The Gazette Archive

The complete archive of the Great Lakes Gazette, the daily maritime brief written by Chris Izworski in Bay City, Michigan. Every edition covers vessel traffic, water levels, weather, and shipping news across the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. All 80 editions are below, newest first.

July 2026

Monday, July 20, 2026Onego Otra Twenty Days on the St. Lawrence Bottom

Sunday, July 19, 2026Sykes Clears Fraser Yard Saturday, Missouri at Her Side

Saturday, July 18, 2026Federal Sakura Calls Cleveland as Hunter Points for Montreal

Friday, July 17, 2026Lake Guardian Docks at Cleveland While Calcite Pull Clears Toledo

Thursday, July 16, 2026Viking Octantis Points South Across Erie to Cleveland

Wednesday, July 15, 2026Tregurtha Drops Ore at Cleveland as Toledo Fills Three Berths

Tuesday, July 14, 2026Monroe Clears East as Toledo Sends Two to Hamilton

Monday, July 13, 2026Torco Berth Turns Over Twice Before Noon in Toledo

Sunday, July 12, 2026Highlander Sea Sinks in Brooklyn, Far From Port Huron

Saturday, July 11, 2026Federal Asahi Aims for Thunder Bay from Toledo

Friday, July 10, 2026Baie Comeau Works Two Coal Docks in One Day

Thursday, July 9, 2026USS Silversides Heads to Dry Dock for First Time in Half a Century

Wednesday, July 8, 2026Gasoline Barge Trades Toledo Anchorage for George Gradel

Tuesday, July 7, 2026Gardno Brings Steel Coils to Cleveland 24W

Monday, July 6, 2026A Canadian Dredge Aims for Thunder Bay via the Welland

Sunday, July 5, 2026Baie Comeau Calls Sandusky While Toledo Fills Four Berths

Saturday, July 4, 2026Summer cargo moves briskly as lakes reach near-peak levels

May 2026

Tuesday, May 19, 2026Coast Guard ends Operation Taconite as Great Lakes navigation season opens

Monday, May 18, 2026USS Cleveland commissioned as first Navy warship in Ohio waters

Sunday, May 17, 2026USS Cleveland commissioned in Ohio as first Navy warship in state

Saturday, May 16, 2026Port of Green Bay resumes traffic after high water closure shutters Alpena

Friday, May 15, 2026Alpena arrival marks Green Bay port reopening after month-long closure

Thursday, May 14, 2026Badger carferry begins 71st season carrying passengers and vehicles to Manitowoc

Wednesday, May 13, 2026Carferry Badger departs Ludington for Manitowoc this Friday

Tuesday, May 12, 2026Kaye E. Barker enters Fraser Shipyards for thruster work and survey

Monday, May 11, 2026S.S. Badger Lake Michigan Car Ferry returns to service between Ludington and Manitowoc

Sunday, May 10, 2026USS Cleveland transits Great Lakes en route to official commissioning in Cleveland

Saturday, May 9, 2026USS Cleveland littoral combat ship transits Great Lakes to Cleveland Ohio

Friday, May 8, 2026High water shuts Green Bay port, trapping wood pulp vessels for weeks

Thursday, May 7, 2026CCGS Vincent Massey begins major maintenance at Hamilton shipyards this season

Wednesday, May 6, 2026Chi-Cheemaun ferry resumes daily service between Tobermory and South Baymouth

Tuesday, May 5, 2026Chi-Cheemaun resumes passenger service between Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island

Monday, May 4, 2026Chi-Cheemaun resumes daily ferry service between Owen Sound and Manitoulin Island

Sunday, May 3, 2026Chi-Cheemaun and SS Meteor resume Great Lakes seasonal operations this week

Saturday, May 2, 2026Chi-Cheemaun begins spring service between Tobermory and South Baymouth

Friday, May 1, 2026SS Meteor restoration underway as Great Lakes fleet prepares for season

April 2026

Thursday, April 30, 2026American Century freighter successfully enters Sault lock after Wednesday anchor incident

Wednesday, April 29, 2026Portuguese tanker Zea Lilian begins maiden voyage into Great Lakes

Tuesday, April 28, 2026Portuguese tanker Zea Lilian makes first Great Lakes passage through Welland Canal

Monday, April 27, 2026Cement barge Integrity returns to Saginaw River as navigation season opens

Sunday, April 26, 2026Tanker Prime begins Great Lakes calcium chloride distribution from Ludington

Saturday, April 25, 2026Prime tanker arrives at Ludington to load calcium chloride cargo

Friday, April 24, 2026Prime tanker and Meredith Ashton barge mark spring vessel movements on Great Lakes

Thursday, April 23, 2026High water delays Kristen D carferry launch from Cheboygan

Wednesday, April 22, 2026Albert-Margaret arrives at Green Bay as 2026 shipping season gains momentum

Tuesday, April 21, 2026Water levels above datum across Great Lakes promise productive spring shipping season

Monday, April 20, 2026American Spirit becomes first thousand footer docking at rebuilt Carbide Dock

Sunday, April 19, 2026American Spirit becomes first 1000-footer to dock at rebuilt Carbide Dock

Saturday, April 18, 2026BBC Tokyo strikes Welland Canal bridge, forcing indefinite closure to traffic

Friday, April 17, 2026BBC Tokyo strikes Welland Canal bridge, closes critical shipping passage

Thursday, April 16, 2026Northern Venture heads to Port Weller for propeller repairs after loading

Wednesday, April 15, 2026Ontario Venture carries inaugural wheat and soybean cargo from Picton

Tuesday, April 14, 2026Ontario Venture loads first wheat and soybeans from Picton grain terminal

Monday, April 13, 2026Ontario Venture carries inaugural grain cargo from new Picton terminal

Sunday, April 12, 2026Ontario Venture departs Picton with inaugural grain from new terminal

Saturday, April 11, 2026Wilfred Sykes loads stone at Calcite for active Great Lakes season

Thursday, April 9, 2026Ocean7 Ranger opens 2026 Great Lakes season with project cargo delivery

Wednesday, April 8, 2026Stewart J. Cort stuck in St. Marys River pack ice blocking upbound traffic

Tuesday, April 7, 2026Federal Nagara carries specialty steel through Port Milwaukee to start season

Monday, April 6, 2026Icebreakers assist vessels through heavy ice in St. Marys River

Sunday, April 5, 2026Icebreakers assist 43 vessels through ice choked St. Marys River

Saturday, April 4, 2026Lee A. Tregurtha freed from Lake Superior ice, diverts to Duluth ore

Friday, April 3, 2026Icebreakers coordinate with vessels at Sault Ste. Marie locks

Thursday, April 2, 2026USCG Mackinaw heads to Midland to assist CSL Thunder Bay departure

Wednesday, April 1, 2026Federal Nakagawa arrives in Toledo with season's first grain cargo

March 2026

Tuesday, March 31, 2026Federal Nakagawa loads grain at Toledo as spring navigation opens

Monday, March 30, 2026MV Kathy McKeil opens Thunder Bay grain port for 2026 shipping season

Sunday, March 29, 2026Mesabi Miner freed from ice in St. Marys River during season opening

Saturday, March 28, 2026Mesabi Miner departs Duluth as Soo Locks open for season

Friday, March 27, 2026Soo Locks reopen as ore carriers resume spring navigation season

Thursday, March 26, 2026Mesabi Miner and Burns Harbor depart as Soo Locks open season

Wednesday, March 25, 2026Michigan Trader becomes first vessel through Soo Locks this season

Tuesday, March 24, 2026Dirk S. VanEnkevort leads vessels queuing at Sault locks

Monday, March 23, 2026Radcliffe R. Latimer opens Welland Canal for 2026 Great Lakes season

Sunday, March 22, 2026Algoma Bear claims first St. Lawrence Seaway transit of 2026 season

Saturday, March 21, 2026Dirk S. VanEnkevort and Michigan Trader begin 2026 Great Lakes season

Friday, March 20, 2026Harvest Spirit loads first grain cargo at Sarnia for Baie Comeau

Thursday, March 19, 2026St. Lawrence Seaway opens Sunday as Martha L. Black clears ice upriver

Wednesday, March 18, 2026Steamer Alpena departs Cleveland to load cement at namesake port

Tuesday, March 17, 2026Gale warnings blanket all five Great Lakes as low pressure system advances northeast