Bone dry January drops some Great Lakes’ water levels more than usual

It was a very dry and cold January across the Great Lakes’ drainage basin. As a result, all of the Great Lakes had declining water levels in January. Three Great Lakes declined more than usual.

Lake Superior’s water level declined 3 inches from December to January. The 3-inch decline is right at the long-term average decline for January. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers states the inflows into Lake Superior are preliminarily estimated to be the lowest inflows on record for January. The precipitation over the Lake Superior basin was only one inch, which is 56 percent of normal. Evaporation was also high due to cold air and dry air.

Lake Michigan and Lake Huron have the same lake level since the water flows freely through the Straits of Mackinac. Lakes Michigan and Huron declined 4 inches in January, which is double the normal January water level fall. Lake Michigan-Huron is still 11 inches above the long-term January average. Lakes Michigan and Huron have fallen considerably from record high levels in 2020. The two lakes are 19 inches lower than last year at this time and 26 inches lower than the record levels in January 2020.

Read more and view graphs at this MLive link: https://www.mlive.com/weather/2022/02/bone-dry-january-drops-some-great-lakes-water-levels-more-than-usual.html

Obituary: Mary Barbara Dalby; ran Toledo’s Sandpiper cruises

Mary Barbara Dalby passed away peacefully in her daughter’s arms at her home in Ottawa Hills, Ohio, on Friday, February 11, 2022, at the age of 76, after many years with progressive lung disease. She was surrounded by love, music, flowers and her meticulous houseplants, of which she had many.

In 1992, she purchased the M/V Sandpiper, a 65-foot river boat modeled after old Erie Canal crafts. For 25 seasons, she captained cruises on the Maumee River and Lake Erie, entertaining countless passengers with her legendary sense of humor, commanding voice, and vast knowledge of Toledo and the Great Lakes. She was known by many as “The Boat Lady.”

Born on May 24, 1945, in Pittsburgh, PA, she was the only daughter and eldest child of Frederick and Barbara Dudderar. A 1963 graduate of Portage (Ind.) High School, she received her undergraduate degree in English (’67) and master’s degree in library science (’69) from Indiana University in Bloomington, where she graduated with honors.

In August 1969, she married George Dalby and they lived in the Chicago suburb of Glenview, IL, where she worked as a librarian at Glenbrook South High School. In 1976, her beloved daughter Megan was born with her same sparkling blue eyes, wit and sense of curiosity.

Job prospects in 1980 brought the family to Toledo and they settled in Ottawa Hills. Mary was involved in many civic and social groups, including the Junior League and American Association of University Women. She supported Toledo Area Metroparks and was the president of the International Park board when in 1987, it acquired the 617-foot iron ore freighter, the Willis B. Boyer, now the Col. James M. Schoonmaker Museum Ship, at the National Great Lakes Museum.

As a prominent small business owner, she was deeply invested in the city, striving to make it better. Mary was a member of the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce as well as the Maumee and Port Clinton area chambers. She frequently attended local government and downtown development meetings and events.

Deeply loyal and blessed with a bright and easy smile, Mary made many friends and kept them for life. She treasured one-on-one conversations, tradition, sharing stories and facts about any item of interest. If it was important to a friend, it became important to her. Through friendships she acquired varied interests including a passion for Notre Dame football, Jimmy Buffet, and Highland bagpipes.

In Mary’s memory, the family encourages each person touched by her spirit to carry out acts of service and civic engagement. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Harvesting 4 Haiti, the Great Lakes Historical Society, or the Cherry Street Mission in Toledo.

Visitation will be held at Coyle Funeral Home in Toledo on Saturday, February 19, from 1-6 p.m. A private family service is planned for the spring. Please leave a condolence message for the family at www.CoyleFuneralHome.com.

Coast guard confirms 30,000 litres of fuel spilled by Alaskaborg off Newfoundland’s coast

The Canadian Coast Guard is reporting that 30,000 litres of heavy fuel has been pumped into the ocean off Newfoundland’s south coast, and the cargo ship responsible for the incident is steaming toward St. John’s.

Transport Canada has directed the M/V Alaskaborg to proceed to port in St. John’s, and the coast guard ship Ann Harvey is monitoring its progress, a coast guard official wrote in a statement to CBC News late Friday afternoon.

“We continue to work with the owner on the development of an appropriate response plan to ensure a reasonable and appropriate response to the pollution incident,” the statement reads.

Federal officials confirmed Friday morning that an “accidental pollution incident” had occurred in the waters off the south coast of Newfoundland. By Friday afternoon, the coast guard said the ship’s fuel tank was punctured during heavy sea conditions, allowing some 30,000 litres of fuel to leak into the ship’s bilge. The oil-water mix was then pumped overboard.

Alaskaborg, which has often visited the Great Lakes, is a 143-metre ship built in China in 2012, and is owned by a company called Royal Wagenborg, which is headquartered in The Netherlands. The vessel was transiting between Baie Comeau, Quebec and the Dutch city Rotterdam at the time of the incident.

According to a statement from the company, the spill was discovered after daylight on Thursday morning and the incident was immediately reported to authorities in Canada and The Netherlands. Initially, the ship was ordered to stop in its position some 100 nautical miles south of Cape Race. No injuries were reported, and the source of the leak has been stopped.

The company described the spill as an “unintentional outflow,” has offered its full co-operation, and pledged to take measures to mitigate any further environmental damage. Royal Wagenborg has been ordered to provide a response plan, and the owner has also engaged a Transport Canada-certified spill response company, according to the coast guard.

CBC

U.S. Great Lakes fleet invests $83 million in maintenance

Cleveland OH – It is an annual occurrence which keeps the iron ore, stone, and cement moving on the Great Lakes fueling the North American economy and infrastructure improvements.  U.S.-flagged Great Lakes shipping companies’ partner with repair facilities around the region to conduct annual maintenance and upgrades to keep vessels operating efficiently during the nine-month operating season when the Soo Locks are open for business.

This year, companies will invest nearly $83 million in their vessels moored in New York, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.  That translates into jobs for hundreds of workers in these Great Lakes states.  Wisconsin shipyards will get $41 million in work, Ohio $37 million, Pennsylvania $4 million, and New York $1 million.

Work on the vessels will range from engine and navigation system upgrades to steel replacement on the hulls and decks of the vessels. The same iron ore these vessels hauled from Lake Superior ports during the summer which was turned into steel in Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania will now go back into the large self-unloading ships.

“The Great Lakes Navigation System is truly interdependent.  From the mines that produce the bulk materials, to the ports which deliver and receive products, to the U.S.-flag ships that move the material to production facilities, to the end products being used to make our lives better and more efficient.  The jobs sustained by this system are vital to the economy,” stated Jim Weakley, president of the Lake Carriers’ Association.

Two shipyards in the Great Lakes were specially designed to handle 1000-foot-long vessels that are 105-feet wide.  Some of those vessels will be removed from the water and placed on blocks so the underwater hull can be inspected and painted.  Others will have their massive engines lifted out and replaced with new.  With only two-months left before the Soo Locks open, the work is critical and time sensitive to ensure vessels are ready to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from March through January.

Lake Carriers’ Association

Cliffs to idle Northshore Mining in the spring

Silver Bay, MN – Cleveland-Cliffs announced on Friday that the company is going to idle Northshore Mining in the spring, and it could go into the fall or beyond.  Northshore’s mine is in Babbitt, and the pellet plant is in Silver Bay. Nearly 600 people work between the two.

CEO Lourenco Goncalves told investors that one factor is they need fewer pellets, because they are using more scrap metal. And when they decide to reduce production, the first thing they look at is cost structure.

“Because we are able to produce DR grade pellets at Minorca, and mainly due to ridiculous royalty structure in place with Mesabi Trust, we are idling all production at Northshore in the spring, carrying through at least the fall, and maybe beyond,” Goncalves said.

During the last call, in October, he referenced that Northshore could be idled every now and then, and be their swing operation.

Silver Bay’s mayor, Wade LeBlanc, said, “Hopefully it’s a short term deal, and not a long term deal. We’ve been through this before, we’ll weather it again.”

WDIO

Thunder Bay ready for influx of cruise ships

Thunder Bay, ON –  Beginning in late May, the Thunder Bay cruise ship port will be bustling with travelers arriving on the Viking Expeditions’ Viking Octantis and the American Queen Voyages’ Ocean Navigator passenger vessels.

Paul Pepe, manager of tourism for the city, says the arrival of the cruise ships will mark the first time Thunder Bay has seen passenger ships in more than nine years. The Octantis will arrive for seven turnarounds this summer and the Navigator will visit twice.

“This is a pretty big advancement in the cruise shipping industry from the Great Lakes and for Thunder Bay, because (the Viking Octantis) will be in port for about 48 hours every two weeks while exchanging passengers, and with that, taking on groceries and supplies for the ship’s servicing of the vessel,” said Pepe.

“Passengers will be flying in and out of Thunder Bay to pick up the ship here and some will be staying a few days longer as a result — so it extends the economic impacts on the city immensely.”

The Octantis, which will arrive around May 26 from Milwaukee, is a new ship that went into service about three weeks ago and is currently in the Antarctic.

“The 378-passenger vessel is very luxurious and at 665 feet long, it is the largest cruise ship ever in the Great Lakes, in the history of the Great Lakes,” said Pepe. “It’s absolutely beautiful and it’s an ice-class polarized vessel.”

As an added attraction, passengers on board will be able to take advantage of two submersible vessels that can be deployed for the guests to explore shipwrecks and other underwater life.

“It’s a big development in cruising and it definitely appeals to a global audience like a global clientele and affluent travelers that are looking to connect with a new destination,” Pepe added.

Toronto Star

Kingston’s Marine Museum of the Great Lakes gets ready to open its doors

Kingston, ON  – COVID-19 has taken its toll on a number of sectors, including tourism. But for at least one Kingston museum and one local art gallery, that’s about to change. Starting on Feb. 9, the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes will be conducting tours. At the Marine Museum, lessons will be learned about Kingston and the water that surrounds it.

“We’re the only museum in Canada representing the maritime heritage of the Great Lakes,” says Michelle Clarabut, the museum’s programs and communications manager.“ We’re very committed to being able to connect people with that natural, social, cultural heritage in any way that we can through programs, through exhibits, through guided tours and even on social media.”

Clarabut says there were a few people through the museum a few months ago, but when the doors open on Feb. 9, it will mark the first time since 2016 that the general public has been able to visit the Ontario Street facility.

“For those who register for our pre-booked guided tour of our national historic site, the Kingston drydock, you’d be welcomed by a staff member who will take you on a 45-minute guided tour of the site,” says Clarabut.

“Weather permitting, we will start outside and come inside — at this time of year, likely the the whole inside. But we’ll take you through the entire historic site and see spaces that have not been seen in many, many years.”

Obituary: Captain Nathan Smith

Capt. Nathan Smith passed peacefully on Wednesday Jan.19, at Sarnia, ON, in his 93rd. year. Captain Smith was born in Petrolia and moved with his family to Sarnia as a young boy and remained in the Sarnia area until the present time. He first went to sea at the age of 15 on the ship Hamonic. He left to return to school but after two years he went back to sea and has been a sailor ever since. He loved sailing and never looked back. He came aboard the Imperial Sarnia in 1969 and acquired his captain’s papers in 1974. He loved his ship and his life on the Great Lakes

He had a great sense of humor and loved to share his stories of being on the ships for 42 years. After retirement, he enjoyed many years on his yacht ‘Masters Plan’. He was a member of the International Ship Masters Association (ISMA), Port Huron Lodge No. 2 and For decades was an active photographer, writer for Imperial Oil Fleet News.

He will be greatly missed by his loving wife Velma Smith and family. He was predeceased by his parents Dorothy and Lyall Smith, his 3 brothers, 2 sisters and his daughter Dorothy Smith. Memories and condolences may be sent online at www.smithfuneralhome.ca

In the search for less carbon-intensive fuels, freighters powered by soybeans may be the answer

Toronto, ON – When the lights in the ship’s galley didn’t flicker, CSL Group’s Louis Martel knew he was on to something.

The Atlantic Huron’s power generator, which fed electricity to the cabins, unloading machinery and other auxiliary functions on the Great Lakes freighter, was running on a blend of marine diesel and biofuel made from soybeans. The successful test was the first step in what is believed to be the world’s largest trial of powering massive cargo ships with biodiesel.

Canada Steamship Lines, the domestic arm of CSL, expanded the trial over the past few years, gradually increasing the fuel mix to 100-per-cent soybean-derived diesel and running eight of its 16 ships on the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes in 2021. The fuel swap reduced carbon emissions at each ship’s smokestack by almost 12 per cent without requiring any modifications to the engine. There were no failures, and repeated mechanical teardowns and inspections showed no excessive wear.

“Reducing our environmental footprint has been an objective of the company for many years,” said Mr. Martel, chief executive officer of the Montreal-based shipping company. “It showed that we can operate our fleet with biodiesel as a drop-in fuel, we don’t have to modify any piece of our engine or equipment.”

In the search for less carbon-intensive fuels, the transportation industry is exploring wider uses of electric batteries, hydrogen and ammonia to power ships, planes, cars, trains and trucks. Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. has converted one locomotive to run on hydrogen and is working on two more, with financial aid from the province of Alberta. Several global ship operators are developing vessels powered by ammonia. Plane makers are working with electric- and hydrogen-powered propulsion.

However, most of these innovations are years from being commercially viable, and require big investments in engines and fuel storage and other infrastructure. Ammonia, most hydrogen and often electricity require the production of petroleum, undercutting their emissions-free claims.

Eric Galbraith, a professor in McGill University’s department of atmospheric and oceanic sciences, said it is “absolutely essential” the shipping industry moves away from fossil fuels, which are the main cause of climate change.

Maritime transport, which moves 90 per cent of the world’s goods, emits 2.5 per cent of greenhouse gases, or 940 million tonnes a year, according to the European Commission.

“Transportation, of which shipping is a major part, adds up to a major source of CO2 emissions, as well as particulate aerosols, which are bad for health,” Prof. Galbraith said. “I doubt biodiesel will be the best long-term solution for shipping – hopefully, we will have other options in future that will have even lower impacts. But for now, it’s an easy change to make, and it’s essential that we get off fossil fuels as quickly as possible.”

CSL turned to biodiesel, made from the refuse oil that is a byproduct of crushing soybeans into livestock feed, because it is a direct replacement for diesel. Biodiesel pollutes less when burned and is biodegradable if it spills, an important consideration for the marine industry. It also replaces petroleum production, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent from the oil well to the ship’s wake.

“It’s a very simple way to green your operation,” said Giovanni Angelucci, vice-president of Canada Clean Fuels Inc., which supplies biodiesel to CSL as well as cities, trucking companies and other consumers across Ontario.

However, biodiesel thickens in cold weather and has a shorter shelf life than diesel. It is also almost twice as expensive as marine diesel, costing about $2,200 a tonne compared with $1,200 for marine diesel. In a ship that burns 15 or 20 tonnes a day, that can make moving such low-value goods as iron ore or wheat a money-losing venture. (For the trial, CSL said it split the added costs with its partners.)

CSL had to get a permit from the federal government to run its trial because biodiesel is not an approved marine fuel. Mr. Martel said CSL plans to extend the trial this year, and there are plans to widen biodiesel’s use to the dozens of ships it sails on international waters.

Hicham Ayoun, a Transport Canada spokesman, said the government will study the safety and emissions results of the trial before a decision is made on the widespread approval of 100-per-cent biodiesel.

Read more at this Globe and Mail link: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-in-the-search-for-less-carbon-intensive-fuels-great-lakes-freighters/?fbclid=IwAR13biWWd48YpnCoQEA6RRiEHDX5Gq1GEYbf-SBlNiBsvMp2bFo-A_KGvUQ

Icebreaker shortage slows deliveries to Alpena, other ports

Alpena, MI –  A shortage of U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers slowed cargo destined for Great Lakes ports last month.

January ice trapped sailors on freighters trying to get through the Soo Locks – including crew members from Alpena, Rogers City, and the surrounding area – as breakdowns forced the Coast Guard to remove icebreakers from service, according to Eric Peace, secretary of the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force.

Every ship delayed in the Soo, the Sault Ste. Marie passage between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes, means a delay for those waiting for the goods onboard the freighters, from salt for slippery roads to raw materials to build infrastructure, Peace said.

A provision in the federal Build Back Better Act, which passed the House but has stalled in the Senate, would allocate $350 million for the construction of a new Coast Guard icebreaker for the Great Lakes.

Meanwhile, 20 voyages and 750,000 tons of carrying capacity for iron ore, coal, and cement were delayed in January because the Coast Guard lacked the capacity to keep up with Great Lakes ice, Peace said.

Coast Guard cutters lost a total of 68 icebreaking days in the first weeks of January because of equipment fires or engine breakdowns, in addition to scheduled maintenance. At one point in January, five of eight Coast Guard icebreakers were simultaneously unavailable because of mechanical failures.

Icebreakers were unable to dislodge the freighter American Century, the last upbound ship of the season, when it got stuck in ice in the St. Mary’s River on its way to the Soo Locks, delaying three ships trying to leave Lake Superior before the locks closed for winter maintenance on Jan. 15.

That forced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin draining the locks for maintenance a day later than planned, and “a day late to the Army Corps is a big deal,” Peace said.

The Army Corps closes the locks from Jan. 15 until March 25 each year, performing needed maintenance on the locks in a tight timeframe so shipping operations can resume as quickly as possible to keep the country’s flow of commerce moving.

Tugboats like the tug Manitou, which frequents Thunder Bay to break ice for vessels headed for the Lafarge Alpena harbor, ensure freighters and barges reach small piers, docks, and harbors but are not built to withstand the heavier ice in the middle of Great Lakes and in federal navigational channels, Peace said.

In addition to slowing the transportation of cargo and potentially threatening dock workers’ jobs, lack of icebreakers can endanger vessels and the people aboard them. In past years, ice has sliced ships open and caused collisions, Peace reported.

One Canadian vessel was nearly forced aground in the Straits of Mackinac by ice this year, with the closest Coast Guard icebreaker more than 12 hours away.

The freighter Alpena, too, struggled in ice near the end of the season as it tried to get through the Straits of Mackinac on its way to Thunder Bay, according to Peace.

With Great Lakes temperatures at record-breaking warmth this fall, ice breaking did not begin until December 29 this season, two weeks later than usual.

Alpena News

https://www.thealpenanews.com/news/local-news/2022/02/icebreaker-shortage-slows-deliveries-to-alpena-other-ports/?fbclid=IwAR1QiOLrwgAhInv7-vEcVR7ceI6X56EpP46e94AS3P6K_f8kZTUd8wlQVJc

Port of Cleveland sees 69% increase in tonnage in 2021

Cleveland, OH – Cleveland’s port was well used in 2021 amid ongoing supply-chain issues across the U.S.

The Port of Cleveland on Thursday reported a 69% increase in tonnage across its docks compared to 2020. The port said significant increases in goods both in and out of containers, and iron ore shipments to the Cleveland-Cliffs Cleveland Works steel mill, drove the increase.

The general cargo terminal ­– which includes steel, containers, project cargo, salt and cement ­– saw 649,324 metric tons go across the docks, a 57% increased from 2020. It’s the second-highest total in 10 years, slightly behind 2015 numbers. The bulk terminal, where iron ore and limestone are delivered, saw a 71% increase over 2020 with 6,943,139 tons.

The Port said shipping container volume also doubled. “Our cargo volumes bounced back in a big way in 2021 across the board, which indicates business is up at regional firms that depend on our Port,” said William Friedman, president and CEO of the Port of Cleveland. “We are particularly pleased to see containerized cargo grow significantly because we’ve worked for years to position Cleveland as an alternative to congested coastal ports.”

The Port expanded its iron-ore tunnel and its main gate at the general cargo facility in 2021. It also reactivated its foreign trade zone.

According to the port, cargo owners used Cleveland as a new solution to avoid coastal ports, which have been backed up in the last year. The Cleveland port is the only one on the Great Lakes with container shipping.

Cleveland.com

https://www.cleveland.com/business/2022/02/port-of-cleveland-sees-69-increase-in-tonnage-in-2021.html?fbclid=IwAR04Js8mltu2bMaMgq_vjv6b78_T-TLXYkCuI5bx3TqFWaIuvtisoaU1jOk

Minntac investigating mine structure collapse, no injuries

Mountain Iron, MN – Minntac is investigating following a structural failure that led to a collapse at their Mountain Iron, Minnesota mine. Photos of the scene show a conveyor system collapsed on a pile of taconite pellets.

According to Minntac officals, the were no injuries as a result of the collapse and they are not anticipating an impact to customers or the supply chain.

“Today at Minntac we had a structural failure on the conveyor system. We are investigating the cause and developing plans for repair. The area was cordoned off at the time of the incident, so there was no one in the area. There was no danger to personnel at any time, and there were no injuries. At this time, we do not anticipate impact to our customers or supply chain,” said Amanda Malkowski, with United States Steel.

Local USW leaders say it’s too early to tell if there will be impacts to production or on jobs, but they will be a part of the investigation.

Coast Guard working to ease ice jam in St. Clair River

St. Clair, MI – Authorities have been working to break up an ice jam in the St. Clair River amid wintry conditions and rising water levels.

U.S. officials are working alongside the Canadian Coast Guard to break up the ice. The Canadian Coast Guard is reportedly sending two vessels through the river Thursday and over the coming days to help break up the ice and address the blockage.

The news comes after a snowstorm passed through Southeast Michigan on Wednesday, leaving anywhere from 3-11 inches of snow — much less than initially forecasted for the region. Towns along the St. Clair River like Algonac and Marine City received 4.2 inches and 5.5 inches of snow, respectfully, as of Thursday morning.

18 rescued on Lake Erie after ice sheet breaks away during snowmobile ride

More than a dozen people were rescued in Lake Erie after a sheet of ice broke away while they were riding snowmobiles, officials said.

The U.S. Coast Guard and a good Samaritan saved 18 people off the coast of Catawba Island in Ohio after the ice floe broke away, the agency said. All of the rescued were on ATVs and snowmobiles, according to the Coast Guard.

Rescue efforts started at about 1 p.m. after a Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Detroit noticed people stuck on the ice. Seven people were rescued by helicopter, while four were rescued by a Coast Guard airboat. Seven others were rescued by a good Samaritan who arrived at the scene with an airboat.

Officials warned people seeking recreation on the ice “to take precautions, not chances” by dressing appropriately for the water temperature, not the air temperature; wearing a life jacket; carrying a reliable form of communication; and carrying icepicks or screwdrivers that can help them self-rescue if they go through the ice.

“There’s no such thing as safe ice, but people can mitigate their risks,” Lt. Jeremiah Schiessel of the Coast Guard Sector Detroit said in a statement. “Always be sure to tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back. Great Lakes ice is unpredictable, and conditions can change fast.”

ABC

Journal of the World Ship Society demolitions for February

Vessels with Great Lakes / Seaway connections reported as a casualty or sold for demolition, taken from February 2022 issue of Marine News – Journal of the World Ship Society.

Casualties: None
Sold for Demolition: Gold Tulip (9141405; Comoros) (Golden Tulip-21, Kristin Knutsen-18 – 1st seaway trip 2013) 12,184 / 1998 – Chemical / Products tanker. By Golden Tulip Ltd (Golden Ships Management Co Ltd), Liberia, to Leela Responsible Recycling LL, India and arrived at Alang 24.10.2021 – commenced demolition 26.10.2021

Mississagi (5128467; Canada) (1st seaway trip 2001) (Hill Annex-43, George A Sloan-01) 10,588 / 1943 – Bulk Carrier self-discharging laker. By Lower Lakes Towing Ltd, Canada, to Canadian breakers, and arrived Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario 6.10.2021 – commenced demolition

6.10.2021

Report prepared by Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp

Obituary: Constantine “Captain Gus” Markakis

Capt. Gus Markakis passed away peacefully in Boca Raton, Florida on Saturday, February 5, 2022.  Born in Greece on December 20, 1937, he was 84 years old.

Gus went to sea at the age of 16, entering a nautical preparatory high school to learn navigation, seamanship, and rules of the road. He graduated in 1958 and by 1965 had ascended to 2nd mate aboard a Greek supertanker.

In 1967, he met his future wife, Antoinette, an American who was vacationing in Greece.  In 1968, the couple moved to Chicago and Antoinette got a job with United States Steel, which at the time had a fleet of 42 vessels on the Great Lakes.

Gus applied to USS and was assigned to the steamer Henry Phipps, as a deckhand.  He didn’t know what a ‘deckhand’ was but shortly after boarding in Milwaukee, he figured out the position did not warrant his briefcase, sport coat and tie.  His true status became even clearer when he was shown his quarters: a small cabin shared with three other men.

After a few months with U.S. Steel, Gus moved to the Inland Steel fleet, then in 1972 began his 28-year career with Oglebay Norton, earning his AB certificate the same year, then quickly moving up the ranks and earning his masters license in 1978.

In 1987, Gus was named permanent Captain of the Armco, and in 1991, permanent Captain of the Oglebay Norton, where he remained until his retirement in 2000.  As Captain, he took great pride in the appearance of his vessel and was well-known for his attention to detail.

In 2003, his fellow Detroit International Shipmasters’ Association lodge members honored him with the Lewis Ludington Award.

Gus is survived by his wife Antoinette, daughter Gina, son Emmanuel, and three grandchildren: Alyna, Evangelia, and Loukas. He will be dearly missed by family and friends. The family has suggested memorial donations to the St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church in Boca Raton, FL

Additional photos and an on-line guest book can be found here: https://www.glickfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituary/Constantine-Markakis

Coast Guard icebreaker medevacs woman from icebound Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island, MI – The Coast Guard responded to an urgent request for medical assistance on Mackinac Island today in an unusually improvisational way.

Watchstanders received notification of a woman in need of critical medical attention on Mackinac Island Monday morning. While helicopters are generally used for such missions, difficult weather conditions at the Coast Guard’s air station in Traverse City made that impossible.

Fortunately, Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay, a 140-foot icebreaker, was underway clearing a path on the St. Marys River, and the crew immediately altered plans and set a course for Mackinac Island.

Katmai Bay arrived at the island’s main dock about 11 a.m. and embarked the woman with the help of local EMS. The ship then used its icebreaking capabilities to plow a course to nearby St. Ignace in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where EMS was waiting. The woman was successfully transported to a local hospital where she is receiving next level care.

“Today’s efforts by our crews demonstrate the flexibility and ingenuity of our search and rescue planners in finding solutions to complex cases, regardless of the weather,” said Capt. Anthony Jones, Sector Commander of Sector Sault Ste. Marie. The sector encompasses all of Lake Superior and the northern portion of lakes Huron and Michigan. “My hat is also off to the crew of the Katmai Bay, who shifted from icebreaking to search and rescue in a matter of moments to help this woman get the critical care she needed.”

USCG

Most Great Lakes won’t approach record highs in next 6 months, report finds

Detroit, MI – Most of the Great Lakes will remain above their long-term average water levels in the coming months but won’t reach the record highs of recent years, Army Corps of Engineers hydrologists said in their latest forecast.

“We’re well below the record high levels we experienced in 2019 and 2020,” Detroit District Great Lakes Watershed Hydrology Chief Keith Kompoltowicz said. “And our forecast does not show the likelihood of any of the lakes really approaching those record highs again over the next six months.”

Hydrologists reviewed January lake levels and weather patterns and projected a range of possible water levels for each lake over the next six months. All of the Great Lakes declined somewhat in January, hydrologists found. The region experienced less precipitation than usual that month.

Drier than average weather, particularly in 2021, has caused lake levels to decline from their record highs, Kompoltowicz said. The area around Lake Superior has been particularly dry, pushing the northerly lake below its average water levels. It likely will remain below average in the next six months, hydrologists found.

Conversely, Lake Ontario could reach close to record high levels in the coming months, hydrologists found. Its watershed has experienced wetter weather conditions than other parts of the region, Kompoltowicz said.

Lakes Michigan and Huron, technically one lake, and Lake Erie will continue to get closer to their long-term average water level this year, hydrologists found. They will trend away from the high water records set in 2019 and 2020.

Ice started to form on the lakes in January, far behind schedule. It is causing a problem in the St. Clair River, where residents have reported rising water levels caused by ice jams, the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit said Thursday.

The river isn’t flooding, but there is an ice plug in the river. The Canadian and U.S. coast guards are working together to break the ice jam.

The Detroit News

Interlake Maritime Services is new parent company of Original Soo Locks Boat Tours 

Middleburg Heights, OH – Interlake Maritime Services’ new subsidiary Soo Maritime Services has acquired the assets of the American & Canadian Lock Tours which include the tour boats Hiawatha, Bide-A-Wee and Holiday that provide river and lock tours.

A third-generation business owned and operated by the Welch family, the Original Soo Locks Boat Tours has been a popular tourist attraction in the Soo since 1934, and will continue as usual under the new ownership.

There are two separate lock tour companies in Sault Ste. Marie: Original Soo Locks Boat Tours (white-painted boats) and Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours (the buff-colored boats Nokomis and Le Voyageur). The two shared some aspects of their operations for many years but that arrangement ended in early 2021.

“The Soo area plays a vital role in Great Lakes shipping and we’re excited to have new employees, new tour boats and a waterfront presence to continue the legacy of educating the public on the importance of the Soo Locks,” wrote Mark W. Barker, president of Interlake Maritime Services, in a press release. “We’re looking forward to working with the Soo team, which has built such a successful business in Michigan’s oldest city that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.”

Interlake Maritime Services also operates the Lake Michigan Carferry SS Badger and the Interlake Steamship Co.

Steve Welch, owner of the Original Soo Locks Boat Tours, passed away at Sault Ste. Marie on Jan. 26, 2022.

The Barker’s connection to the Soo goes back more than 50 years. Members of the Barker family called the Soo home for many years, with relatives working as a local butcher and aboard the supply boat that serviced the Great Lakes vessels. Little did the family know then that young James R. Barker, who took his first ride on an ore boat when he was 9 months old, would grow up to be stationed at the Soo in the Coast Guard and eventually buy the fleet that his grandfather and uncle had worked to supply years earlier.

lnterlake’s family of companies have a rich maritime history in the Soo as well. The lnterlake fleet has been carrying the bulk cargoes that have powered the region for more than 100 years and can still be seen regularly coming through the Soo Locks.

In 1934 Capt. Milo Beechgood Welch originated the Soo Locks sightseeing boat tours in Sault Ste. Marie, according the company’s website. As a seasoned tugboat captain, Welch was employed by the Great Lakes Towing Co., and always noticed that the Soo Locks had an attraction with visitors. People were simply intrigued by the ships locking through the world’s largest locking system. At that time, the only passengers that went through the Locks were aboard palatial passenger steamships or shipping company guests riding on the large lake freighters.

Capt. Welch believed that the only way to truly experience the Soo Locks was by boat. He believed that all visitors to Sault Ste. Marie deserved the opportunity to experience the Soo Locks by riding through them. Financing such a dream would be difficult, as the local banks thought the idea was doomed to certain failure. They reasoned that people were satisfied seeing the locks from the lock wall. The banks were wrong, and the company has been in business ever since.

Interlake Maritime Services

S.S. Norisle revitalization project is full steam ahead

Manitowaning, ON – A representative of the S.S. Norisle Steamship Society says the restoration and proposed use for the historic ship are still being explored, that the project is definitely not dead. The project has only been curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Norisle has been moored in the Manitowaning harbor since its decommissioning by the Own Sound Transportation Company in 1975.

John Coulter, director of restoration for the society told The Expositor, “the proposal for complete restoration of the ship hasn’t changed, only the ability to negotiate with various agencies and the government has, due to the pandemic. The idea is to restore the ship to a four-star Great Lakes cruising ship. That has always been the case.” The Norisle would be one, if not the only Canadian cruise ship that would venture throughout all the Great Lakes.

Mr. Coulter said that the pandemic has been the real problem in the process. “All meetings of our group with various officials have been put on hold for the past two years. Whatever movement we had made been making prior to the pandemic has been restricted since.”

He noted the ship was painted last summer. “However, the rest of the proposal and negotiations we were involved in has been in a state of flux since COVID hit, especially in our ability to hold meetings and negotiations.”

As for negotiations and who that has involved or will continue to be once the pandemic has subsided, “I can’t go any further on the extent of that at this time. We are trying to be as respectful to the ship and the community as possible.”

Manitoulin Expositor

$3.7M grant to aid Lafarge port upgrades at Alpena; hoping for larger ships

Alpena, MI – An Alpena company will snag a piece of more than $241 million in grants awarded to upgrade U.S. ports.

Lafarge Alpena, which last year asked the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration for help paying for upgrades to one of its boat slips, will receive $3.7 million as one of 25 grantees of DOT’s port infrastructure development grants, awarded at the end of 2021.

The investments in the Alpena port, and others across the nation, will strengthen supply chains and speed up delivery of goods to residents, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said in a news release.

The City of Alpena partnered with Lafarge in applying for the grant, which required public sponsorship. Lafarge will use the grant to improve an existing but rarely used boat slip, making it deeper and wider to allow access by freighters longer than the ships that currently pick up loads of cement at the Lafarge port, plant manager Jeff Scott said.

Structural work on the adjacent dock, including adding a roof to a storage structure, will allow for offloading on both sides of a freighter dropping off raw materials.

Old-style vessels could reach the slip’s unloading equipment, but the larger ships Lafarge hopes to attract can’t, Scott said. Those older, smaller ships are fewer and farther between on the Great Lakes, and Alpena needs to attract the larger ships more common on the horizon to remain competitive as a port city, he said.

Larger ships also carry more product, meaning one freighter can do the work of two smaller vessels, creating a smaller carbon footprint and lowering the cost of doing business for the company.

The improved slip would be open to public vessels when not in use by Lafarge and could benefit the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Scott said in June.

Lafarge will have to pay a portion of the $5 million project before government money kicks in, with funds channeled through the city as the project’s sponsor. Grant rules require that Lafarge buy American for all project materials and services except in extreme circumstances.

Lafarge will apply for dredging permits in spring. Scott hopes work on the slip can begin in fall, with projects expected to be complete in mid-2023.

Alpena News

NACC Quebec and Algoscotia continue their refit at Las Palmas in the Canary Islands

View images in the gallery.

Lecture series set for Great Lakes museum

Toledo, OH – A program about the people, places, and moments of the Underground Railroad in northwest Ohio will kick off the National Museum of the Great Lakes’ spring lecture series later this month.

“Freedom on the Horizon,” is planned for 7 p.m. Feb. 23 at the museum, 1701 Front St., or online via Zoom, the museum announced.

The second lecture, “The Living Great Lakes: Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas,” is planned for March 23. The final presentation, highlighting the history of the Army Corps of Engineers on the Great Lakes, is scheduled for April 6.

Event registration is free but required for all lectures. In addition to its role in the Feb. 23 lecture, the Heritage Sylvania historical organization also will produce an Underground Railroad exhibit opening at the museum later this winter. For further details, see the museum’s website at https://nmgl.org.

Cutters work to clear St. Clair River ice jams

On Friday, CCG ships Griffon and Samuel Risley worked for several hours in an effort to keep the channel in the lower end of the St. Clair River open. Officials are hoping a change in wind direction and lower wind velocity will help them clear the ice jams.

An increase in cruise ships bringing $6M to help accommodate traffic at Port of Milwaukee

Milwaukee, WI – A big increase in cruise ships docking at Port Milwaukee is bringing around $6 million in improvements to help accommodate that traffic. And a major piece of that funding will be a $3.5 million grant to help expand maritime infrastructure for larger cruise ships, Gov. Tony Evers announced Thursday.

That grant will help pay for upgrades, including a new platform, at Port Milwaukee’s south shore dock, located just east of the Lake Express High-Speed Ferry terminal, 2330 S. Lincoln Memorial Drive. That work, to include funding through other grants and port revenue, could be completed by 2023.

That dock will handle some of the largest cruise ships on the Great Lakes, including visits from the Viking line, said Adam Tindall-Schlicht, Port director. Both Viking’s Octantis ship, which can carry up to 500 passengers, and the Pearl Mist line are expected to operate on the Great Lakes this year, starting in May, Tindall-Schlict said.

That’s pending approval from public health officials in the United States and Canada, who barred Great Lakes cruises in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cruises could resume as early as May, Tindall-Schlict said.

Port Milwaukee estimates it will host at least 10,000 cruise ship passengers in 2022. That compares to 3,000 in 2019 and less than 1,000 in 2018. “The increase has been exponential,” Tindall-Schlict said.

Along with the new Viking service, that higher traffic is tied to a December 2020 lease agreement approved by the Milwaukee Board of Harbor Commissioners. It guarantees that Port Milwaukee will be a turnaround location for the Pearl Mist cruise ship through 2030 – with an option for the cruise line to extend that service to 2040.

The lease provides priority docking rights at Pier Wisconsin, the downtown dock immediately east of Discovery World, to Guilford, Connecticut-based Pearl Seas Management (USA) LLC.

The lease guarantees the Pearl Mist will use the pier for turnaround operations at least five times annually — marking the site where westward Great Lakes cruises end and eastward cruises begin for new passenger groups.

That means passengers both coming and going can be attracted to extend their stays in Milwaukee — bringing more business for hotels, restaurants and cultural attractions.

Other cruise lines that visit Milwaukee include American Queen Voyages.

The port’s grant is part of $21.9 million awarded to 27 local governments and organizations through the Tourism Capital Investment Grant Program, according to the governor’s office. That program is funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/real-estate/commercial/2022/02/03/port-milwaukee-spending-6-million-help-handle-more-cruise-ships/6649892001/

Door County Maritime Museum receives $1.75 million state grant for 10-story tower

Sturgeon Bay, WI – The Door County Maritime Museum received welcomed news from the state just as the museum gets ready to expand its attractions.

Wednesday, the state announced the museum won a grant award of $1.75 million through the Tourism Capital Investment Grant Program implemented by Gov. Tony Evers to support major tourism-related capital improvement projects across the state.

The new, 10-story Jim Kress Maritime Lighthouse Tower at the Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay will open two floors of exhibits on “Shipwrecks” and “Navigation” with a ribbon cutting ceremony Feb. 11.

The funds will be put toward the Jim Kress Maritime Lighthouse Tower, DCMM’s new 118-foot-high, 20,000-square-foot exhibit space that includes an observation deck on top overlooking the downtown Sturgeon Bay waterfront. The 10-story tower, the tallest building in Door County, was christened in May but exhibits still are being put together and installed (with two floors opening in about a week).

“This major grant from the State of Wisconsin goes a long way to help assure the Museum and its new landmark Kress Maritime Lighthouse Tower will continue to educate and entertain generations to come and be a key contributor to the region’s tourist economy,” DCMM board president Terry Connelly said in a statement.

Overall, 27 projects in Wisconsin from 210 applicants won a grant under the program, with individual awards ranging from $29,000 to the maximum possible of $3.5 million. The program originally had $10 million to divvy up but with a far greater number of applicants than anticipated, the state raised the amount to $21.9 million.

Sam Perlman, deputy director and development manager for the museum, said a capital campaign for the tower originally set a goal of $5.5 million, but the final goal ended up at $9.2 million, with about $2.1 million earmarked for the new exhibits. He said the grant was written partially to cover the remaining construction costs with the rest going toward the exhibits, and the funds get the museum “pretty close” to fulfilling the campaign goal.

Green Bay Press Gazette

Icebreaker shortage slows deliveries to Alpena, other ports 

Alpena, MI –  A shortage of U.S. Coast Guard icebreakers slowed cargo destined for Great Lakes ports last month.

January ice trapped sailors on freighters trying to get through the Soo Locks – including crew members from Alpena, Rogers City, and the surrounding area – as breakdowns forced the Coast Guard to remove icebreakers from service, according to Eric Peace, secretary of the Great Lakes Maritime Task Force.

Every ship delayed in the Soo, the Sault Ste. Marie passage between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes, means a delay for those waiting for the goods onboard the freighters, from salt for slippery roads to raw materials to build infrastructure, Peace said.

A provision in the federal Build Back Better Act, which passed the House but has stalled in the Senate, would allocate $350 million for the construction of a new Coast Guard icebreaker for the Great Lakes.

Meanwhile, 20 voyages and 750,000 tons of carrying capacity for iron ore, coal, and cement were delayed in January because the Coast Guard lacked the capacity to keep up with Great Lakes ice, Peace said.

Coast Guard cutters lost a total of 68 icebreaking days in the first weeks of January because of equipment fires or engine breakdowns, in addition to scheduled maintenance. At one point in January, five of eight Coast Guard icebreakers were simultaneously unavailable because of mechanical failures.

Icebreakers were unable to dislodge the freighter American Century, the last upbound ship of the season, when it got stuck in ice in the St. Mary’s River on its way to the Soo Locks, delaying three ships trying to leave Lake Superior before the locks closed for winter maintenance on Jan. 15.

That forced the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin draining the locks for maintenance a day later than planned, and “a day late to the Army Corps is a big deal,” Peace said.

The Army Corps closes the locks from Jan. 15 until March 25 each year, performing needed maintenance on the locks in a tight timeframe so shipping operations can resume as quickly as possible to keep the country’s flow of commerce moving.

Tugboats like the tug Manitou, which frequents Thunder Bay to break ice for vessels headed for the Lafarge Alpena harbor, ensure freighters and barges reach small piers, docks, and harbors but are not built to withstand the heavier ice in the middle of Great Lakes and in federal navigational channels, Peace said.

In addition to slowing the transportation of cargo and potentially threatening dock workers’ jobs, lack of icebreakers can endanger vessels and the people aboard them. In past years, ice has sliced ships open and caused collisions, Peace reported.

One Canadian vessel was nearly forced aground in the Straits of Mackinac by ice this year, with the closest Coast Guard icebreaker more than 12 hours away.

The freighter Alpena, too, struggled in ice near the end of the season as it tried to get through the Straits of Mackinac on its way to Thunder Bay, according to Peace.

With Great Lakes temperatures at record-breaking warmth this fall, ice breaking did not begin until December 29 this season, two weeks later than usual.

Alpena News

https://www.thealpenanews.com/news/local-news/2022/02/icebreaker-shortage-slows-deliveries-to-alpena-other-ports/?fbclid=IwAR1QiOLrwgAhInv7-vEcVR7ceI6X56EpP46e94AS3P6K_f8kZTUd8wlQVJc

Port of Cleveland sees 69% increase in tonnage in 2021

Cleveland, OH – Cleveland’s port was well used in 2021 amid ongoing supply-chain issues across the U.S.

The Port of Cleveland on Thursday reported a 69% increase in tonnage across its docks compared to 2020. The port said significant increases in goods both in and out of containers, and iron ore shipments to the Cleveland-Cliffs Cleveland Works steel mill, drove the increase.

The general cargo terminal ­– which includes steel, containers, project cargo, salt and cement ­– saw 649,324 metric tons go across the docks, a 57% increased from 2020. It’s the second-highest total in 10 years, slightly behind 2015 numbers. The bulk terminal, where iron ore and limestone are delivered, saw a 71% increase over 2020 with 6,943,139 tons.

The Port said shipping container volume also doubled. “Our cargo volumes bounced back in a big way in 2021 across the board, which indicates business is up at regional firms that depend on our Port,” said William Friedman, president and CEO of the Port of Cleveland. “We are particularly pleased to see containerized cargo grow significantly because we’ve worked for years to position Cleveland as an alternative to congested coastal ports.”

The Port expanded its iron-ore tunnel and its main gate at the general cargo facility in 2021. It also reactivated its foreign trade zone.

According to the port, cargo owners used Cleveland as a new solution to avoid coastal ports, which have been backed up in the last year. The Cleveland port is the only one on the Great Lakes with container shipping.

Cleveland.com

https://www.cleveland.com/business/2022/02/port-of-cleveland-sees-69-increase-in-tonnage-in-2021.html?fbclid=IwAR04Js8mltu2bMaMgq_vjv6b78_T-TLXYkCuI5bx3TqFWaIuvtisoaU1jOk

Lack of Coast Guard icebreaking disrupts supply chain and delays Soo Lock dewatering

 Cleveland, OH – Despite a relatively mild and delayed onset of winter in the Great Lakes, U.S.-flag lakers were hampered by a lack of Coast Guard icebreaking assets. A total of 750,000 tons of carrying capacity for iron ore, coal and cement were delayed.  20 voyages were delayed for a total of 325 hours.

“The inefficiency introduced into the Great Lakes Navigation System by inadequate Coast Guard icebreaking resources impacts the carriers, their customers and the entire North American Manufacturing supply chain,” said Jim Weakley, President of Great Lakes Maritime Task Force, and the Lake Carriers’ Association.  “The men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard do the best they can with the resources they are provided.  Unfortunately, they do not have enough icebreakers to keep the system operating efficiently.”

Budget reconciliation legislation now being considered in the U.S. Senate would provide the Coast Guard with funding for an additional Great Lakes icebreaker.

Even though the M/V American Century cleared the regulatory check-in point in time to meet the scheduled closing of the Army Corps Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, MI (Soo Locks), it became beset in the St.Marys River. Coast Guard icebreakers were not able to free the vessel in time for its planned transit through the Soo Locks, which connect Lake Superior to Lake Huron and beyond. This delayed the downbound lockages of the last vessels leaving Lake Superior, including the Coast Guard Cutter Biscayne Bay. Since the vessel normally stationed in Duluth, Minnesota, the Coast Guard Cutter Alder, is on the East Coast for an overhaul, there are no icebreakers on Lake Superior during the lock closure.  The ice-induced vessel delays forced the Army Corps of Engineers to begin lock dewatering operations a day later than planned.

Typically, the icebreaking season begins on December 15th each year; however, this year Operation Taconite, which marks the official beginning of icebreaking operations in the Northern Great Lakes did not begin until December 29th. From December 15th until January 15th, the scheduled closure date of the Soo Locks, the U.S. Coast Guard had four of its nine Great Lakes icebreakers in scheduled overhaul, scheduled maintenance, or unscheduled maintenance periods.  At one point in January, five of its eight icebreakers operating on the Great Lakes were simultaneously unavailable due to mechanical failures. A total of 68 icebreaking cutter days were lost due to equipment fires or engine breakdowns.

“The lives of the professional women and men sailing aboard lakers, the safety of the vessels and the protection of the environment depend on adequate Coast Guard icebreakers,” said John Clemons, Great Lakes Maritime Task Force’s Vice President and with American Maritime

Officers, AFL-CIO. “In recent years, vessels have been sliced open, forced aground or collided with each other because of inadequate icebreaking resources. In fact, one Canadian laker was almost forced aground in the Straits of Mackinac by ice this year.  The closest Coast Guard icebreaker was over 12 hours away. Fortunately, the vessel was able to free itself after struggling for several tense hours.”

Even though the Soo Locks officially closed on January 15th, as of January 27th, the last U.S.-flag laker was just arriving to its winter layup birth. Vessel delays were experienced in ports and in connecting rivers and waterways.  In addition to a lack of operational vessels, the Coast Guard is hamstrung by metrics it uses to allocate resources and determine mission performance standards.

“The Port of Duluth-Superior is the Great Lakes’ top port by tonnage and one of the nation’s top 20, but the Coast Guard doesn’t consider its waterways as ‘Tier I’ for icebreaking purposes. This is troubling given that Minnesota’s docks along the western edge of Lake Superior provide

the iron ore to produce 80 percent of the nation’s first-pour steel. The Head of the Lakes is a vital link in North America’s domestic steel production supply chain,” said Deb DeLuca, executive director, Duluth Seaway Port Authority.

Lakers need to move cargo in the winter to ensure that stockpiles are large enough to sustain the regions steel mills, power plants and industrial facilities to survive the closure of the Soo Locks

from January 15th to March 25th. During the closure period, lakers need to make it to their winter homes for maintenance.  A few vessels will continue to operate in lakes Huron, Michigan, and Erie. They primarily move road salt and petroleum products during the lock closure period.

Eric Peace, Lake Carriers’ Associations’ Vice President and an experienced icebreaking sailor noted “Adequate icebreaking not only supports the Great Lakes Navigation System, but it also prevents flooding.  Last February, we saw extensive flooding because of an ice dam in the St. Clair River. At the time the lone “heavy” icebreaker operated by the Coast Guard was not available because it was undergoing repairs. We need to build an additional Great Lakes icebreaker and pass the Great Lakes Winter Commerce Act.

“Both are needed to establish a track line, protect homeowners and keep commerce moving.”  Sudden or extreme cold temperatures can upset the natural flow of the rivers that feed into or are part of the Great Lakes.  In addition to the Detroit and St. Clair rivers, this often happens along the Lake Erie shoreline.  Flood warnings have already been posted once this year for the St. Clair River and are bound to persist with heavy ice and snow already present in the area.

Great Lakes Maritime Task Force

Abandoned bulk carrier Julietta D arrives in port, ending frantic rescue

IJmuiden, Netherlands – The bulk carrier Julietta D was towed into port Tuesday after a wild 24 hours off the Dutch coast.

The ship ran into trouble Monday during heavy weather from Storm Corrie. The Julietta D was anchored off the coast of IJmuiden, Netherlands when it broke its anchor chain, collided with the tanker Pechora Star, and started to drift. Pechora Star has been a Great Lakes/Seaway visitor.

The collision caused damage to the bulk carrier and it began taking on water, leading to a daring heavy weather evacuation by helicopter of the all 18 crew members, part of which can be seen in the video linked below.

It then began drifting towards shore, at one point colliding with an offshore platform foundation. From there it was a race to save the ship from running ashore.

The effort was led by the Dutch Coast Guard with tug and salvage assistance from Boskalis’ SMIT Salvage, The Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution and air assistance from Belgian Coast Guard.

The Julietta D has now arrived at the Port of Rotterdam with the assistance of the tugs Sovereign, Multratug 18 and Manta, the Dutch Coast Guard said, ending the response.

Read more and watch a video of the rescue on this gCaptain link: https://gcaptain.com/update-abandoned-bulk-carrier-julietta-d-arrives-in-port-ending-frantic-rescue/?fbclid=IwAR0MxgpqMPiaS_1G5kkfgiKXdO9N-VMVrvFbPl5zJdYhxSvJAPMout7p1c8