Dirk S. VanEnkevort & Michigan Trader is First Vessel to Transit Soo Locks for 2026 Season
By GLSR Staff |
The Michigan Trader is the first vessel to transit the Soo Locks to open the 2026 navigation season. Together with tug Dirk S. VanEnkevort, the pair represents the most modern ice-capable ATB fleet operating on the Great Lakes.
Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, built the Michigan Trader in 2020. The barge is 740 feet long and 75 feet wide. She made her maiden voyage with the Dirk S. VanEnkevort on November 20, 2020.
The Dirk S. VanEnkevort was originally named the Joseph H. Thompson Jr. The tug was built in 1990 before undergoing a refit at Donjon Shipbuilding in Erie, Pennsylvania in 2020. The Michigan Trader and Dirk S. VanEnkevort are operated by VanEnkevort Tug & Barge, Inc.
The Poe Lock officially opened to marine traffic on March 24.
Feature photo: Michigan Trader in 2024
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