Ice
Ice Conditions Renew Calls for Additional U.S. Icebreaker on Great Lakes
Commercial shipping on the Great Lakes has slowed sharply just a few days into the 2026 navigation season, as ice conditions in the St. Marys River and Whitefish Bay halted vessel traffic and renewed... Read More
Seaway System Closes for 2025 Navigation Season
The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System officially closed for the 2025 navigation season on January 12. The system was supposed to close on January 5, but ice buildup created shipping... Read More
How the New Administration Addresses the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System
Experts and executives are expecting that the Trump administration could bring significant changes to Great Lakes maritime traffic and ports. Small changes could have real economic impacts on many companies... Read More
Great Lakes See Lowest Ice Coverage in Decades
The unusually warm winter has significantly affected ice coverage on the Great Lakes. In mid-February, the ice extent across all the lakes was the lowest it has been in more... Read More
Davie Purchases Finland’s Helsinki Shipyard Oy
Canada’s largest shipbuilder, Davie Shipbuilding, has acquired Finland’s Helsinki Shipyard Oy, the world’s leading builder of icebreakers and ice-class ships. While both shipyards will remain separate legal entities, the business... Read More
U.S. Coast Guard Begins Icebreaking Operations in Lake Superior
The U.S. Coast Guard’s largest domestic icebreaking operation is underway in Lake Superior. Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie has started Operation Taconite in response to an increasing amount of... Read More
Heddle Secures VLE Contract for CCGS Terry Fox
Heddle Shipyards has been awarded a $135.5 million dollar contract for the Vessel Life Extension (VLE) of the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Terry Fox. The nearly three-year project will involve an... Read More
Canadian Coast Guard Takes Delivery of AHTS Icebreaker
The Canadian Coast Guard has taken delivery of its third converted commercial icebreaker, the CCGS Vincent Massey. The CCGS Vincent Massey is now at its homeport in Québec City, Québec to prepare... Read More
The Canadian Coast Guard Dedicates its Latest Icebreaker into Service
The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) has officially welcomed the second of three interim icebreakers, CCGS Jean Goodwill, to its fleet. The CCG held a dedication for service ceremony for the CCGS... Read More