Canadian Coast Guard Begins Great Lakes Icebreaking

[Sherman A1]

The Canadian Coast Guard's (CCG) annual icebreaking season on the Great Lakes, which provides assistance to the shipping industry, is underway. Working in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) District 9, the CCG has two icebreakers assigned to the Great Lakes for the entire winter season: CCGS Griffon and CCGS Samuel Risley. These vessels are supported as required by additional CCG vessels after the St. Lawrence Seaway reopens in March 2022.

Although the St. Lawrence Seaway, Welland Canal and Sault Ste. Marie Locks are closed during the winter months, shipping is still active on the Great Lakes and connecting waterways, including Lake Erie, Detroit River, Lake St. Clair, St. Clair River, Lake Huron, St. Marys River, and Georgian Bay.

Icebreaking requests are coordinated by CCG's Ice Office in Montreal. In 2020-2021, in Central Region including the Great Lakes, the Canadian Coast Guard responded to 195 requests for icebreaking. Over the same time period, both Coast Guards directly assisted 156 ship transits on the Great Lakes. Between December 21, 2020, and April 4, 2021 (last day of icebreaking), CCGS Griffon and CCGS Samuel Risley traveled 13,740 nautical miles escorting commercial vessels through the ice, opening shipping routes and breaking out ports throughout the Great Lakes.

CCG and USCG officials hold daily operational conference calls with industry representatives to provide updates on ice extent, concentration and thickness. Environment and Climate Change Canada provides regular updates on ice conditions through satellite imagery and ice reconnaissance flights, using both CCG and USCG helicopters.

https://www.marinelink.com/news/canadian-coast-guard-begins-great-lakes-493403

[James48]

1. So help me understand-

We use US taxpayer money to clear the ice from channels whose only user- are several large mulltinationalcorporations, who are hauling mostly raw materials for the steel industry. Coal, iron ore pellets, and coke. The steel companies COULD have their ships made with ice breaking capability, but that would cost extra. So the taxpayer underwrites the costs of lake transportation.

Why do we do that?

[Sherman A1]

2. As the article notes the Icebreakers do a great deal of other work

such as breaking up ice plugs in rivers that help to prevent flooding along with environmental work.

[NBachers]

3. As a Great Lakes native, I'm not sure we want to privatize Coast Guard icebreaking duties.

[YP_Yooper]

4. A good read, thank you!

Have family and lived my childhood from the Keweenaw to St Clair and Toledo. Definitely a natural magic up there.

[Sherman A1]

6. My pleasure

Glad that you enjoyed it.

[abqtommy]

5. Between checking on my oldest son's weather (he's my Canadian chef near Toronto)

and reading The CBC (Canadian News) every day I know they've had a serious cold snap
up there. Ice on The Great Lakes? You betcha!