Since the Soo Locks opened on March 25th, both the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards have helped 43 ships navigate icy waters.
The U.S. Coast Guard's ice breaking fleet is not at full capacity. Two smaller ice breakers are down, and their only heavy one is unable to make it to Lake Superior due to mechanical issues.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard said all available cutters are supporting ice breaking operations. They also say cold temps and the refreezing of waterways have contributed to delays.
Leaders in the commercial shipping industry have been blasting the U.S. Coast Guard in response, calling the Great Lakes navigation system broken.
U.S. Steel said in a statement that deliveries of iron pellets have been delayed, but customer needs are still being met.
Binational commerce in the Great Lakes supports over 356,000 jobs between the U.S. and Canada and tens of billions of dollars in economic activity.
