Soo Locks closed for the season Sunday

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The final lockage for the season at the Soo Locks had not one, but three boats. Leading the way is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers tug Owen M. Frederick, followed by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Biscayne Bay and the 635-foot-long Sam Laud. The Laud surprised many boat watchers by sneaking out of the steel mill behind the Indiana Harbor to pass through the Poe Lock Sunday afternoon.

Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader were downbound earlier in the day.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Ice breaking operations in the port of Escanaba

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mobile Bay (WTGB-103) will conduct ice breaking operations in the waters of Green Bay and into Escanaba, Michigan on Tuesday January 18.

Mobile Bay will establish a track into the Port of Escanaba. This work will be conducted ahead of the H. Lee White’s arrival on January 18 to moor at the Escanaba Ore Dock.

USCG

Lakes Pilots Association seeking new pilot

Lakes Pilots Association, based in Port Huron, MI., is now accepting applications for an Applicant Pilot Position.  Lakes Pilots Association covers the waters of Lake Erie as well as the Detroit and St. Clair River system, along with all of the associated ports, excluding the Welland Canal.

To be eligible to be an Applicant Pilot, one must accrue a minimum of 24 months sea time aboard vessels over 4000 gross tons in a licensed officer capacity.  If an individual is using sea time accrued on the oceans, a minimum of 6 months experience must be on the Great Lakes.  Great Lakes masters experience is preferred but not a requirement to apply.  A complete list of requirements may be found in CFR Title 46, Shipping, Part 401, Subpart B.

Applications must be submitted to the Director of Great Lakes Pilotage in Washington, D.C. to determine eligibility.  Applications and Information can be obtained from the US Coast Guard Director of Great Lakes Pilotage Website.  Please have Resumes into Lakes Pilots Association by January 24, 2022.   Please contact Lakes Pilots Association for more information at T.brandano@lakespilots.com.

Lay-up reports needed

Now that the end of the shipping season has arrived, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

Sunday Soo Update. Sam Laud will be the last commercial boat down for the season. USCG Biscayne Bay will join them in the Poe Lock. At 12:10 p.m. the Laud was dropping lines at Algoma and will follow the Indiana Harbor. Arthur M. Anderson got underway from the Nine Mile anchorage area about 10 a.m., using a track freshly groomed by USCG Katmai Bay and USCG Bristol Bay. Dirk S. VanEnkevort/Michigan Trader were downbound at Mission Point just after noon.

Shipping season ends with a busy day on the river

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The last full day of the shipping season was a busy one, with lots of traffic and icebreaker activity on a sunny but frigid Saturday.

Vessels that passed through the locks late Friday/early Saturday were held above Nine Mile Point until daylight. Those were Walter J. McCarthy Jr., Anglian Lady/barge Ironmaster with assist tug Wilfred M. Cohen, Harvest Spirit, Robert S. Pierson and John G. Munson. After USCG Bristol Bay ran some tracks around the vessels, they were allowed to convoy through the Rock Cut with USCG Mackinaw in the lead, followed by USCG Bristol Bay.

At the same time, American Century and Sam Laud passed upbound through the East Neebish Channel. Thanks to cutter assistance, the vessels experienced little difficulty in getting to the Soo.

After the Sam Laud locked up in the late afternoon headed for Algoma Steel to unload, Manitoulin locked down, as did CCGS Samuel Risley, which went ahead of her down the river. Arthur M. Anderson locked down next. Due to difficult ice conditions reported by the Manitoulin further down the river, Soo Traffic directed the Anderson to stop in the Nine Mile anchorage until morning, when cutter assistance will be available.

American Century was the last upbound passage for the season, however she had difficulty entering the lock due to ice on the lower lock wall, some of which the Anderson was able to remove on her way out of the lock. Her troubles were not over however, as she became beset in ice just west of the upper approaches. At 11:45 p.m. she and the downbound Dirk S. VanEnkevort/barge Michigan Trader, which was just west of her, decided to call a halt to their efforts to move until Sunday morning, when USCG Biscayne Bay can lend a hand.

As midnight and the official end of the season arrived,  Indiana Harbor had yet to pass Whitefish Point, but the locks will be kept open to accommodate her, as well as Sam Laud returning downbound and the USCG Biscayne Bay, which is headed for St. Ignace.

Lay-up reports needed

As the end of the shipping season approaches, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

Traffic at the Soo Locks dwindles as season nears end

Saturday morning update: At 9 am Saturday, Katmai Bay was breaking ice ice ahead of the downbound convoy consisting of Walter J. McCarthy Jr., Harvest Spirit, John G. Munson, Robert S. Pierson and john G, Munson. The vessels have been stopped overnight above Nine Mile and will now parade through the Rock Cut. On the other side of Neebish Island, American Century and Sam Laud are coming up. Sunny, -13, wind chill -34.

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – With the shipping season set to close on Saturday night, the final vessels of the season were headed toward the Soo Locks on Friday. Paul R. Tregurtha was upbound in the early afternoon headed for Duluth and winter lay-up. She was assisted through several tight spots by USCG Bristol Bay and USCG Katmai Bay.

Downbound traffic Friday afternoon included Edwin H. Gott (assisted above Big Point by USCG Katmai Bay) and Michipicoten (from Algoma). Walter J. McCarthy Jr., Harvest Spirit, John G. Munson and Robert S. Pierson were behind Michipicoten. American Century was due upbound Friday night headed for Superior and the barn, with Sam Laud following, bound for Algoma Steel. As of 11 p.m., they were anchored in lower Mud Lake awaiting daylight.

Saturday’s traffic will include Arthur M Anderson and Dirk S. VanEnkevort / barge Michigan Trader downbound late. It looks like the locks’ final ship of the season will be the Indiana Harbor, which arrived at Two Harbors to load taconite on Friday afternoon.

The end of the season is arriving just in time. With temperatures well below zero, the St. Marys River is freezing fast.

Roger LeLievre

Great Lakes limestone trade up 11 percent in 2021

Cleveland OH – Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 29.5 million tons in 2021, an increase of 11 percent compared to 2020.  2021’s loadings were also 4.8 percent above the trade’s 5-year average. See chart below.

Loadings from U.S. quarries totaled 23.5 million tons, an increase of 11.4 percent compared to 2020.  Shipments from U.S. quarries were also above their 5-year average by 2.4 percent. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 6 million tons, an increase of 9.3 percent compared to the prior year, and 15.2 percent better than their 5-year average.

Lake Carriers’ Association

Soo Locks closing for seasonal repair, maintenance

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie will close to ship traffic on Saturday night for yearly maintenance. Every year, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers uses the two-month closure to perform maintenance on the locks to keep them going.

The Corps said the Detroit District team works long hours in extreme conditions on a significant amount of maintenance. The locks are scheduled to open at 12:01 a.m. on March 25.

“It is a difficult time in terms of weather to complete this work, but it keeps this important national infrastructure project operating during shipping season,” Soo Area Engineer Kevin Sprague said.

The Corps of Engineers has several projects to complete, including working and inspecting the Poe Lock hydraulic steel structure, miter gate bottom girder repair and seal replacement, dewatering system maintenance and more.

Contractors will also perform rehabilitation of the Poe Lock’s upstream primary gate.

On top of the maintenance, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is building a second Poe-sized lock which holds the largest ships on the Great Lakes at more than 1,000 feet. The lock is 110 feet wide and 1,200 feet long.

In December, they wrapped up the second year of upstream channel deepening to deepen the canal enough for the large ships to use. The work will resume in the spring, and construction of the lock chamber is expected to begin in the 2022 construction season.

WXYZ

West Neebish Channel to close Jan. 17

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Following the closure of the Soo Locks, Per 33 CFR 162.117, Director VTS St Marys River will close the West Neebish Channel effective 0800 local time on 17 January 2022. Alternating one-way traffic will be established in the Munuscong and Middle Neebish Channels.

The Coast Guard would like to remind all recreational ice users to plan their activity carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from shipping channels.

South Channel between Cheboygan and Bois Blanc Island to close

Sault Ste. Marie, MI – Per 33 CFR 165.901, Captain of the Port Sault Ste Marie will close the waters between Cheboygan Michigan and Bois Blanc Island Michigan known as South Channel, effective 0800 EST 16 January 2022.

The Coast Guard would like to remind all recreational ice users to plan their activity carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from shipping channels.

Lay-up reports needed

As the end of the shipping season approaches, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

SS Badger heads home ahead of winter fleet

Sturgeon Bay, WI – Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding said goodbye to one of its dock tenants on Wednesday. Sarter Marine Towing started its journey to Ludington, MI, at approximately 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon to deliver the SS Badger. The Lake Michigan-based car ferry had been in Sturgeon Bay since early November for its quinquennial maintenance and a new paint job. Handling the tow were Sarter Marine Towing tugs Jimmy L leading the way, Donny S on the stern, and William C. Gaynor on the bow.

Former Army tug LT-805 finds new home in Ludington

Ludington, MI – Tucked alongside the SS Spartan is a new ship in the Interlake fleet, and its home port is Ludington. Interlake Logistics Solutions, a subsidiary of Interlake Maritime Services, bought the tug LT-805, or known as the Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott, from the federal government.

The LT-805 was built for the U.S. Army, and it is 128 feet long, weighs 500 tons and has a 19-foot draft.

According to a posting on Interlake’s Facebook page, the company stated a crew of 16 people made the 2,860-nautical-mile trip from Norfolk, Virginia, back on Nov. 14, 2021, and arrived in Ludington on Monday, Nov. 29.

“While we don’t have specific plans for how we will ultimately utilize her in our fleet just yet, the chance to purchase the LT-805 was a unique and exciting opportunity,” stated Mark W. Barker, president of Interlake Maritime Services, which owns and operates Interlake Logistics Solutions, in the posting in Facebook. “We are always evaluating ways to expand our maritime capabilities and commercial fleet capacity to serve our customers on the Great Lakes. She is a great addition to our Interlake fleet.”

According to the Facebook post, the LT-805 will undergo some vessel improvements and upgrades while she is moored next to the SS Spartan in Pere Marquette Lake.

Chrissy Kadleck, Interlake’s spokesperson, told the Daily News that there are no plans to rename the tug.

The U.S. Army has an assortment of watercraft beyond what the Army Corps of Engineers uses, and those watercraft are a part of the Army’s Transportation Corps. LT-805 began its service with the U.S. Army, and Dr. J. Edwin Nieves explained there are two different tugs in use by the service. Some are small tugs or harbor tugs with the designation “ST” while larger tugs have the designation “LT” The LT-805 was designed for ocean and coastal towing.

“The LT is self-deployable worldwide, has a crew of 25 and has a range of 5,000 nautical miles,” Nieves stated in a report to the Daily News.

The LT-805, or MG Winfield Scott, was one of eight tugs ordered by the U.S. Army. Only six wound up being built, and the Army took possession of the craft on Oct. 29, 1993, Nieves stated. From there, the tug was a part of the Army’s 7th Brigade in Fort Eustis. Part of the work it conducted was towing a decommissioned Navy fuel barge from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the U.S. Navy station in Mayport, Florida.

In 2016, the LT-805 towed the USNS salvage ship Grapple to the Navy’s Philadelphia Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility. It also was used for training exercises with the Coast Guard in Yorktown, Virginia. In August 2021, the Army decided it no longer needed the tug, and it was put up for auction where Interlake bought it.

Ludington Daiy News

Cleveland  ship supply company sells warehouse, waterfront buildings

Cleveland OH –  Companies affiliated with a Cleveland-based developer has bought four buildings on the east bank of The Flats – three of which are on the waterfront of the Cuyahoga River – though the developer is remaining mum on its plans for the space.

Samsel Supply Co., which for decades owned a slew of property along Old River Road, sold the buildings to companies associated with GBX Group, a developer that specializes in working on historic projects. They include the warehouse at 1285 Old River Road, which has 109,845 square feet, the Upson-Walton Co. Building across the street at 1294-1310 Old River Road and two smaller buildings directly south.

The transactions were first reported Monday by the Cleveland Business Journal, a sister publication of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. They took place on Dec. 7. Cuyahoga County property records do not list the sale prices, and GBX spokesman Phil Winton declined to reveal the price. The properties combined are valued at more than $2.8 million, according to county records.

Winton was coy about the future of the properties. He said in an email that GBX would notify news outlets when plans are finalized, which will be by the end of March.

He said, however, that the buildings will not be razed and will instead find new uses while retaining their historic character. Winton also said the buildings will “complement” how other buildings are used on the east bank. The area in the past couple of decades has transformed into a hub for restaurants and nightlife.

Recently, Samsel has worked to divest and find new uses for its buildings. The maritime, construction and industrial supply business was founded 1958 and acquired the property along Old River Road in subsequent years.

Kathy Petrick, who co-owns Samsel with her brother, Mike Samsel, said in an email that the company “has been right-sizing their business footprint and efficiencies

Marine News, Journal of the World Ship Society

Vessels with Great Lakes / Seaway connection reported as a casualty or sold for demolition taken from January 2022 issue of Marine News, Journal of the World Ship Society:

Casualties: None
Sold for Demolition: Angel (8907266; St. Kitts & Nevis) (Angel 121-21, Royal Meredith-18, Ostrov Moneron-16, Andino Park-10, Chembulk Trader-97 – 1st seaway trip 1995, Lisa D-93 – 1st seaway trip 1991) 4,995 / 1989 – chemical products tanker – By Scandi Navigation Pte Ltd., British Virgin Islands, to Hussain Sheth Ispat (SB) India, and arrived 18.09.2021 – commenced demolition 24.09.2021

Angel I (9167710, St. Kitts & Nevis) (Angel 18-21, Chem Leo-15 Azteca S-05 – 1st seaway trip 2000, l/a Sembewang Venture) 6,332 / 1998 – chemical products tanker – By Virna Maritime Corp (Machtrans Ship Management Pvt Ltd), Marshall Islands, to Unique Ship Breaking Corp, India and arrived Alang 21.09.2021 – commenced demolition 25.09.2021

Bon (9248203; St. Kitts & Nevis) (Bon Atlantic 21-21, Bon Chem-13, Panam Atlantico-11 – 1st seaway trip 2005) 8,253 / 2001 – chemical products tanker – By Last Voyage DMCC (Machtrans Ship Management Pvt Ltd), United Arab Emirates, to Shiv Corp. India and arrived Alang 24.09.2021 – commenced demolition 4.10.2021

Daeho Sunshine (9158991; South Korea) (Golden Brilliance-14, Shamrock Moon-07 – 1st seaway trip 2005, Oriental Sapphire-00 – 5,957 / 1997 – chemical products tanker – By Daetto Shipping Co Ltd South Korea, to Ghasirain Gokulchand Ship Breaking, India, and arrived Alang 19.09.2021 – commenced 24.09.2021

Ever Exuberant (9053218; Sierra Leona) ( Havelstern-17 – 1st seaway trip 1997) 11,423 / 1994 – chemical products tanker – By Forever Win Enterprises Co Ltd Anguilla, to Bangladesh breakers and arrived Chattogram 15.09.2021 – commenced demolition 22.09.2021

Island 10 (9197694; Gabon) (Island Express 10-21, BBC Denmark-16 – 1st seaway trip 1999, l/a Wangerooge) 4,086 / 1999 – general cargo ship –

By Maimah Marine Pte Ltd. Singapore, to Four Star Ship Breaking Bangladesh, and arrived Chattogram 8.09.2021 – commenced demolition 13.09.2021

Laurel (9175729; St. Kitts & Nevis) Tradewind Union-16 – 1st seaway trip 2006, Southern Lion-03) 5,999 / 1997 – chemical products tanker – By Scandi Navigation Pte Ltd., British Virgin Islands, to Ashwin Corp India, and arrived Alang 27.09.2021 – commenced demolition 5.10.2021

Moresby 10 (9224611; Gabon) Moresby Espress II-21, BBC Ukraine-13, BBC Japan-10 – 1st seaway trip 2010, Juister Riff-10) 4,090 / 2000 – general cargo ship – By Maimah Marine Pte Ltd. Singapore, to Bangladesh breakers and arrived Chattogram 22.09.2021 – commenced demolition 29.09.2021

Pacific 10 (9173343; Gabon) (Pacific Express -21, Ulla Scan-12, Balticon Hamburg-09, BBC America-07, Karsnes-05, BBC America-05 1st seaway trip 2000) 4,086 / 1999 general cargo ship – By Maimah Marine Pte Ltd. Singapore, to Arab Ship Breaking & Recycling and arrived Chattogram 8.09.2021 – commenced demolition 12.09.2021

Piri (8504832; Sierra Leone) (Algoma Spirit-21, 1st seaway trip 2008, Sandviken-08 – 1st seaway trip 2000, Petka-00 – 1st seaway trip 1986) 23,271 / 1986 – bulk carrier (lakes only) – By Dido Steel Corp SA Liberia, to Turkish breakers and arrived Aliaga 8.09.2021 – commenced demolition 8.09.2021

Report prepared by Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp

Lay-up reports needed

As the end of the shipping season approaches, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

Croatia’s 3. Maj gets nod to finish construction of bulk cargo ship for Algoma

Zagreb, Croatia – Croatian shipyard 3.Maj said on Tuesday it received the green light to complete the construction of a bulk cargo vessel for Canadian marine shipping company Algoma Central Corporation.

On January 11, the supervisory board of 3. Maj gave its consent to the shipyard’s director to sign a contract with the Canadian company for completion of the construction of Vessel 527, the shipyard said in a filing to the Zagreb bourse.

In September, the 3. May shipyard said it was buying Vessel 527 for a token price of one kuna.* According to earlier media reports, the vessel under construction was part of the assets of bankrupt Croatian shipyard Uljanik.

*(1 euro=7.522 Croatian kuna)

Algoma Central

Vessels are headed to Donjon for winter repairs. How to see them

Erie, PA – The J.S. St. John, a dredger built in 1945, is drydocked inside Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair on Presque Isle Bay. The local vessel, which usually docks at the nearby Carmeuse Erie Dock Operations, is the only ship currently undergoing winter maintenance at Donjon. But soon several more Great Lakes ships will make their entry into the Bay for seasonal repairs, General Manager Rick Hammer said.

When the locks between the Great Lakes close for their own repairs between Jan. 15 and March 23, here’s what ships will make their way in and around Donjon’s shipyards, and where, in some cases, you can see them:

The J.S. St. John is currently drydocked inside Donjon’s main assembly building and will undergo its five-year inspection. For now, it’s out of view to the public.

The M.V. Saginaw, a 640-foot lake freighter, will arrive on Jan. 13, also for its five-year inspection and steelwork. It will also be in Donjon’s dry dock until mid-March.

The M.V. Michipicoten, a 698-foot self-discharging bulk carrier, will arrive on Jan. 18, for steelwork and its winter layup. It will be docked just east of Donjon at the Parade Street slip. It can be partially viewed from a parking lot located just east of the slip and north of the Bayfront Parkway.

The Kaye E. Barker, a self-discharging lake freighter measuring 767 feet in length, will arrive in the third week of January. It’s here for winter layup and steel repair. It will be docked in the west slip at the foot of Holland Street. Best views will be from outside the Port Authority’s offices on the west side of the slip.

The 1,000-foot Presque Isle will arrive by mid-January at the Mountfort Terminal at Carmeuse Erie Sand & Gravel and will undergo steel repair. The best views will be from the North and South Piers on the Presque Isle Channel.

The Michigan, a tugboat that pushes the tank barge Great Lakes, is due sometime in April for winter repairs. It will be dry docked and out of view.

Erie Times-News

Bay Shipbuilding begins construction on large LNG bunkering barge for Crowley

Sturgeon Bay, WI – Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin has started construction on what is set to become the largest LNG bunkering barge ever built in the United States.

The barge will be owned by Crowley and operated under a long-term charter with Shell NA LNG upon delivery in late 2023.

The 416-foot-long vessel, which will have the capacity for 12,000 m3 (3.17 million gallons) of LNG, will be the largest Jones Act-compliant vessel of its kind and the second Jones Act-compliant bunker barge Shell has under a time charter in the U.S.

The barge is set to be deployed on the U.S. East Coast, helping to expand current LNG network capacity and meet growing demand from the shipping sector as it transitions towards lower emissions fuels.

“We are excited to get this project started, and equally pleased that it builds on our relationship with Crowley and Shell,” said Craig Perciavalle, Vice President & General Manager of Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding. “Our team is committed to giving our customers the best value, and we are happy to get started on this important project.”

“We congratulate the men and women of Bay Shipbuilding on the start of this innovative, landmark vessel that will help the maritime industry meet demand for cleaner operations with reduced emissions,” said Tucker Gilliam, vice president, Crowley Shipping. “In partnership with Shell, this vessel will expand the availability of LNG to vessels and help advance the transition to lower-emission fuels as the industry seeks to reduce emissions.”

Dean Sahr, Crowley’s manager of new construction and LNG engineering, pushed the button on the state-of-the-art metal cutter to cut the first piece of steel in Sturgeon Bay on Jan. 6. The vessel is designed by Crowley Engineering Services, the company’s naval architecture and marine engineering solutions group.

“Shell is working hard to meet our customers’ growing needs with the energy solutions they are looking for,” said Tahir Faruqui, general manager, Global DLNG for Shell. “As we continue to expand our LNG bunkering network, we are excited to see work underway on this vessel, one which will support the shipping sector’s continued progress toward decarbonization.”

“Our team at Bay has done a tremendous job of managing the build cycles of several large and important vessels during the pandemic,” said Dario Deste, the head of Fincantieri’s U.S. operations. “Even with COVID-related supply chain challenges globally, we continue to meet our customers’ timelines. Delivering on schedule is a point of pride for Fincantieri.”

Bay Shipbuilding in December delivered a 340-foot LNG bunkering articulated tug-barge (ATB), named Clean Canaveral, to Polaris New Energy, and in October 2020 delivered a new self-unloading barge to VanEnkevort Tug & Barge Inc. It also has a second 5,500 cubic meter LNG barge in the works for Polaris Energy, and is currently constructing the first U.S.-flagged Great Lakes bulk carrier built in more than 35 years for The Interlake Steamship Company.

gCaptain

St. Marys River channel closures announced

In accordance with 33 CFR 162.117, Vessel Traffic Service St. Marys River will close Pipe Island Passage (East of Pipe Island Shoal and North of Pipe Island Twins from Watson Reef Light to Sweets Point).  The channel will close effective 0800 EST on 13 January 2022. The Pipe Island Course will become a two-way route.

The Coast Guard would like to remind all recreational ice users to plan their activity carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from shipping channels.

Lay-up reports needed

As the end of the shipping season approaches, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

Welland Canal closes for the season with a boost in ship traffic

The Welland Canal is closed after an extended season. The last ship made its way through the locks on Friday, marking the third straight year the season was extended into the new year.

The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation says they finished the year about 10% above the usual amount of traffic. They point to a strong end of the season as iron ore and grain travelled through the canal.

Seaway management expects the canal to reopen sometime in late March.

Icebreaker Griffon to clear Midland ice

Midland. ON – Please be advised that the Icebreaker Griffon is expected to come through Midland Harbour on Wednesday to clear the way for the expected arrival of the Whitefish Bay grain ship. Ice conditions through this area are already very unsafe/dangerous and will be even more so after the Griffon and Whitefish Bay come through. Please stay off the ice!

Michigan Coast Guard boat sails onto National Register of Historic Places

Lansing, MI – For close to four decades, U.S. Coast Guard motor lifeboat 40300 was on duty in Lake Michigan, stationed primarily at the Plum Island Lifeboat Station at the tip of Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula and later in Escanaba.

In 1983, the federal government transferred the boat to the Eastern Upper Peninsula  Transportation Authority at Sault Ste. Marie for use as a utility boat and icebreaker.

Now at age 81 and in private hands, CG 40300 is berthed in New York’s Finger Lakes region as part of the Coast Guard Auxiliary’s Flotilla 2-2 in Cayuga Lake.

The 40-foot-long steel prototype is among the most recent properties added to the National Register of Historic Places, based on its importance in maritime engineering and maritime history.

CG 40300 was an experiment, the Coast Guard’s first steel motor lifeboat and intended to pioneer the agency’s transition from 36-foot-long wooden craft.

It was built in 1940 “to handle rugged sea and weather conditions with a high degree of stability, great strength of construction, self-righting and self-bailing, and ice-breaking capabilities,” the National Register nomination says. It normally had a crew of four.

The current owner, John Frieman of Owego, New York, said the advent of World War II “killed that project” because steel was in high demand for military needs. He bought CG 40300 from a previous private owner and trucked it from the U.P. to Cayuga Lake in Ithaca, New York in 2017.

“This may be the first steel motor lifeboat in the world,” said the 72-year-old engineer, who has a background in naval architecture and museum conservation. “This is the grandfather of all of them.”

In addition to search-and-rescue activities, CG 40300 carried supplies to lighthouses on Lake Michigan’s Pilot and Plum islands. It wintered at Washington Island, where it broke ice for the local ferry, according to the National Register nomination.

“Sometimes the ice would become too thick for the wooden ferry even after being broken by CG 40300,” it said. “At those times, if there was an urgent need, CG 40300 became the ferry of last resort.”

The National Register documentation includes crew member David Robb’s account of a dangerous mid-1960s operation to help a heavily laden barge buffeted by gale winds gusting 25 to 35 knots. Robb wrote of feeling “the full fury of Lake Michigan on our starboard side. With the pounding of the bow into the waves, it combined into a dizzy corkscrew motion that resulted in some serious seasickness.”

He told of a “bone-chilling cold” from icy waves washing over the crew, of “three hours of hellish misery. The boat exploded over each crest and flopped down on the other side for a dizzying surf nearly out of control. On top of the crests, we screamed to be heard. In the troughs, we could whisper if it weren’t for the roar of the diesel,” he wrote.

Robb was one of three former crew members Frieman interviewed for his research about CG 40300. “They all loved the boat because it was such a solid, stable platform. You go out and know nothing is going to hurt this boat,” he said. “That confidence really helps when you’re going out into really bad weather where the risk is really high.”

The Coast Guard removed it from service in 1979 after 33 years at Plum and Washington islands and three years at the Aids to Navigation Station in Escanaba. Then it worked the Sault Ste. Marie Canal for almost another two decades, Frieman said.

Former authority mechanic Arthur Black of Sault Ste. Marie says it was used when ice prevented ferries from running and described an incident when the wind was pushing it so hard it nearly ended up on Drummond Island. “That thing rolled and pitched,” said Black, who remembers rebuilding the pilot house.

Although in use almost continually since 1940, the nomination said, “There have been few changes, and the boat remains in very good condition.”

Frieman said: “Easily 90% of the boat is original. Considering she was in quite heavy use for the first 60 years of her existence, that’s doing really well. A lot of that is a credit to the Coast Guard, which built the boat and the guys who kept her up during years of service. They never let the boat get rusty.”

Since buying the boat, he’s done a lot of work “as time and funding allows,” including on the wiring and electric system, batteries and wooden features, as well as building a windshield. Painting is ahead, with the aim of restoring it as it was in the 1960s.

Frieman is a Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteer staff officer for marine safety and environmental protection and says CG 40300 draws attention from boaters who stop to see the historic craft and talk about marine safety.

He renamed it Acadia in honor of the hospital ship where his parents met and served during World War II.

The Monroe News

Cover for the U.S. Brig Niagara has been placed on the ship for the winter

Erie, PA – Built on the shores of Presque Isle, the original U.S. Brig Niagara played a major role in defeating the British in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812.

There has been four reconstructions of Commander Oliver Perry’s ship since the war ended. The fourth version that can be seen in Erie is being covered for the remainder of the winter season.

“Niagara was in the shipyard for about two months at Great Lakes Shipyard in Cleveland. She came back mid-December and now we’re getting the cover on to make sure she’s all buttoned up for the winter,” said Chris Cusson, captain of U.S. Brig Niagara.

View a video at this link: https://www.yourerie.com/news/local-news/u-s-brig-niagara-covered-for-the-winter-season/

Toronto considering all-electric ferry fleet

Toronto, ON – Toronto’s Government and Licensing Committee will consider adding $2.6-million to an existing order to upgrade the fleet of new ferries destined for the Toronto Islands to be fully electric. The staff report — the latest in the city’s ongoing ferry replacement program — is destined for Friday’s committee meeting.

The extra money, bringing the total cost to $4,540,721, is to provide additional design and construction support for the shipbuilder — Concept Naval Inc. of Quebec City — to convert existing diesel-hybrid designs to full-electric. The money will also provide shore infrastructure to support the new fleet of electric ferries.

The move is part of the city’s TransformTO Net Zero Strategy, with plans to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.

The Toronto Islands are serviced by four primary vessels — the Ongiara , the William Inglis , the Sam McBride and the Thomas Rennie — all between 59 and 87 years old, as well as the 110-year-old side-wheel steamer Trillium.  The average lifespan for similar freshwater ferries is 20 years.

The city’s Toronto Islands fleet typically carry about 1.4 million passengers and over 5,000 vehicles annually — with May to Sept, representing nearly 80% of yearly volumes. With the exception of the Trillium, which will continue to operate as a heritage ship, the four primary ferries will be replaced over the next 15 years.

While the total cost of replacing the ferries isn’t yet known, city staff estimate completed designs will run between $23 and $25-million per ship. Delivery of the first ferry is expected near the end of 2025.

Toronto’s foray into electric boats began last month when PortsToronto took delivery of the newly-upgraded Marilyn Bell I, its diesel engines replaced with lithium-ion batteries making it the city’s first 100% electric passenger ferry.

Great Lakes Pilotage Advisory Committee appoints new members

The Coast Guard has announced the appointment of two individuals to serve as members of the Great Lakes Pilotage Advisory Committee.

The Great Lakes Pilotage Advisory Committee operates under the authority of 46 U.S.C. § 9307.  The function of the Committee is to make recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard on matters relating to Great Lakes pilotage, including review of proposed Great Lakes pilotage regulations and policies. The Committee is made up of members representing the Great Lakes Pilots Associations and specific segments of the maritime industry:

The new members are John D. Baker, Great Lakes Maritime Labor Organizations; and Mr. Paul C. LaMarre III, Great Lakes Port Authorities and Marine Terminals.

Lay-up reports needed

As the end of the shipping season approaches, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

Sturgeon Bay lay-up list released

See image below.

St. Marys Challenger pilothouse moved to National Museum

The pilothouse of the former laker/now barge St. Marys Challenger was recently moved to its permanent home at the National Museum of the Great Lakes. Sam Hankinson documented the event. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTgWLJpoYbs

Lay-up reports needed

As the end of the shipping season approaches, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

Badger, Alpena out of drydock

Sturgeon Bay, WI – The carferry Badger and the cement carrier Alpena are now out of drydock and moored at Bay Shipbuilding, where work continues on the two classic steamers. Sarter Marine Towing tugs towed the vessels out of drydock on Thursday. Reports indicate the Badger may return to Ludington by tow next week.

Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron wetter than average

Thunder Bay, ON – In contrast to the dry conditions observed in November, weather and water supplies to Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron were wetter than average in December. Lake Superior water levels remain below the seasonal long-term average while Lake Michigan-Huron water levels remain above the seasonal long-term average. Lake Superior outflows continue to be set in consideration of water levels upstream and downstream.

The International Lake Superior Board of Control expects the total outflow to be 1,730 m3/s (61.1 tcfs) in January, which is as prescribed by Lake Superior Regulation Plan 2012. The gate setting at the Compensating Works will be maintained at the setting equivalent to one half gate open (Gates #7 through #10 partially open 20 cm (7.9 in)). There will be no change to the setting of Gate #1, which supplies a flow of about 15 m3/s to the channel north of the Fishery Remedial Dike.

Weather and water supply conditions were much wetter than average in the Lake Superior basin in December. As a result, Lake Superior declined 2 cm (0.8 in), while on average the lake declines 8 cm (3.2 in) in December. Lake Michigan-Huron declined 5 cm (2 in) last month, which is the average historical decline in December.

At the beginning of January, Lake Superior is 7 cm (2.8 in) below the long-term average water level (1918 – 2020) and 28 cm (11.0 in) below the level of a year ago. Lake Michigan-Huron is 34 cm (13.4 in) above average, 45 cm (17.7 in) below the level from last year, and 60 cm (23.6 in) below the record level set in 2020.

Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron water levels typically decline in January. Depending on the weather and water supply conditions during the next month, Lake Superior may decline by as much as 10 cm (3.9 in) in January. Lake Michigan-Huron water levels may rise slightly or could decline by as much as 10 cm (3.9 in).

Lake Superior News

Lay-up reports needed

As the end of the shipping season approaches, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/

St. Lawrence Seaway reports shipping traffic up 1.66%

Great Lakes shipping doesn’t appear to be contributing to the global supply chain issues.

The Great Lakes Seaway Partnership reported St. Lawrence Seaway traffic saw an increase of 1.66% when compared to last year. Import volumes into the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System continue to climb as east and west coast ports experience congestion and shipping delays, officials said.

A total of 33,329,000 metric tons of cargo shipped through the Seaway from the opening of the navigation season on March 22 through Nov. 30. Additionally, total transits year-to-date reached 3,405 vessels, a 0.83% increase when compared to the same period last year.

Top performing commodities through Nov. 30 included grain at 8,974,000 metric tons and iron ore at 6,459,000 metric tons. While tonnage for grain shows a decrease compared to levels in 2020, grain shipments from the American Great Lakes ports of Toledo, Duluth, and Milwaukee helped close the gap.

Craig Middlebrook, deputy administrator of the U.S. Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. welcomed the increased shipping traffic.

“We are encouraged by the level of vessel activity for the month of November, with increases in the movement of bulk cargoes like iron ore, steel and export grain (and) general cargo continued to gain ground on 2020’s volume,” he said. “These trends are anticipated to continue as we approach the final weeks of the 2021 navigation season.”

The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor is part of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System. Port Director Ryan McCoy said Burns Harbor has experienced heightened activity. “The Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor had a great November,” he said. “Year-to-date, Burns Harbor is up more than 25% overall.”

McCoy said the port is moving a lot of late-season coils, slabs, and bulk cargos.

“We have very full docks and a busy schedule up to the historical close of the season,” he said. “With warm weather in the long-range forecast, we believe domestic, barge traffic will stay strong into 2022.”

NW Indiana Business

Obituary: Adolph Ojard Jr.

Adolph Ojard, a resident of Reynolds Lake Oconee, GA, passed away on December 30, 2021, at University Hospital in Augusta, GA of complications from Myasthenia Gravis and Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome.

Adolph was born 06/10/1949 in Duluth, MN and grew up in Knife River, MN. He attended Gustavus Adolphus College but graduated from UMD with a degree in English Literature. He began his career at the DM&IR Railway loading boats and retired as General Manager of both the DM&IR and Great Lakes Fleet in 2001. He then was appointed and enjoyed his career as Executive Director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, retiring in 2013. He and his wife then moved to Lake Oconee in Greensboro GA. His 31-year-career included transfers to Erie and Pittsburgh, PA, back to Duluth, Mobile, AL and finally back to Duluth again.

His retirement consisted of golf and more golf, joining a fishing group and singing in the local chorus. He was proud and honored to have played at Augusta two times. He was a very talented woodworker and enjoyed creating furniture and many items in his workshop. He also loved gardening and pickling his produce. He made a canoe from scratch and rebuilt a ‘56 ChrisCraft woodie. There was nothing he couldn’t and wouldn’t do. He was obsessed with his Tesla S and all things Elon. Sadly, he hadn’t driven it in a very long time because of his disease. He was a man to be admired and never met a stranger.

He was preceded in death by his father, Captain of the Tug Edna G, Adolph Ojard, mother, Marion Torgersen Ojard and daughter, Berit Leigh. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Leigh Ann Goerts Ojard, daughters Courtenay (Scott) Weller of Harrisburg, PA and also Gretchen (Peter) Vikingson of Greensboro, GA. He lived for his grandchildren Emma, Mason and SadieMae Weller, and Bergen and Barrett Vikingson. He was a very fun papa who will be greatly missed. Adolph is also survived by brothers William (Jeanne) Kendall and Bradley (Joanne) Ojard.

If possible, a memorial will be held in Knife River church this summer. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America through myasthenia.org

Lay-up reports needed

As the end of the shipping season approaches, please send reports of vessel lay-ups to news@boatnerd.net. This will help us compile our annual lay-up list. Include vessel name, date, port and name of lay-up dock. Click here to view the Lay-Up List: https://boatnerd3.jasonbowlerdesign.com/winter-layup-2021-2022/