SARNIA–The Canadian Coast Guard, in partnership with the United States Coast Guard and the Ontario Provincial Police, are advising of potentially unsafe ice conditions in the vicinity of icebreaking operations and shipping routes in the North Channel of Lake Huron.
The Lafarge Terminal located in McGregor Bay on the Whitefish River First Nation will be the first to see icebreaking activity on (or about) April 4. Dates and routes are subject to change with little or no notice, due to weather, ice conditions, shipping schedules or other unexpected situations. Commercial vessels typically need to access Fisher Harbour and Meldrum Bay, although the Coast Guard has received no requests for icebreaking assistance at these ports, so far.
All ice on or near the shipping routes and icebreaking operations should be considered unsafe during and after ship transits through these routes. The Canadian Coast Guard, the United States Coast Guard and Ontario Provincial Police are advising everyone to stay clear of these areas.
With the Spring navigation season here the Canadian and U.S. Coast Guard icebreaking assets are being deployed in support of the annual re-opening of the St Lawrence Seaway and spring breakout operations.
CCGS Pierre Radisson departed from Quebec City March 22 for the Great Lakes and was the first vessel of the season to transit through the channel and the series of locks that make navigation possible on the St. Lawrence Seaway from Quebec City to Lake Ontario.
This is an important element in a jointly developed plan between the United-States Coast Guard, District 9, and the Canadian Coast Guard, Central and Arctic Region, to support the annual re-opening of the Seaway and to clear the ice for ships.
CCGS Pierre Radisson will proceed directly to Lake Superior for icebreaking and ice escorts of ships.
The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Griffon is working on Lake Erie this week escorting ships through the ice while the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Samuel Risley assisted two ships beset in ice near Marquette, Michigan and is busy assisting more ships.
Coast Guard icebreaking services on the Great Lakes and connecting waterways is delivered in close co-operation between the Canadian and United States Coast Guards.
The vessels assisted by the coast guard carry the raw materials for the essential goods we use in our daily lives. Icebreaking ensures the delivery of vital supplies such as road salt, heating oil and construction materials to cities across the Great Lakes on behalf of North American industries.
