Winter Grips But Great Lakes Group Keeps Busy

The Great Lakes Towing Company says it has been extremely busy providing icebreaking assistance, and Great Lakes Shipyard has started repairs and maintenance on Interlake Steamship vessels, with more vessels contracted to follow.

Recently, the 140-foot USCG Bay-class Icebreaking Tug Katmai Bay (WTGB 101) was dead in the icy waters and required towing assistance to its homeport dock, and the towing company's tug Missouri was dispatched to break ice and assist it back to its dock.

The Missouri is also homeported in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan to assist vessels through the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers locks that connect Lake Superior to Lake Huron, as well as to provide emergency rescue assistance and icebreaking when needed. The Group adds that this winter, the Missouri and other tugs in the fleet have been extremely busy providing icebreaking assistance to vessels on all the Great Lakes.

Shipyard
The start of the winter layup season at Great Lakes Shipyard was marked by the arrival of Interlake Steamship Company’s articulated tug-barge DOROTHY ANN and PATHFINDER. The ATB will remain berthed in the yard for planned repairs and routine maintenance, as well as various inspections and miscellaneous renewals.

Other winter lay-up and repair work scheduled for this winter will include Inland Lakes Management’s S/S ALPENA, American Steamship Company’s M/V SAM LAUD, and McKeil Marine’s Tug LEONARD M and Barge HURON SPIRIT.