It’s a rite of spring as much as it is a rite of passage. The familiar sight of freighters and ore carriers steaming into the St. Joseph Harbor is close at hand thanks to the official opening this weekend of the Soo Locks signaling the launch of the Great Lakes shipping season.
It’s one of those sure signs of spring and one that has a critical impact on the world of commerce in Michigan’s Great Southwest, as ours is far more than a purely recreational harbor. We are a commercial harbor that sees significant movement of commodities throughout the year, especially this time of year as aggregate materials used in road construction for miles around arrives at local commercial docks in the inner harbor.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, announced this morning that the Soo Locks in the Upper Peninsula port of Sault Ste. Marie, will open this Sunday, March 25th, marking the beginning of the 2018 Great Lakes shipping season.
Kevin Sprague is an area engineer at the Soo Area Office of the Army Corps. He says, “Although, we have yet to know which ship will be the first through the locks this year, several ships are scheduled to leave their lay-up ports Friday, so we expect a very busy opening day.” Sprague adds, “People can check the district Facebook page for first boat photos and updates through the weekend.”
Lt. Col. Dennis P. Sugrue is District Engineer for the Army Corps at the Detroit District. he tells us, “The Soo Locks are a critical connection in the Great Lakes navigation system and we are dedicated to their reliability.” He adds, “Thanks to our talented team at the Soo Locks. We have completed several critical maintenance projects this winter. We are ready for another great navigation season on the Great Lakes.”
The locks were officially closed on January 15th and underwent critical repairs and maintenance during the 10-week-long winter shutdown. Critical repairs and maintenance to the Poe Lock during the shutdown included replacement of gate anchors, miter blocks, quoin blocks, and cylinder seals. Final work on Poe Lock operating system controls was completed. The MacArthur Lock de-watering bulkheads were sandblasted, repaired and painted. Work on the MacArthur Lock included replacement of gate anchors, bevel gears and filling valve seals. The MacArthur Lock work will continue through April.
The Detroit District operates and maintains the Soo Locks along with 94 harbors and connecting channels on lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, St. Clair and the portion of Lake Erie that borders the state of Michigan. Located on the St. Marys River, the locks have been a part of the Corps’ navigation mission since 1881.
