Boatnerd News
Boatnerd News – January 17, 2025
1.8M in Harbor Assistance Grant Headed to Manitowoc to Enable Improvements for Kone Cranes
By Kevin Zimmermann
Jan 16, 2025 | 6:00 AM
A portion of a total $10 million grant will fund a project in Manitowoc that will enable improvements to one of its major manufacturer’s facilities. City Centre LLC which serves as a hub for Manitowoc’s riverfront and harbor businesses, is one of five recipients of a Wisconsin DOT Harbor Assistance Program grant designed to strengthen reliability, support waterborne freight, and assist with economic development. The $1.8 million headed to Manitowoc will be used to construct a load-out pad on the Manitowoc River for assembling, testing, and shipping new portal jibs designed by Konecranes Inc.
The Harbor Assistance Grant program focuses on public and private harbor facilities for projects that support cargo transfer, shipbuilding, commercial fishing, vessel cruises or ferry service, and are part of a current three-year harbor development plan. Manitowoc’s most recent plan was approved last March.
WHBL
Boatnerd News January 16, 2025
American Mariner Wraps Up Soo Locks Shipping Season
American Mariner, loaded with grain for Buffalo, locked downbound around 3 a.m. Jan. 16, closing the Soo Locks 2024-25 shipping season, The locks will reopen March 25.
View a video here: https://www.facebook.com/SooLocksVistorsCenter/videos/2878574085634580
Boatnerd News – January 15, 2025
World War II submarine at a Manitowoc
museum is heading to Door County for work this fall
MANITOWOC – A historic, decorated World War II submarine credited with sinking more than a dozen enemy ships and today serving as the feature attraction at a Manitowoc museum is heading to Door County this fall for repairs and maintenance, and it’s likely people will be able to view it as it passes by in Lake Michigan.
Meanwhile, the museum is continuing fundraising efforts for the $1.5 million to pay for the work.
The World War II submarine USS Cobia will temporarily move from its home at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc to Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay this fall for maintenance and repairs, marking the first time since 1996 the 81-year-old vessel will be in drydock
The USS Cobia, docked outside the Wisconsin Maritime Museum where the Manitowoc River meets Lake Michigan, will be brought to Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay and go into drydock for what is expected to be at least six weeks of work to help preserve it and make sure it remains afloat.
It’s the first time the 310-foot-long Gato-class sub, launched in November of 1943 and first pressed into service in 1944, will be in drydock in almost 30 years, when it also went to Bay Shipbuilding in 1996 for a project that mainly restored its interior to its 1945 configuration, the last year of WWII.
The entire sub is restored to 1945 specs, including recent efforts to install a DC power drive, rebuild main engines 1 and 2, restore its SJ-1 radar, thought to be the oldest operational radar in the world, and bring back its radio shack. Wisconsin Maritime Museum executive director Kevin Cullen said the Cobia is about 90% complete, its propellers are among the missing items because those were removed when the sub was decommissioned.
Obituary: Maritime Historian Dr. Timothy J. Ruyan
On Wednesday, January 8th, Dr. Timothy J. Runyan died unexpectedly in his hometown of Greenville, North Carolina.
He has been a long-time trustee and stalwart supporter of the National Maritime Historical Society, as well as a past director of the East Carolina University (ECU) Program in Maritime Studies, a leading graduate program that has produced many leaders in the fields of maritime archaeology, maritime history, and historic ship preservation. Before his tenure in North Carolina, he served as a professor of history at Cleveland State University (CSU) for almost 30 years and in retirement was professor emeritus at both ECU and CSU.
His work in the maritime heritage field reached far beyond the classroom. Along the way, he served as co-founder of the Association of Great Lakes Maritime History, was the driving force behind the National Maritime Alliance and the Maritime Heritage Conference, led the effort to preserve the 618-foot Great Lakes steam freighter WILLIAM G MATHER as a museum ship on the Cleveland waterfront, and served as the manager of NOAA’s Maritime Heritage Program—among many other roles.
He was a tireless advocate for maritime heritage and preservation, as many members of Congress and their staffers can attest. His walking the halls of the Capitol, rallying support for the cause from anyone who would listen, was a common sight to many.
With all of his accomplishments in his decades as a leader in the field, his most defining characteristic was his unwavering support of his students. He saw every room he walked into as a chance to connect students with opportunities. He has been a mentor—more than that, an absolute central figure—in many of his students’ and colleagues’ lives.
National Maritime Historical Society
Boatnerd News – January 14, 2025
Ice Stalls Downbound St. Marys Traffic
10:30 a.m. UPDATE: The American Spirit is now on the move thanks to he help of the USCG Biscayne Bay. The Gott and the Pierson are warming up their engines to follow.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Heavy ice Monday night below the Neebish Rock Cut in the vicinity of Winter Point brought the downbound American Spirit to a halt and she went to anchor for the night. Behind her was Edwin H. Gott and Robert S. Pierson, which also had to anchor. Coast Guard Cutter Biscayne Bay was on scene at 9:30 am. Tuesday working to free the Spirit.
With the locks set to close at midnight Wednesday, traffic has slowed to a trickle. James R. Barker was at Whitefish Point Tuesday morning while the tug Sharon M 1 and her barge were upbound for Algoma Steel.
Further afield, the Herbert C. Jackson was being assisted in the St. Clair River off Algonac Tuesday morning.
St. Marys River Reopens to Downbound Traffic;
Workers Search Monday for Harvest Spirit Anchor
Efforts were underway Monday to recover an anchor from the Harvest Spirit, which grounded just after 5 p.m. Sunday after experiencing a power failure, running aground on sandy bottom on the Neebish Island side of the St. Marys River above the Rock Cut/Neebish Island ferry landing.
The swift current eventually swung the Harvest Spirit’s stern around until the vessel was heading back upstream, in the process freeing the ship. Just after 9 p.m., the Purvis Marine tug Wilfred M. Cohen arrived on scene to assist turning the Harvest Spirit about so she was headed back down river and she headed to Mud Lake under her own power to anchor.
Monday’s work involved the Army Corps tug Cheraw, crane barge Harvey and the survey vessel Bufe, which worked through the afternoon in the area where the Harvest Spirit had grounded. It is unknown if the anchor was recovered. Harvest Spirit upped anchor and continued her trip to Windsor in the late afternoon and the river was opened back up to down bound traffic. American Spirit and Edwin H. Gott, stopped above the locks, got underway as soon as clearance was given.
The locks are slated to close for the season Wednesday at midnight.
Cleveland-Cliffs eyeing all-cash bid
for U.S. Steel, source says
Cleveland-Cliffs is partnering with peer Nucor to prepare a potential all-cash bid for U.S. Steel, with an offer in the high $30s per share, a person familiar with the matter said on Monday.
Cliffs is aiming to purchase all of U.S. Steel and then sell its Big River Steel mill to Nucor if the deal is completed, the person added on condition of anonymity because the details have not been made public.
Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves reiterated in a wide-ranging press conference on Monday in Butler, Pennsylvania that he wanted to bid again for U.S. Steel after making a rejected offer in 2023 and had a plan, but declined to elaborate on details.
“I’m happy that I’m in a position to make an offer that will execute on the wishes of the board and the management,” Goncalves said. “They sell, they go away. We take over. We do good. America will be better, America will be stronger,” he added.
U.S. Steel shares closed at $36.34 on Monday. Nucor did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Cliffs’ potential bid, first reported by CNBC, appeared aimed at ratcheting up pressure on Japan’s Nippon Steel, whose imperiled $14.9 billion bid for U.S. Steel was blocked by President Joe Biden in a Jan. 7 executive order that cited unspecified national security concerns.
Nippon Steel declined to comment. U.S. Steel did not respond to a request for comment.
Enforcement of Biden’s order, which gave the parties 30 days to unwind the transaction, was postponed until June after the companies sued the U.S. president, alleging he violated the constitution by depriving them of due process when he blocked the deal.
Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel also sued Goncalves and Cliffs, alleging “illegal and coordinated actions” aimed at scuttling the deal in order to “monopolize the domestic steel markets.”
Cliffs described the lawsuit as “baseless.”
Reuters
Come on board the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter
Mackinaw during Operation Taconite
It’s the first time this crew has been in the Twin Ports. Seaman Justin Lawson is from Florida, so ice isn’t something he’s used to. “Duluth is awesome, how it’s set up on the hill. It’s a really nice place,” he told us.
He told us he joined the Coast Guard so he could help people.
Chief Warrant Officer Chris Lobherr is a cold weather person. “I wanted to see Duluth for a long time. It’s been on my list to come see, and I’m really excited to be here.” He’s been on almost every ice breaker the Coast Guard has.
Their Executive Officer, Lt. Kyle Smith, shared that it’s been a few years since they’ve been able to do any ice breaking, due to the weather conditions. “So to get the opportunity to come up here to the Twin Ports, and train our new deck watch officers on ice breaking techniques has been really great for all of us on board,” he said.
He added that it’s rewarding to keep the lakers moving, so they can get their loads like iron ore down to the steel mills.
On Tuesday last week, the Lee A. Tregurtha was sailing in to load up at the CN ore docks. So the Mackinaw helped clear the path for her, with the help of the tug Missouri.
Their leader, Commander Jeannie Greene, is pumped up to be here. “We love that we can drive the ship right up to these massive loaders. We love that we get to be really close to some legendary ships like the Tregurtha, that we just got to interact with.”
WDIO
Friends of the Fitz Group Aims to Honor
Vessel’s Last Port of Call
SUPERIOR, Wis. — 2025 marks 50 years since the Edmund Fitzgerald sank on Lake Superior, and a group in Superior, Wisconsin is hoping to place a historical marker to honor the ship. On New Year’s Day, Superior Mayor Jim Paine proclaimed 2025 as “Year of the Fitz,” marking five decades since the sinking of the renowned freighter.
And this year a group called Friends of the Fitz is working to raise money for a Wisconsin Historical Society marker to honor the loss of the Fitzgerald and its crew. The marker would be installed on Barkers Island, as Superior was the last port of call for the Fitzgerald.
An event was held Saturday at the Superior Public Library, where people learned how to support fundraising efforts.
“There are so many memorials out there and ways that other communities have remembered their real part in the Edmund Fitzgerald’s history and Superior is no different,” said Superior City Councilor Jenny Van Sickle with Friends of the Fitz. “So the Friends of the Fitz are raising money in order to purchase and install our own official marker here in Superior.”
The Friends of the Fitz need to raise $7,000 for the historical marker, and for 90 days following the event, donations made in support of the marker will be matched.
Donate at https://www.douglashistory.org/memberships-sponsorships/edmundfitz/
Boatnerd News – January 12, 2025
Harvest Spirit Aground Above Rock Cut
7 PM UPDATE: The swift current swung the Harvest Spirit’s stern around until they were heading nearly upstream and they are no longer aground. Captain reported no evident damage and the vessel is at anchor awaiting inspectors. ORIGINAL REPORT: Just after 5 p.m. Sunday, the McKeil Marine bulk carrier Harvest Spirit left the channel, running aground on the Neebish Island side of the St. Marys River above the Rock Cut/Neebish Island ferry landing. She is headed for Windsor, ON. No other information is available at this time.
Dealing With A Tight Squeeze In The Cuyahoga River
At the end of November, the Coast Guard published a notice that it would establish a regulated navigation area (RNA) from December 2 to July 11 for “certain waters of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio.” The RNA pertains to a $40 million shoreside rehabilitation and construction project along 2,400 feet of the river’s course around and past an area known locally as “Irishtown Bend,” so-called because of Irish immigrants who settled there in the 19th century. It is within a larger area in Cleveland known as “the Flats.”
By the mid-20th century, the Irishtown Bend neighborhood had faded. The area was largely abandoned by the 1980s, except as a dumping ground for fill.
Then, reclamation efforts started but with a new, grander idea to make the derelict area part of Cleveland’s regional parks and, more extensively, to form a final link between the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Lake Erie.
That vision has gained broad regional support. The current bulkhead repair is the first of a series of projects that will result in a 25-acre park and green space costing about $60 million. The bulkhead construction is critical to shore up the riverbank and prevent total collapse. For the river’s commercial traffic, doing nothing is not an option. The U.S. Coast Guard has estimated that if the erosion continued unabated, it could close the river for 12 to 18 months.
The RNA limits vessel speeds near the construction area and prohibits vessels from being inside the RNA during construction hours unless authorized by the captain of the port or a designated representative. This includes all navigable waters within 10 feet of construction barges. The boundaries are the Detroit-Superior Bridge and, to the south, the Columbus Road Bridge.
Significant for maritime shipping, the enacted RNA contains critical compromises compared to the Coast Guard’s originally published RNA released last May. That first RNA proposed restrictions to be in effect from 8 a.m. through 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting August 15, 2024, and continuing to November 30, 2025. The Coast Guard asked for comments and received strong pushback.
Some of the published comments included:
“The proposed rulemaking would negatively impact our ability to transport these materials and put our customers at risk of running out of inventory,” said Grand River Navigation Company, based in Traverse, Mich.
“The restrictions that would result from the proposed regulated navigation area would impose unreasonable and economically detrimental burdens on Cleveland-Cliffs’ Cleveland works,” commented Cleveland-Cliffs, the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America. “Freighters cannot transit the river channel without coming within 10 feet of the construction barges.”
“Over a year’s worth of significant impact to the federal navigation channel is unacceptable to our shipping companies, their customers and the manufacturing sector of northern Ohio and the nation,” stated the Lake Carriers’ Association.
Commenters argued that the Port of Cleveland, the sponsor for the Irishtown Bend project, and its contractors, led by Goettle Construction, could have developed a project that didn’t impede river traffic. Most shippers who commented also expressed their support for the Irishtown Bend park, green space and related improvements.
Shippers noted that, while there is urgency to get started, the erosion and bank collapse have been going on for decades. Thus, they argued it likely wouldn’t have mattered too much if a reevaluation took another few weeks. It’s not clear if the port reassessed the construction plan, and the port did not reply to questions about those concerns. A Coast Guard spokesperson said the agency’s top concern was waterway safety, not design processes or construction methods.
In response to the concerns over the proposal announced in May 2024, the Coast Guard convened a series of stakeholder meetings, which included, according to James Weakley, president of the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA), participants from the port and its contractor, waterfront business owners and the LCA. Weakley characterized the meetings as “complicated.” In the end, though, he said the group’s work improved a challenging situation.
The November RNA offered some compromise and flexibility. While the current plan retains the original engineering scope, it modifies project dates and timing “to accommodate stakeholder concerns related to vessel and facility scheduling,” the Coast Guard stated.
From December 2 to January 31, the RNA is effective from 7 a.m. Tuesday through 7 a.m. Thursday. February has no restrictions, since there is no expected traffic. March presents an 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. restriction Monday through Friday. Then, from April to July 11, the 7 a.m. Tuesday to 7 a.m. Thursday schedule resumes. Also, the November RNA expects project completion in about eight months, compared to 14 months proposed in May 2024.
Shippers can still transit the Cuyahoga, but it requires new teamwork. In light of that, a new role has emerged for LCA, with the association essentially serving as a “marine exchange for the river,” Weakley explained. LCA will track vessel transits for both LCA members and non-members and coordinate with the contractor. Weakley said the project will have “significant costs” for shippers, but he said the “good news is that we will be able to supply customers with enough raw materials that they will not have to reduce their output.”
“At this point, we have a workable plan,” said Weakley, who commended the Coast Guard for brokering the amended RNA.
Weakley provided a late update a few days after the RNA’s effective date of December 2. LCA’s on-site coordinator reported that the first week of the RNA went well.
“All sides appear to be satisfied with the operations,” Weakley said.
The Waterways Journal
Boatnerd News – January 11, 2025
Port director looks back, advises
successor, on winds of trade and politics
DULUTH, MN – Next week, the shipping season concludes at the Port of Duluth and Superior, and with it, the impending retirement of the facility’s executive director.
Deb DeLuca is leaving the job after nearly seven years at the helm and a decade in management of the facility hailed as the largest freshwater port in the world.
Much of her tenure included the pandemic, which upset supply chains globally and regionally, including shipments in, out, and through Duluth and Superior. But she and her staff weathered through, noting four straight years of increased tonnage.
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“We’ve improved the infrastructure at the terminals, predicated on the vision of growing a multi-modal hub that can keep our regional industries competitive in the global marketplace,” said DeLuca, whose retirement will be effective in May.
That worldview may pose a challenge for her successor if tariffs proposed by President-elect Donald Trump come to fruition, especially those targeting Canada and Mexico. DeLuca, who is the first woman to lead the port, spoke about navigating those trade and political winds with WPR’s Robin Washington on “Morning Edition.”
This conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Robin Washington: At the end of each shipping season, you usually give us a wrap-up and forecast for the coming year. How about an assessment for the last six years?
Deb DeLuca: From a personal standpoint, it’s been the highlight of my career. It’s also been a period of growth for our terminal. Coal tonnage dropped over the past 10-plus years, and we’ve been looking to increase cargo diversity to offset that.
RW: One of your predecessors was the late Adolph Ojard, who hailed from a family of tugboat captains. Your background was a little different.
DD: It was indeed. Port authority directors come from a wide variety of backgrounds, because it’s a position that requires a diverse skillset. My education was in biochemistry, molecular biology and environmental chemistry and public policy flowing out of that. I worked in state government, local government and the private sector before coming to the port authority.
RW: The port achieved the ability and certification to handle container cargo in the last few years.
DD: Yes. We worked with Customs and Border Protection to develop the capability to handle containers at our terminal, both from a rail and road perspective. We are the second port on the Great Lakes to do so. We started handling those containers in 2022 and the next year added regular liner service between Duluth and Antwerp. We also had enough shipments from the Mediterranean to have liner surface coming out of that region. And we have a much greater reach within North America than we expected, with cargo coming from as far away as the Pacific Northwest and getting delivered to Alberta.
RW: Related to that geography, you’re leaving as the new administration comes in with president-elect Trump’s threatened tariffs on Canada and Mexico. What’s your advice to your successor for navigating the trade and political winds?
DD: Tariffs are definitely a delicate balance for the Great Lakes and for our port. They’re a double-edged sword. In the case of foreign steel dumping, which was something that was truly happening, tariffs helped support domestic steel production, which increases demand for Minnesota iron ore that makes up about 55 percent of our total tonnage.
But tariffs can also lead to retaliatory trade actions by other countries, which can hurt our port because it tends to reduce exports of key cargoes like grain. In terms of advising my successor, I’d encourage staying deeply involved in port trade associations and keeping in touch with our congressional representatives.
RW: What’s been the most intriguing or interesting experience you’ve had — maybe looking out your office window and saying, “What’s that?”
DD: Oh, my! We have some really interesting pieces of general cargo move through our terminal. The massive wind turbine parts that come to our terminal and get sent off to their final destination, and the logistics of having to do so through street intersections and onto the highway — that’s an eye opener.
Wisconsin Public Radio
Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge receives makeover funds
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has awarded $11,200,000 for the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. The grant, provided through USDOT’s RAISE program, will rehabilitate this historic bridge, including surface preparation and repainting, lead abatement, replacement of deteriorated sections, miscellaneous structural steel repairs, repairs to spalled and delaminated concrete, and replacement of the bridge sidewalks.
It builds on the $1,500,000 in total funding secured for the Aerial Lift Bridge’s pedestrian walkways by Senators Klobuchar and Smith in Fiscal Years 2022, 2023, and 2024.
“The Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge is a landmark and a vital part of Duluth’s transportation system,” said Klobuchar. “It is not only a critical link for drivers, but also supports essential infrastructure such as water, sewage, natural gas, electrical, and data services, and provides ships key access to the Twin Ports. With this grant, the City of Duluth will make critical infrastructure improvements to make the Aerial Lift Bridge resilient for generations to come.”
“The Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge is an iconic and historic piece of infrastructure that has connected communities and supported local businesses for over a century,” said Smith. “Securing resources for projects like this is important for strengthening Minnesota’s infrastructure and economy. This funding will support the critical repairs and upgrades needed to ensure the bridge remains operational for years to come.”
“The City of Duluth is thrilled to receive this $11.2 million RAISE grant from the US Department of Transportation,” said Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert. “The Aerial Lift Bridge isn’t just a bridge – it’s a cherished Minnesota icon, a significant entryway to the Port of Duluth-Superior, and a critical point of connection for residents and visitors alike. Along with funding from our State partners, this RAISE grant almost completes funding for this $20M project. Thank you to our congressional delegation and the US Department of Transportation for recognizing how important this project is to our city and region.”
“This RAISE grant is crucial to the completion of much needed and deferred improvements to the Aerial Lift Bridge–an historic landmark and gateway to the port,” said Duluth Public Works Director Jim Benning. “In one fell swoop, the City of Duluth will replace pedestrian walkways, replace the bridge deck, apply new protective paint to the bridge, and make other structural improvements. We are grateful to our federal partners for their support of this infrastructure, crucial to both vehicular and maritime traffic.”
RAISE grants can be used by communities across the country for a wide variety of transportation projects with significant local or regional impact. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Klobuchar and Smith supported and was signed into law in 2021, delivered a 50 percent increase in the amount of available funding for the RAISE grants, as well as resources for improving the state’s roads, bridges, public transportation, and water infrastructure.
Shipments of iron ore down in December
CLEVELAND – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 4.6 million tons in December, a decrease of 4.5 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments were just slightly above the 5-year average for the month.
The year-end total for the iron ore trade stands at 49.8 million tons, a decrease of 2.5 percent compared to 2023. Compared to the trade’s 5-year average, 2024 iron ore loadings were up 3.8 percent.
Lake Carriers’ Association
Algoma Innovator closes Welland Canal until spring
The St. Lawrence Seaway, including the Welland Canal and its eight locks in Port Colborne, Thorold, and St. Catharines, closed for the season Friday.
The Algoma Innovator was the last freighter to leave the canal into Lake Erie this year. She passed under the Clarence Street bridge (Bridge 21) at about 4:30 am Friday morning.
Although the canal will stay closed until spring, some ships may receive special permission to transit after the official closure.
During the winter, the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation will carry out infrastructure maintenance projects, leading to temporary closures of several Welland Canal bridges for both motorists and pedestrians.
Welland News
Boatnerd News – January 10, 2025
VIDEO: J.W. Westcott Co. completes 150th season
Captain Sam Buchanan with deckhand Walt prepare M.S. Westcott for winter layup, taking her to Wyandotte, MI, until spring. This completes 150 years of service for the J.W. Westcott Co.
Music Credit – Citizen Smile – On My Way Back Home. Video by Andrew Dean
https://www.facebook.com/AndrewDeanDetroit/videos/1129893285245673
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Boatnerd News – January 9, 2025
Century-old lock gates that had been stored on the
bottom of the Welland Canal being installed at Lock 7
Weighing roughly 453,600 kilograms each, or about one million pounds, two massive Welland Canal chamber gates at Thorold’s Lock 7 are being replaced this week.
The spare gates, each about a hundred years old, had been stored on the bottom of the canal for redundancy, and were rehabilitated over the past year and a half to prepare them for installation, said Nicole Giroux-Laplante, the agency’s manager of media relations and communications.
“The gates being replaced serve a critical function in the lockage process, allowing the water level to be raised or lowered to facilitate the transit of ships through the lock.”
She said replacing the gates requires a heavy-duty crane to lift them, as well as specialized rigging and equipment handling.
On Monday, Toronto Drydock Ltd.’s 91.5-metre-long cargo barge Coastal Titan was moved up the canal, assisted by the tugs Salvage Monarch, Radium Yellowknife and M.R. Kane, before docking above the lock at Wharf 6 on the east side of the canal in Thorold.
She said replacing the gates requires a heavy-duty crane to lift them, as well as specialized rigging and equipment handling.
On Monday, Toronto Drydock Ltd.’s 91.5-metre-long cargo barge Coastal Titan was moved up the canal, assisted by the tugs Salvage Monarch, Radium Yellowknife and M.R. Kane, before docking above the lock at Wharf 6 on the east side of the canal in Thorold.
On Tuesday, the tugs moved the barge, with two cranes rated at 216 tonnes each, into position so work could begin.
The work is being done now because the project requires the canal to remain filled with water, said Giroux-Laplante. It’s a significant project for St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. as it invests more than $350 million in infrastructure upgrades over three years, she said.
“These upgrades are designed to ensure the seaway’s continued reliability and efficiency,” she said via email.
The seaway said it was investing $180 million in the Welland Canal area and $170 million in the Montreal-to-Lake-Ontario section, from April 2024 through to March 2027, to enhance critical infrastructure, ensure strong supply chain links and reliable transportation for goods.
Work on both sections of the seaway system includes maintaining and upgrading locks and bridges, improving energy infrastructure and improving mechanical and structural systems to extend the lifespan of critical assets.
Welland Tribune
Great Lakes Iron Ore Trade Down 2.5 Percent in 2024
CLEVELAND – Shipments of iron ore on the Great Lakes totaled 4.6 million tons in December, a decrease of 4.5 percent compared to a year ago. Shipments were just slightly above the 5-year average for the month.
The year-end total for the iron ore trade stands at 49.8 million tons, a decrease of 2.5 percent compared to 2023. Compared to the trade’s 5-year average, 2024 iron ore loadings were up 3.8 percent.
See Chart below in gallery
Lake Carriers’ Associaton
Ice causes delays for vessels on St. Marys River
Thanks to some subzero weather (-15 Wednesday morning) St. Marys River ice is forming fast. Wednesday around 9:30 a.m. upbound Capt. Henry Jackman came to a stop in the ice at the southern end of Neebish Island. With the Jackman not moving, American Spirit behind her was stopped too. The USCG Katmai Bay got them both moving and then headed over to help Michigan Trader/Joyce L. VanEnkevort, which had become beset above the Rock Cut. After freeing them, Katmai Bay joined USCG Biscayne Bay at Lime Island for the night. With -8 forecast for Wednesday night, their services will most likely continue to be needed.
Know Your Ships
VIDEO: J.W. Westcott Co. completes 150th season
Captain Sam Buchanan with deckhand Walt prepare M.S. Westcott for winter layup, taking her to Wyandotte, MI, until spring. This completes 150 years of service for the J.W. Westcott Co.
Music Credit – Citizen Smile – On My Way Back Home. Video by Andrew Dean
https://www.facebook.com/AndrewDeanDetroit/videos/1129893285245673
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Boatnerd News – January 8, 2025
Ship stuck in St. Lawrence River for two weeks has been refloated
A ship that has been stuck in the St. Lawrence River northeast of Montreal since Christmas Eve was freed on Tuesday after refloating operations. Authorities finished unloading some of the the ship’s cargo of corn on Monday, and a second attempt to refloat the vessel began on Tuesday morning.
By early Tuesday afternoon., the ship was being escorted by tugs to Sorel, where it will eventually continue on its way to Europe.
The Cyprus-flagged MV Maccoa ran aground in the early hours of Dec. 24 near Verchères, Que., after a power failure.
The Canadian Press
Wilfred Sykes heads for shipyard
The steamer Wilfred Sykes was downbound at the Soo Tuesday headed for BayShip, Sturgeon Bay, for winter layup. She recent lost power on Lake Superior and had to be towed side by side by fleetmate Joseph L. Block to a safe anchorage, where her plant was brought back online.
Know Your Ships
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Boatnerd News – January 7, 2025
U.S. Coast Guard begins ice breaking operations
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. — U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern Great Lakes commenced Operation Taconite to prevent newly formed ice from hindering commercial vessel traffic at 8 a.m. Monday.
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw (WLBB 30) is assigned to manage the ice breaking needs of western Lake Superior, specifically the twin ports of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. As ice coverage expands, U.S. Coast Guard officials will assign additional icebreakers.
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mobile Bay (WTGB 103) is assigned to manage the ice breaking needs of Green Bay and U.S. Coast Guard cutters Katmai Bay (WTGB 101) and Neah Bay (WTGB 105) will manage the St. Marys River and the Straits of Mackinac.
Operation Taconite is the U.S. Coast Guard’s largest domestic Ice Breaking operation. The operation encompasses Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, the St. Marys River, the Straits of Mackinac and Georgian Bay.
Various commercial waterways may close after due consideration is given to the protection of the marine environment, the need for cross-channel traffic (e.g., ferries) and the safety of the island residents, who during their daily business use naturally formed ice bridges for transportation to and from the mainland.
The implementation of Operation Taconite places additional movement criteria on commercial vessels transiting the area of operation. These measures may include restricting tanker transits to daylight in presents of ice, reducing speeds by 2 miles per hour in specified locations to reduce incidental ice breaking, and requiring additional voice and position reporting points throughout the operation’s area of responsibility.
USCG
Burns Harbor Leads the Winter Fleet Into Sturgeon Bay
Sturgeon Bay, WI – The first of the fleet to arrive for the 2024-25 winter layup season was the motor vessel (M/V) Burns Harbor.
The 1,000-footer arrived first at the mouth of Sturgeon Bay and Green Bay, pivoted, then backed the six miles up to the Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding yard in Sturgeon Bay. She was placed in a 1,140-foot by 140-foot graving dock Saturday, Dec. 23.
The vessel was christened here on May 24, 1980, her name coming from Bethlehem Steel’s new (at the time) Burns Harbor plant in Indiana. She has carried her name throughout her life and has been owned and operated by The American Steamship Co. of Buffalo, New York since 2005.
She is 105 feet wide at the beam, with a depth of 56 feet, a carrying capacity of 78,850 tons and a self-unloading rate of 9,000 tons per hour. She is powered by four, 3,600 horsepower EMD V20 diesel engines turning two propellers and bow and stern thrusters. Look for a large vessel with an iron-ore colored hull and white super superstructure, aft mounted pilot house and self-unloading boom.
You can view this giant of the lakes and other vessels at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, from both sides of the bay as well as from the lighthouse tower at the Door County Maritime Museum. Also check out the two large fabrication buildings that are being used to build subassemblies for the new series of U.S. Navy frigates. The pieces are put on a large barge and towed across Green Bay for final assembly at Fincantieri Marinette Marine.
Door County Pulse
Second attempt to free Maccao to take place Wednesday
Part of the ship’s cargo of corn has been unloaded onto a barge, and a second barge is in transit toward the ship, with another unloading to be completed Tuesday morning.
The corn is being unloaded to lighten and help refloat the Cyprus-flagged 185-metre bulk carrier, which ran aground in the early hours of Dec. 24 near Verchères, Que., after a power failure.
The unloading operation was supposed to start last week, after a failed attempt to free the ship late last month, but it was postponed until the weekend because it took longer than expected to prepare the barges in Quebec City.
More than 3,000 metric tonnes of corn must be off-loaded to get the ship floating, and a total of 1,250 metric tonnes have so far been unloaded onto the first barge.
Twenty crew members remain on board the vessel, which is deemed to be in stable condition, with no pollution detected in the area.
Ship Junkies – Lakes, Locks & Rivers (LL&R)
Cargo tonnage lagging at Great Lakes
ports as shipping season nears its end
The amount of cargo moving through ports on the Great Lakes is trailing behind shipments at the same time last year as the shipping season nears its end.
The Port of Duluth-Superior, which moves the most tonnage on the Great Lakes, saw around 26 million tons of cargo shipped through the end of November. That’s down about 5 percent compared to the same time last year and roughly 4 percent from the five-season average.
Iron ore, which is the port’s top commodity, was down roughly 9.8 percent at the end of November compared to the same time last year. Even so, Jayson Hron, spokesperson with the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, said tonnage is largely on par with the five-season average.
“One thing to keep in mind is that last year was a pretty strong year for iron ore,” Hron said.
Around 21.5 million tons of iron ore moved through the port last year — the most since 1995. Iron ore is down as domestic steel production has declined this year. Industries that rely on steel, such as construction and manufacturing, have seen spending slow amid high interest rates, according to Marketplace.
Despite that, Deb DeLuca, executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, said the port has made gains.
“While not yet back to pre-COVID levels, grain tonnage is on pace for its best finish since 2021, which is a positive for our port and consumers around the world who enjoy high-quality wheat from the Midwest,” DeLuca said.
A total of nearly 600,000 tons moved through the port as of the end of November — up 3.6 percent from last year. All overseas exports increased by 56 percent to 588,354 tons compared to the same time last year driven primarily by grain, the port’s top export.
Officials “break ground” on Port Milwaukee’s new DeLong Agricultural Maritime Export Facility on Wednesday. While construction has not yet started, the crew dug into a bin of dry distiller’s grain, which will be one of the main exports from the new facility. Christine Hatfield/WPR
Meanwhile, a Port Milwaukee spokesperson said the port welcomed an increase in export tonnage through the Agricultural Maritime Export Facility, which is operated by the DeLong Company. The $40 million facility that opened last year has been ramping up operations, which moves bulk agricultural exports. That includes dried distillers grains, a byproduct from beer and ethanol production.
The port did not provide details on the amount of tonnage that has moved through the facility, and DeLong officials didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The port’s director, Jackie Q. Carter, previously estimated the facility would increase tonnage moving through the port by about 400,000 tons.
So far, more than 1.6 million tons have moved through the port. Last year, the port handled around 2.35 million tons by the season’s end. Through November, steel tonnage was up 8 percent. Dry bulk cargo was down 15 percent due to a mild winter that reduced demand for salt, in addition to work wrapping on construction projects.
In northeastern Wisconsin, Port of Green Bay Director Dean Haen said the port gained ground on cargo shipments through November. Even so, the port has moved around 1.56 million tons, down about 4 percent from the same time last year. Haen said tonnage through the port had been tracking around 9 percent behind until the end of November.
“We’ve closed that gap significantly,” Haen said. “With a good, strong December, we may be at the same tonnage levels as we’ve seen move through the port in 2023. Nonetheless, we’re a lot closer.”
Limestone made up more than half of cargo tonnage that moved through the port in November. Similar to Port Milwaukee, Haen said salt shipments were down due to the mild winter and leftover reserves. While tonnage is down, Haen noted the number of vessels increased, but they’re carrying smaller amounts. Overall, almost 1.8 million tons of cargo moved through the port during the 2023 shipping season.
Wisconsin Public Radio
Port Colborne’s Clarence Street Bridge
will be temporarily closed twice this week.
St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. said the bridge over the Welland Canal will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for bridge and road maintenance, and there will be no vehicle or pedestrian traffic allowed during the work.
The agency said it will do everything possible to minimize any inconvenience to the public while it performs preventive maintenance. As the seaway winds down the 2024 shipping season — the canal closes Friday — it said Lock 7 will be out of service for three days as it replaces two gates at the Thorold location.
Work will be carried out at the lock from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday. Once the canal closes for the season, maintenance work on five Niagara bridges will occur over winter at various times.
All bridges will be closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but timelines are subject to change due to weather and other considerations.
In St. Catharines, the Glendale Bridge is the first to close for winter maintenance, from Jan. 13 to 17 for detailed inspections; followed by the Lakeshore Bridge Jan. 20 to 31 for detailed inspections and cable upgrades.
Thorold’s Allanburg Bridge is closed Jan. 20 to 24 for detailed inspections; and Port Colborne’s Clarence St. Bridge is closed three times, Jan. 21 to 23, Jan. 27 to 31, and Feb. 24 and 25, for detailed inspections and cable upgrades.
St. Catharines’ Carlton Street Bridge closes Feb. 3 to 14 and Feb. 19 and 20 for detailed inspections and cable upgrades.
Welland Tribune
Win a trip on the Alpena
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