U.S. Coast Guard ice-breakers rescued two ships on the Great Lakes on Jan. 21 while clearing the way for maritime shipping, including lake freighters hauling iron ore to the Region's steel mills.

The Coast Guard's Mackinaw freed the Wilfred Sykes, a 678-foot motor vessel trapped by ice on Lake Huron. The Neah Bay assisted the American Spirit, a 1,004-foot motor vessel caught in ice on Lake Erie.

The ice-breakers conducted the rescue missions as part of Operation Coal Shovel and Operation Taconite, which ensure that iron ore and coal can be shipped across the Great Lakes, including to the hulking integrated steel mills along the south shore of Lake Michigan. They break ice on the Great Lakes to clear the way for ships but also help vessels in emergency situations, such as when they become icebound.

“Coast Guardsmen have worked from sunup to sundown to ensure the safe navigation of the ice-stricken maritime transportation system,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jeremy Tyrrell, Neah Bay’s commanding officer. “To include critical waterways like the St. Marys River, Straits of Mackinac, Green Bay and Duluth Harbors, Lake Erie’s western basin and Detroit and St. Clair river systems. Our crews and skilled mariners will continue to put in long hours throughout the Great Lakes to support the economy of the region through the winter season.”

The ice-breaking operations have been underway since December as the Great Lakes shipping season winds down. Operation Taconite spans Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, the St. Marys River, the Straits of Mackinac and the Georgian Bay, allowing lake freighters to continue to bring iron ore pellets from Minnesota's Iron Range and Upper Michigan to Calumet Region steel mills.

"Our ice-breaking cutters have been working hard since December, providing excellent service to the commercial vessel fleet and maintaining a navigable Marine Transportation System; the dedication and professionalism of our crew members is on full display with these operations,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jason Radcliffe, Great Lakes District deputy chief of waterways management.
© 2026 Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.