U .S. Coast Guard cutters Mackinaw (WLBB 30) and Neah Bay (WTGB 105) conducted ice-breaking operations on the Great Lakes Jan. 21, freeing and escorting commercial vessels beset by heavy ice.
The 240' heavy icebreaker Mackinaw freed and escorted the 678' bulk carrier Wilfred Sykes, which was stuck in ice on Lake Huron. Meanwhile, the 140' icebreaking tug Neah Bay assisted the 1,004' freighter American Spirit, which became icebound on Lake Erie.
Both cases were part of the Coast Guard’s seasonal domestic ice-breaking efforts, known as Operation Taconite and Operation Coal Shovel. The operations are aimed at keeping navigation routes open, assisting vessels in urgent situations, and supporting communities that rely on winter maritime transportation.
According to Lt. Cmdr. Jeremy Tyrrell, commanding officer of Neah Bay, Coast Guard crews have been working extended hours across key waterways including the St. Marys River, Straits of Mackinac, Green Bay, Duluth-Superior Harbor, western Lake Erie, and the Detroit and St. Clair river systems.
The Coast Guard’s Great Lakes ice-breaking fleet has been active since December, supporting commercial shipping and helping maintain a navigable marine transportation system during peak winter ice conditions, district officials said.
The Great Lakes District oversees domestic ice-breaking operations to ensure the flow of commerce continues through the winter months, when ice can restrict vessel movement and delay cargo deliveries.
