North Channel News

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District works on unlocking the Great Lakes by providing a much-needed resiliency at the Soo Locks with the construction of the New Lock at the Soo. The New Lock at the Soo will be the same dimensions as the Poe Lock, 1,200 feet long, 110 feet wide and 30 feet deep.Often called the “linchpin” of the Great Lakes navigation system, the Soo Locks are located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan between the upper Peninsula of Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario. The Soo Locks enable bulk carrier vessels to safely bypass the swift-moving St.

The second phase construction contract for the New Lock at the Soo has been awarded to Kokosing Alberici LLC of Westerville, Ohio, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials announced Thursday.The much-anticipated mega-project will require three phases of construction. Kokosing Alberici's $111 million contract to complete the second phase will stabilize the existing approach walls, allowing modern vessels to tie up and wait their turn to pass through the new lock. Construction will…

The Coast Guard and partner agencies located the missing barge, Dredge 200, Wednesday after it capsized and sank earlier this week in Broad Sound approximately two miles southeast of Nahant.The barge's location was confirmed by a contracted company using multi-beam sonar just north of the North Channel, the major shipping lane into Boston Harbor, in approximately 100-feet of water.Close coordination with the Boston Harbor Pilots was crucial to ensure maritime commerce impacts…

As the global fleet of offshore renewables fleet increases, ways to reduce the cost and increase the efficiency and safety of operations and maintenance work, using robotics and autonomous systems, will also grow. Elaine Maslin reports.Robotics and autonomous systems are moving into many areas of modern day life. It’s becoming harder to avoid them, from our phones to automotive systems and now offshore energy renewable projects.Both are seen as tools to do otherwise dull, dirty or dangerous work…

Icebreaking vessels from the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards are scheduled to break ice in the North Channel of the St. Clair River, Friday. Canadian Coast Guard ship Samuel Risley will break ice in the river near Algonac, Mich., and Harsens Island. Due to concentrated ice buildup, the water levels in the area rose between 15 and 20 inches overnight prompting the Clay Township Emergency Operation Center and Champion’s Auto Ferry to request Coast Guard assistance. Throughout the remainder of the winter, U.S. and Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers will continue to respond in the St.

The Coast Guard lifted the safety zone restricting traffic in the North Channel Thursday afternoon for all vessels. An obstruction buoy is in place to mark the location of the 55-foot tug boat Emily Anne that sank east of Deer Island Tuesday morning. Mariners should proceed with caution when transiting the area as there are workboats in the area conducting salvage operatio

A tug sank in North Channel, Boston on Wednesday, February 17, 2016,   It has been stated that no deep draft vessels should transit Boston’s North Channe, after a tug boat sunk in the vicinity of Boston’s North Channel Buoy #2 yesterday. The Coast Guard attempted to locate the sunken vessel yesterday using an ROV/sonar but was unsuccessful due to weather conditions. A salvage plan is being prepared. The Coast Guard is in the process of finalising a safety zone around the area of the sinking that will in essence prohibit transit in of area without the permission of the Captain of the Port until the location of the vessel can be identified. The South Channel is not affected.

The U.S. Coast Guard has established a safety zone east of Deer Island following the sinking of a 55-foot tug boat, Emily Anne, Tuesday morning. Forced to abandon their sinking vessel, three men were rescued from the water by a nearby pilot boat and brought back to Boston, local media reports. The safety zone encompasses part of the North Channel and prohibits transit of deep draft vessels. The South Channel remains open and may be used by vessels that may safely navigate it. Weather conditions forced the cancellation of plans to locate the vessel. Attempts to locate the vessel will resume Wednesday morning.

The Norwegian Dawn, the cruise liner that ran aground as she left Bermuda this week, has arrived in Boston. A story in the Boston Herald says, “Passengers on a cruise ship that ran aground on a reef near Bermuda during a seven-day vacation shrugged their shoulders and said the mishap was no big deal as they disembarked Friday. “The Norwegian Dawn, carrying nearly 3 500 passengers and crew, returned to the Black Falcon Terminal in Boston. The cruise ship ploughed into the reef bordering the North Channel when she temporarily lost power on Wednesday evening. The ship was pulled off the rocks in the evening after a major refloating operation and later assessed by experts before leaving Bermuda at 2.30pm on Thursday.

The towing of the DFDS cargo vessel Lysblink Seaways began today at 1:00pm local time, the UK's Maritime Coast Guard Agency announced. The vessel ran aground at Ardnamurchan Point in northwest Scotland almost two weeks ago, and was moved to Scallastle Bay in the sound of Mull last Wednesday, the Aberdeen Press and Journal reported. A passage plan has been agreed to by Hugh Shaw, the Secretary of State’s representative, and covers the 150 nautical mile tow to Inchgreen, Greenock on the Firth of Clyde. “The tow will, where possible, take advantage of sheltered waters and will move through the Sound of Mull, Firth of Lorn, Sound of Jura and the North Channel before entering the Firth of Clyde," Shaw said.

The Port of Houston Authority (PHA) commission will consider several recommendations involving contract awards, bids and proposals, professional services and general administrative and operational matters during its meeting at 2 p.m. Barbours Cut Boulevard (off Highway 146) in LaPorte, Texas. Jim Edmonds will preside over the meeting, which is open to the public. TRC-ECON Capital, L.P. for security infrastructure enhancements. enhancements. first security management system (SMS) at a U.S. port. to PHA's environmental management system. services over a two-year period at an estimated cost of $45,000. terminals at the Barbours Cut Container facility. fire protection, pavement striping and other utility adjustments. and $2.9 million. $69,691 contract to R.W. Patrick and Associates, Inc.

The U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has released its 2001 survey of reported discharges attributed to vessels and Offshore Oil and Gas Installations operating in the United Kingdom pollution control zone. This report compiled annually by the Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea (ACOPS) has shown that both the number of incidents of pollution from vessels has reduced as has the amount of oil released into the sea. · 678 accidental or deliberate polluting discharges were identified from vessels and offshore installations operating in the United Kingdom Pollution Control Zone and national waters. This is a reduction of 8.7% over the previous year’s total of 743 discharges. · Offshore oil & gas installations were identified as the source of 71% of the confirmed discharges.