Wilfred Sykes Opens Calcite Stone Season; Ocean7 Ranger Makes Duluth First

The 2026 Great Lakes navigation season is firing on all cylinders this week. The *Wilfred Sykes* loaded stone at Calcite, Michigan, on Friday—the first cargo of the year from that port—before moving to Port Dolomite for additional cargo. The vessel was spotted earlier in the week at anchor in the lower St. Marys River with the *John G. Munson*, both preparing for what promises to be an active spring and summer. Meanwhile, the *Ocean7 Ranger*, a Liberian-flagged heavy-lift ship operated by Germany's Hammonia Reederei, became Duluth's first saltie of 2026 when she transited the Aerial Lift Bridge at 7:32 a.m. on April 8. The 10,500-ton vessel completed a 52-day voyage and arrived with 33 pieces of project cargo destined for the Clure Public Marine Terminal—no small feat given this year's notably short winter closure of just 69 days, from mid-January through late March. Water levels across the Great Lakes remain favorable for early-season traffic. Lake Erie sits 2.40 feet above Low Water Datum, while Lake Ontario measures 2.81 feet, the highest readings among the system. Superior, Michigan, and Huron all hover around 1.0 to 1.11 feet above datum. High pressure centered over the lakes is keeping conditions tranquil through the weekend, with light winds and modest wave heights—1 to 3 feet depending on location—ideal for loading operations and transits. Looking ahead, the *S.S. Badger*, the last coal-fired steamship operating in the United States, will kick off her Lake Michigan season on May 15, with a special film premiere in Manitowoc two days later celebrating her storied role in Great Lakes maritime history. Meanwhile, state legislatures across the region are advancing clean energy initiatives, including balcony solar programs that could reshape how Great Lakes communities power their waterfront communities for decades to come.