Content
Skip to Main ContentAccessibility Help
Windsor

4 freighters freed from Great Lakes ice by U.S. Coast Guard

Several lake freighters were stuck in the ice on the Great Lakes this week, following the severe cold spell. The U.S. Coast Guard ice-breaking tugs freed three big ships in western Lake Erie, and another ship had to be helped in the St. Clair River.

U.S. Coast Guard reports 20 per cent of Great Lakes are covered with ice

CBC News ·
The motor vessel Indiana Harbor sits stuck in ice in the St. Clair River awaiting to be freed on January 2, 2018. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Neah Bay broke the vessel free later that day. (U.S. Coast Guard)

Several lake freighters were stuck in the ice on the Great Lakes this week, following the severe cold spell.

The U.S. Coast Guard ice-breaking tugs freed three big ships in western Lake Erie, and another ship had to be helped in the St. Clair River.

The Coast Guard said in a statement that Lake Erie is the shallowest Great Lake, so it's the quickest to freeze, and ice has formed rapidly with the recent cold weather.

The U.S. Coast Guard and its Canadian counterpart are responsible for keeping the waterways clear for freights and operations are coordinated out of the Coast Guard Sector Detroit.

Currently, ice coverage on Lake Erie is over 20 per cent, well above the seasonal norm of 5% for this time of year, according the the U.S. Coast Guard.

The shipping season officially ends on Jan. 15, and the Coast Guard said it will continue to break ice to ensure waterways stay clear for cargo ships.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News
Corrections and clarifications|Submit a news tip|

Related Stories