greatlakesshipwatchers.com

Source: Great Lakes Environment

Sep 29: The U.S. Coast Guard announced in the Federal Register [73 FR 56492-56501] that it is amending its regulations to allow the discharge of bulk dry cargo residue (DCR) in limited areas of the Great Lakes by self-propelled vessels and by any barge that is part of an integrated tug and barge unit.

DCR is the residue of non-toxic and non-hazardous bulk dry cargo like limestone, iron ore, and coal.

The regulations also add new recordkeeping and reporting requirements and encourage carriers to adopt voluntary control measures for reducing discharges. Discharges are now prohibited in certain protected and sensitive areas where, previously, they were allowed.

The Coast Guard also requests public comments on the need for and feasibility of additional conditions that might be imposed on discharges in the future, such as mandatory use of control measures, or further adjustments to the areas where discharges are allowed or prohibited.

…Comments and related material submitted in response to the request for comments must be received before January 15, 2009.

Find out where dumping is prohibited, how you can still participate in the process, at Great Lakes Environment >>

by Bob VandeVusse | Source: Holland Sentinel

After two and a half weeks of inactivity, we finally had a freighter on Lake Macatawa on Thursday, as the Wilfred Sykes delivered coal to the James DeYoung power plant. It arrived shortly after midnight and departed after 8 a.m. The departure was a lengthy endeavor, as the captain seemed to avoid using the bow thruster to turn around so as not to damage the dock repairs that are nearing completion at the Verplank dock. This was only our second delivery in the last month.

As the season winds down, we expect to see two more coal deliveries and several more loads of stone. Once the construction is finished on the Verplank dock, we should see the east end of the facility fill up. Brewer’s should see some more activity, as well.

Read more about expected deliveries in Holland at the Holland Sentinel >>

by Bob VandeVusse | Source: Holland Sentinel

There is a federally maintained shipping channel that runs the length of Lake Macatawa, from just west of the entrance near Big Red, almost all the way to the River Avenue bridge. It is roughly 150 feet wide and 20 feet deep.

As part of that channel there is a widened area, or turning basin, where vessels of up to 700 feet in length can turn around.

Read the complete explanation, location and more at the Holland Sentinel >>

Source: Coast Guard News

The U.S. Coast Guard announced today that the interim rule for dry cargo residue discharges on the Great Lakes is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register Monday, Sept. 29, 2008.

The interim rule requires Great Lakes bulk dry cargo carriers to keep records of loading, unloading and discharges of dry cargo residues and encourages lake carriers to use control measures to reduce the amount of dry cargo residue entering the waters of the Great Lakes. The rule continues to allow the discharge of non-toxic and non-hazardous bulk dry cargo residues in certain areas of the Great Lakes. Discharges are now prohibited in certain protected and sensitive areas where previously, they were allowed.

Great Lakes ships have operated under a Coast Guard “interim enforcement policy” since 1993, that has allowed “incidental discharges” of non-toxic and non-hazardous dry cargo residues such as limestone, iron ore and coal on the Great Lakes. The interim enforcement policy also specified where dry cargo residue discharges could and could not occur. Congressional legislation has extended the interim enforcement policy since 1998. The current extension, granted by Congress in 2004, expires Sept. 30, 2008.

The Coast Guard also requests public comments on the need for and feasibility of additional conditions that might be imposed on future dry cargo residue discharges, such as mandatory use of control measures or further adjustments to areas where discharges are prohibited or allowed. Comments can be submitted online at …  Read the rest of this entry »

Source: Duluth News Tribune

Commercial shipping between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes was on hold for a few hours today after a malfunction of the Poe Lock in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

The 1,200-foot-long lock’s gate malfunctioned at 9 a.m., and crews were called in to investigate with an underwater camera. Three ships were delayed while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers worked to determine the cause of the malfunction.

Repairs were made by early afternoon, allowing normal vessel traffic to resume.

by Elizabeth Dunbar | Source: Forbes

ST. PAUL - The state pollution control agency approved strict standards for ships that discharge ballast water into Lake Superior, hoping they will cut down on the spread of harmful invasive species.

Unlike federal proposals pending in Congress, the new permit process will cover both oceangoing vessels and ships that stay within the Great Lakes.

…. by 2016, ships will be required to treat their ballast water before dumping it into Minnesota waters.

Details of interim and longer-range management, enforcement at Forbes >>

Source: Seafarer’s Blog

The latest Lloyd’s Register guide to Ballast Water Treatment Technology is now available. This follows the success of last year’s guide, the first of its kind. This updated version provides further independent and impartial descriptions and appraisals of commercially available and developing technologies for ballast water treatment.

… The latest guide gives more information on estimates of CAPEX (capital expenditure) and OPEX (operating expenses) related to the ballast water treatment systems and it outlines the significant moves by manufacturers towards obtaining system approval, active substance approval as required and Type Approval certification.

Full article and links at the Seafarer’s Blog >>

Source: Duluth News Tribune

After months of quagmire, a compromise may be emerging. Under a new Senate “discussion’’ bill, the criteria for killing organisms (how small and how many are allowed in the ballast water after treatment) would increase to 1,000-times greater than the IMO standard. That would bring the federal legislation in line with California’s law and was expected to spur Boxer to allow the ballast bill to advance.

Some issues remain, however. Boxer and California environmental groups want the Clean Water Act to apply to ballast discharges in addition to the new law. That would allow citizens to sue if they felt the ballast laws weren’t working to protect waterways. Industry officials and many Senators say that amounts to double jeopardy, putting the shipping industry under two separate sets of rules.

Another problem for some Minnesota groups, including the PCA, is that the federal legislation still doesn’t include Great Lakes freighters.

More issues, full story at the Duluth News Tribune >>

Source: Canadian Press

Senator Barack Obama will propose a $5-billion trust fund for Great Lakes cleanup and restoration if elected president, his campaign said Tuesday.

The fund, to be phased in over 10 years, would be the centrepiece of a plan that also includes designating a co-ordinator to oversee Greats Lakes programs and a stepped-up fight against invasive species.

… The trust fund would be paid for by rolling back tax breaks for oil companies, Obama’s campaign said. It would support a variety of projects including sewage system repairs, cleanup of polluted sediments and restoration of wetlands and wildlife habitat.

The Great Lakes co-ordinator, based in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, would help develop a priority list for federal, state and local initiatives.

Obama’s program also pledges a “zero toxics” policy for the lakes, which make up nearly one-fifth of the world’s fresh surface water. It calls for measuring pollution already entering the lakes, determining the sources and reducing future deposits.

Another priority would be strengthening federal standards against mercury, a leading Great Lakes pollutant, the campaign said.

The plan also promises a more aggressive effort to prevent additional exotic species from reaching the lakes, particularly the Asian carp, which has infested the Mississippi River and is moving toward Lake Michigan.

It says Obama would work with the eight Great Lakes states to stop freighters from bringing exotics to the region in their ballast water.

Full story, quotes, and McCain camp reply at Canadian Press >>

By JOHN FLESHER | Source: Chicago Tribune

Day after day, ships longer than three football fields depart Great Lakes ports after picking up or delivering loads of iron ore, coal and other cargo. Reaching open water, crews wash the decks with high-powered hoses.

It’s called “cargo sweeping,” because residues that spill onto decks during loading and unloading are swept overboard. The U.S. Coast Guard estimates that 1 million pounds of such debris is washed into the lakes every year.

… But shippers say requiring them to collect the residue, move it onshore for treatment and flush it into municipal wastewater systems would impose ruinous costs. A Coast Guard report last month estimated the price tag at $51.8 million up front, plus $35.7 million a year — more than the annual profit for the entire industry.

“What some are proposing could mean the end of Great Lakes shipping and the movement of cargo by more expensive and less eco-friendly modes of transportation,” said Glen Nekvasil, spokesman for the Lake Carriers Association, which represents U.S.-flagged freighters on the Great Lakes.

Nice analysis of the conflict, quotes from both sides at the Chicago Tribune >>

Source: Lake Carriers Association

Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 4.4 million net tons in August. While the total represents an increase of 12 per cent compared to a year ago, shipments in August of 2007 were sluggish, said the Lake Carriers’ Association.

“The five-year average is the better barometer,” said the Association, “and in that regard, this August was off the pace by nearly 100,000 tons.”

Although water levels have risen, the dredging crisis continued to limit the amount of stone vessels could deliver to customers. Read the rest of this entry »

by Jeff Alexander | Source: The Muskegon Chronicle

Ocean freighters spew twice as much soot into the air as previously believed and tugboats are among the worst maritime offenders when it comes to air pollution, according to a new government study.

“Commercial shipping emissions have been one of the least studied areas of all combustion emissions,” said Daniel Lack, a NOAA scientist who led the study.

Researchers studied plumes of black smoke from 96 different ships, including cargo freighters, tankers, ferries, large fishing boats and tugs. Most of the boats were sampled in the Houston Ship Channel.

James Weakley, executive director of the Lake Carriers Association, said lake freighters that operate exclusively within the Great Lakes emit less soot than ocean ships. The reason: Lake freighters burn a lighter grade of diesel fuel, which produces less soot than the thicker fuel ocean freighters use.

“A straight comparison between an oceangoing ship and a laker is not a fair comparison,” said Weakley, whose group represents 63 U.S.-flagged ships on the Great Lakes.

Tugboats emit nearly a gram of soot per kilogram of fuel burned — twice as much as any other vessel type, according to the researchers. They attributed the disproportionate amount of soot emissions from tugs to the thick, tar-like fuel the small but mighty vessels burn in their engines.

“Tugboats are a huge source of black carbon that may be underreported or not reported at all in emissions inventories compiled by ports,” Lack said in a press release.

Weakley said lake freighters, which are equipped with bow thrusters to improve maneuverability, use tugboats less often than ocean freighters. He said freighters are the cleanest way to move large volumes of cargo; freighters haul about 200 million tons of cargo on the Great Lakes annually.

“If you take into account the economies of scale and the tons of cargo moved per mile of fuel consumption, our ships move a ton of cargo from Duluth to Detroit on one gallon of fuel,” Weakley said. “That’s a distance of about 800 miles on one gallon of fuel — you couldn’t get that kind of mileage in a Toyota Prius.”

Much more about this study and previous studies at the Muskegon Chronicle >>

by Jeff Kart | Source: Bay City Times

Dredging of the Upper Saginaw River is set to begin later this month, now that a contract has been awarded for the work.

The river’s navigational channel will be cleared for the first time in more than a decade, said Wayne Schloop, chief of operations for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Detroit.

Ships have had to lighten their loads for years on the river, driving up costs and threatening about 200 jobs associated with shipping.

“We did an emergency portion back in 2006, but we haven’t really done any type of comprehensive dredging since the mid-90s on the river,” Schloop said.

…The contract has been awarded to low-bidder Luedtke Engineering Co. of Frankfort for $1.9 million. The company plans to begin the dredging by the end of the month and finish it this fall, Schloop said.

Much more to the story at the Bay City Times >>

By BOB MIHELL | Source: Sault This Week

“A shoreline greening project is also underway at Essar Steel Algoma, with hydro seeding and tree planting in progress along the entire shoreline, commencing at the eastern perimeter in back of the Administration Building and planned to extend all the way to the western perimeter of the property. Apart from the obvious aesthetic value of a greening initiative, the plantings will help improve air quality.

In addition, a very large berm is under construction, with the first phase nearing completion. Beginning at the western corner of the boat slip, spanning approximately 200-feet wide at the bottom, standing about 50 feet high and extending 300 feet long, the berm is designed to prevent trace dust particles from the coal piles from migrating off the property.

“To address the potential for coal pile run off, a collection trench is maintained to keep the water from entering the slip. The Company has also commenced a dust suppression program on the coal piles and surrounding roadways to reduce the amount of particulate released into the air.”

Since the Indian multinational, Essar Global, assumed ownership of the Canadian steelmaker in June 2006, it has come under intense public and government scrutiny as a result of Essar’s plans to double steel production within five years.

Stenta described a dredging project currently underway with MOE approval at Saw Mill Point in preparation for new dock facilities to allow Essar Algoma to substantially increase freighter traffic bringing additional raw materials, such as coal and iron ore, to the plant.

Stenta wrote: “Essar Steel Algoma has taken steps through our dredging contractor, Purvis Marine, to put a silt curtain in place to ensure any sediment that may be disturbed will not be carried downstream. In addition, Purvis Marine has acquired new, state of the art dredging equipment that provides for less sediment disturbance and features GPS devices on the hoist allowing for very accurate, targeted dredging.

Read the full, detailed story about many influences on St Marys River water quality at Sault This Week >>

Bob VandeVusse | Source: The Holland Sentinel

Delays have continued to plague coal deliveries in Holland for the past week. The expected load on the Manistee was canceled.

It has been reported that Lower Lakes Towing has signed a major transportation contract for ore pellets with Essar Steel Algoma, of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. That means that their vessels Manitowoc, Manistee, Maumee and Calumet may be unavailable for coal and stone loads. That could create a hardship for docks in small harbors like Holland, as those vessels in the 600-foot range are ideal for harbors like ours.

The coal delivery on the Wilfred Sykes has been delayed, as well. It is now expected to load today and arrive early Monday morning.

Read the full article at the Holland Sentinel >>

Source: Sandusky Register

… new research on the effects of global warming on Lake Erie, to be discussed in a paper being prepared for submission to the Journal of Great Lakes Research, suggests that Lake Erie’s water level could fall as much as 1.2 feet by 2050.

That has important implications on the area’s economy, because it would hurt Great Lakes shipping, Wuebbles said.

“One inch could cause a very huge impact,” he said.

Jim Weakley, president of the Lake Carriers Association in Cleveland, said he is not an expert on global warming, but his organization has calculated the effect of shallower water, whether it’s caused by global warming, lack of dredging or another reason.

When one of the 1,000-foot vessels with U.S. flags in the Lake Carriers Association lose one inch of water, it means the ship can carry 8,000 tons less cargo, Weakley said. That’s enough coal to provide three hours of electricity for Greater Detroit. That one-inch loss means the U.S.-flagged Great Lakes fleet — 63 ships total, including the 13 1,000-footers — would carry 400,000 fewer tons a year.

One “laker,” as the freighters are called, can carry as much cargo as 2,800 trucks, Weakley’s group says.

Full story on many levels of impact, lively comments at the Sandusky Register >>

Mike Simonson | Source: Business North

A Wisconsin Ports Association letter blames California U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer for the delays. Lake Carriers Association President James Weakley agrees.

“As things stand right now, yes, the bill is effectively stalled.”

Weakley and several Great Lakes port directors want the ballast bill passed…to end the threat of closing the St. Lawrence Seaway to shipping. That threat comes after an appeals court ruling in July that said ballast water must comply with the Clean Water Act, and the EPA can’t exclude ballast water from the Act.

Weakley says the ballast water bill would simply allow the Coast Guard to decide ballast water standards…not have state-to-state regulations.

…Wisconsin U.S. Senator Russ Feingold says he’s working to get the bill through Congress, and acknowledges that the stumbling block is the Clean Water Act.

Read the full story at Business North >>

By FRANK DOBROVNIK | Source: The Sault Star

Essar Steel Algoma is a beehive of activity these days as it prepares to nearly double steel-making capacity by the end of next year, including building a new dock-face to accommodate hundreds more vessels.

“It’s very tight. There’s not a lot of capacity left,” said chief operating officer Armando Plastino.

With the No. 6 blast furnace now up and running alongside No. 7, Essar aims to be able to ship out four million tons of finished coil and slab by the end of 2009. That means bringing in that much more raw material.

…Algoma has just under 500 boats coming in and out over a typical shipping season. Plastino expects that to increase to about 700, with little room for snags, he said.

“You’ve got to get all your raw materials here by Dec. 15, and the locks don’t reopen until the end of March. You’ve got to have enough raw materials to last you through the winter.”

Very interesting story, more quotes and specifics, photo at the Sault Star >>

by Jennifer Sattler | Source: The Voice News

“Freighter Frank” Fisk will share his insights on life aboard a freighter when he kicks off the Friends’ First Thursday series at 7 p.m. Thursday at the St. Clair Library.

… Fisk … is a plethora of knowledge when it comes to the vessels that ply the St. Clair River and Lake Huron.

He will present a PowerPoint presentation about the year he spent working and living aboard the freighter, the Paul R. Tregurtha.

At 1,013 feet, six inches long, the Tregurtha is the largest ship plying the Great Lakes and is known as the “Queen of the Great Lakes.” It is owned and managed by the Interlake Steamship Co. Fisk spent a year on the freighter as a cook, and his presentation is full of interior ship shots.

“I spent a year traveling around the Great Lakes, with all of the security measures nowadays, being on a ship is exclusive,” he said. “I will also present menus of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and other holiday fare.”

The St. Clair Library is located at 310 S. Second St. in St. Clair.

The program is free and all are welcome.