Lake freighters will resume hauling iron ore to Northwest Indiana's steel mills, and ships will bring all manner of cargo to its international port.
The Soo Locks in Michigan's Upper Peninsula opened, and the Great Lakes shipping season has begun.
"After a long winter, our ports, terminals, and longshoremen are eager to get busy moving commerce," Executive Director of the American Great Lakes Ports Association Steve Fisher said. "Due to the strength of the U.S. dollar, we expect to see a strong shipping season with a growth in cargo volumes — particularly with regard to import cargo such as steel."
The St. Lawrence Seaway, the route that brings international vessels onto the Great Lakes and into the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor, is expected to open Thursday as well. The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor expects its first ship will arrive in a few weeks.
The shipping season is expected to get off to a stronger start this year after the polar vortex resulted in the worst ice cover on the Great Lakes in 35 years, stretching 12-hour-long journeys into 12-day odysseys. The Lake Carriers' Association estimates the glacial ice that brought shipping to a standstill caused the loss of $700 million in economic activity and 4,000 jobs.
After a much milder winter, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says about 45.2 percent of the Great Lakes are currently covered in ice.
"While the ice isn't as bad as last year, it is still challenging," said Tim Heney, CEO of the Thunder Bay Port Authority.
Last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the 16 locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., which lift or lower ships 600 feet, or the height of a 60-story skyscraper, so they can navigate the Great Lakes. The Corps spent $9.5 million on repair projects, such as rehabilitating the MacArthur Locks' electrical system.
About 80 million tons of cargo, including coal, limestone and iron ore for the steel mills, pass through the Soo Locks, a gateway for commerce that allows ships to move from Lake Superior to the lower Great Lakes.
"We're looking forward to the new shipping season," Interlake Steamship Co. President Mark Barker said. "Coming off the second consecutive year of heavy ice on the Lakes, our vessel, the Mesabi Miner, finally left the Port of Duluth-Superior late Monday evening after loading coal at the Superior Midwest Energy Terminal."
Source: NW TimesAX
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