USCG commences Great Lakes icebreaking operations

The United States Coast Guard began icebreaking operations last week on the Great Lakes and in the Northeast region of the United States.    The United States Coast Guard (USCG) commenced its icebreaking operations on the Great Lakes last week to prevent expanded ice growth in the commercial ports of western Lake Superior, Green Bay and the lower St. Marys River from impeding commercial navigation, the USCG said.
   The annual operation is referred to as Operation Taconite and encompasses Lake Superior, the St. Marys River, the Straits of Mackinac, the Georgian Bay and all of Lake Michigan. The operation is the USCG’s largest domestic icebreaking operation.
   In the St. Marys River, which drains Lake Superior and flows into Lake Huron, and the Pipe Island and West Neebish Channels have been closed as part of Operation Taconite’s commencement. Additional waterways may close in the coming weeks.
   The launching of Operation Taconite places additional movement criteria on commercial vessels transiting through the Western Lakes, St. Marys River and the Straits of Mackinac. “These measures include restricting tanker transits to daylight in the presence of ice, reducing speeds by 2 miles per hour in specified locations to reduce incidental ice breaking and requiring additional voice and position reporting points throughout the operation’s area of responsibility,” the USCG said.
   For icebreaking on the Great Lakes, the USCG has the 240-foot USCGC Mackinaw, capable of heavy icebreaking; six, 140-foot icebreakers capable of medium icebreaking; and two, 225-foot buoy tenders with light icebreaking capabilities.
   In addition, the USCG kicked off icebreaking operations in the Northeast last week, which it refers to as Operation Reliable Energy for Northeast Winters (RENEW).
   The purpose of Operation RENEW is to ensure communities in the Northeast have the tools they need throughout the winter, said USCG.
   “More than 80 percent of the nation’s homes heating oil needs are in the northeastern U.S., and 90 percent of that fuel will be delivered, at some point, by barge through Coast Guard Northeast Waters,” the USCG said. “An average of 300 vessels transit the Hudson River during the winter months, carrying over 10 million barrels of petroleum products to the Northeast communities.”