sitting here, waiting for the opening,” Central
Marine Logistics President Tom Wiater, who was on hand for the opening, said. “It’s
always significant to be the first boat when the Soo Locks open. It’s bragging rights, it’s
an honor.

According to the Lake Carriers Association, extreme wind at the end of last year’s
shipping season left fleets with undelivered cargo.

Before the Block locked up, she was visited by a group of local officials who presented
First Boat plaques, caps, copies of the new edition of the Know Your Ships book and
other gifts.

Indiana Harbor was the next vessel to pass upbound, followed by the barge Ironmaster
and tug and the bulk carrier Harvest Spirit. Several other vessels are expected Saturday.

UpNorthLive

Algoma’s bear opens shipping season on Welland Canal

CATHARINES, ON – A bear has kicked off the 2024 navigation season at both ends
of the Welland Canal. A bear is prominently found in the logo on the bow and exhaust
stacks of Algoma Central Corp.’s fleet that plies the Great Lakes.

At Port Colborne’s canal-opening top hat ceremony Friday, it was the 225.55-metre-long
Equinox class self-unloading bulk carrier Algoma Conveyor, the first downbound vessel
— and also, somehow at the same time, the first upbound vessel through the lakeside
city.

At Lock 3 in St. Catharines, the Algoma Sault, brought into service in 2018 with new
technology to increase fuel efficiency and reduce environmental impact, was the first
official upbound vessel — headed to Lake Erie from Lake Ontario — with Capt. Robert
Loveless donning a top hat.

The bear theme played out in different ways in both cities as Algoma president and
chief executive officer Greg Ruhl spoke about the St. Catharines-based shipping
company celebrating it quasquicentennial anniversary.

He said the logo was first on the side of rail cars before transitioning to vessels. Algoma
Central Corp., incorporated in 1899 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. as Algoma Central Railway
Co., was founded to construct a railway from Sault Ste. Marie to a main Canadian
Pacific Rail line.

Mayor Bill Steele gave Capt. Edward Kemp, from Cape Breton his top hat for helming
the first downbound vessel — but Algoma Conveyor was facing Lake Erie after passing
through Lock 8 overnight and turning around.

The vessel, tied up over winter above Lock 8, was headed to Thunder Bay to pick up a
load of wheat bound for Hamilton.

While Algoma is celebrating its 125th anniversary, the St. Lawrence Seaway system
marked the start of its 66th navigation season Friday.

Also, St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. celebrated the announcement of a
renewed management operations and maintenance agreement with the federal
government. Seaway president and CEO Terence Bowles said the 20-year agreement
is terrific news for the seaway and its partners.

Welland Tribune