Canadian and U.S. Coast Guard crews have finally wrapped up ice breaking operations on the Great Lakes.
In 2015, there were 122 days of ice breaking, with Canada and the U.S. together completing about 3,200 hours of breaking up ice on the Great Lakes, according to Carol Launderville of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
It was a bad year for ice, but Launderville says the U.S. Coast Guard estimates icebreakers helped with 353 transits and move 23 million tons of cargo valued at $829 million during the season.
Michel Desormeaux, superintendent of the Canadian Coast Guard’s Regional Operations Centre in Montreal, said in a statement, “Ice conditions were extremely challenging again this year.
“For example, in February severe ice in southern Lake Erie prevented access to some ports, forcing icebreakers and commercial vessels to change sail plans. Both the Canadian and United States Coast Guards rose to the challenge to ensure urgently needed cargos were delivered to their destinations.”
Desormeaux added that cooperation between the two Coast Guards and the shipping industry helped ensure marine traffic moved safely through ice-covered waters and enabled a more systematic start to the 2015 shipping season.
Ashore, Canadian Coast Guard officers at the Regional Operations Centre in Montreal and at Marine Communications Centres had a vital role in facilitating the icebreaking efforts.
Icebreaking operations across southern Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario ended April 17th.
With files from The Canadian Press
