16-04-2025
Coast Guard declares 2025 icebreaking season over for Great Lakes
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The U.S. Coast Guard Detroit Sector says icebreaking season on the lower Great Lakes is officially over.
'Operation Coal Shovel began on January 6 and officially concluded on April 14 due to lack of ice coverage and complete waterway availability for commerce,' the sector said in a .
The operation covers a key stretch of the Great Lakes system, running from the St. Lawrence Seaway, through Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, the Detroit and St. Clair rivers and the southern portion of Lake Huron.
Four U.S. Coast Guard cutters annually partner with the Canadian Coast Guard to keep the route clear for cargo ships and help them whenever they get stuck.
'U.S. ice breaking assets assigned to Op Coal Shovel combined to deliver over 900 hours of icebreaking assistance and preventative icebreaking support to establish and maintain tracks in ice covered waterways,' the sector said. 'In total, the operation directly assisted 141 vessel transits, ensured commercial vessel safety.'
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The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway runs more than 2,300 miles, from the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the heart of the Great Lakes.
According to the , more than 200 million net tons of cargo flows through the system each year. In 2021, Great Lakes shipping accounted for more than of gross domestic product.
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