Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Guest wrote: February 19, 2025, 8:43 am trying to remember what year it was in the 2000's when Great Lakes Fleet sent a bunch of boats out of winter layup in Duluth and they all got stuck together. I also recall Wisconsin Electric almost running out of coal for their Marquette plant that was a major push to get out early. That plant is long gone now.

You may be thinking of the Winter of 2013/14. That was an extremely cold Winter, quite similar to 1977/78.

trying to remember what year it was in the 2000's when Great Lakes Fleet sent a bunch of boats out of winter layup in Duluth and they all got stuck together. I also recall Wisconsin Electric almost running out of coal for their Marquette plant that was a major push to get out early. That plant is long gone now.

Ok thanks to the second Guest post regarding at least the Welland Opening date then set for March 22, 2025! I looked recently at the Seaway’s website and I didn’t see or notice yet anything mentioned so far on any opening dates. So, with the Welland Opening set then for March 22, 2025 will the Seaway and their locks open up also on March 22 or will they open a day or two early? I take it that you must have found this information out on Facebook somewhere then or from some other Social Media site? In response to the most recent reply and comments by Guest, I agree sir with everything you had to say in your comments and more. I’m sure most of us can recall and remember different times when at Fit-Out and the startup of the new season, we’ve had and seen ice do significant damage to ships causing lots of delays due to having to go and get repairs done and dry docked but most importantly is money and dollars involved for the companies themselves as far as the repair bills to fix and repair any damages due and caused by ice to any ship. Just take a look at a few for instance. Not sure if this was ice related but, a few years ago then the American Mariner grounded near the Soo on their first trip out. I think they ended up in Ashtabula for repairs from that maybe? Point is, they were out for about a month then getting repairs done. Then remember a long while back the Paul R. Tregurtha left from Sturgeon Bay and had received damage due to the ice I think in Green Bay and also in the Straits of Mackinaw. The PRT went to Duluth for repairs and was very costly to where it was out of action for more than a week or so? Can’t recall how long it was but, that whole ordeal is on the “Mighty Ships video that shows what happened and how it happened as well!” There was also a time in the mid 2000s to where the ice was so bad at the Soo that the first ship through was not until early April when the Cason J. Callaway locked through at the Soo Locks then. It should be and make then for a very interesting Spring Fit-Out and Opening for the 2025 season! The breakers will be kept busy this Spring clearing the ice!

Guest wrote: February 18, 2025, 1:06 pm Not to be flippant but in today's current political environment? First - have any layoffs occurred at the ACOE like the FAA?

Spending extra money to open the locks early and then having the USCG spend a ton of extra money keeping the waterways clear of the heavy ice might just get your budget whacked.

I never understood the rush to go out and spend days stuck in the ice.Beats the crap out of the ships and demoralizes the crew. And its not like the demand of iron ore is skyrocketing. And no coal fired power plant is going to run out of coal as two remaining ones can be supplied by rail.

Might as well cancel everything, and what's not cancelled charge for it. That's what will happen.

In the 1980s the Reagan administration wanted to charge for Coast Guard icebreaker assistance or let the commercial tug operators provide that service. And every year in that decade the USCG tried to to retire the Mackinaw, and every year Congress and Senate would push back in the efforts to retire the Mackinaw.

Not to be flippant but in today's current political environment? First - have any layoffs occurred at the ACOE like the FAA?

Spending extra money to open the locks early and then having the USCG spend a ton of extra money keeping the waterways clear of the heavy ice might just get your budget whacked.

I never understood the rush to go out and spend days stuck in the ice.Beats the crap out of the ships and demoralizes the crew. And its not like the demand of iron ore is skyrocketing. And no coal fired power plant is going to run out of coal as two remaining ones can be supplied by rail.

The Welland canal opens on March 22nd, 2025. Same date as 2924. 1 month and 5 days from today

With the 2025 Lock Openings now only a few weeks away, has there been talk yet of anything as far as just when the Seaway and the Welland Canal both may open? It seems that they usually open up around March 20 give or take by a few days or so. I know when the Soo Locks open mostly on March 25 however, last year they opened the Soo much earlier than that! Any word if the USACE could possibly try and open the Soo early again this year? Any information is appreciated on the 2025 Lock Openings and Thanks also.