In January, thick ice on Lake Erie caused problems for M/V Manitoulin. On January 22, The 664 foot self-unloading bulk carrier was beset by ice outside of the Buffalo River break wall, near Buffalo, New York. The vessel was eventually freed by U.S. and Canadian ice breakers.
At 11:43 a.m. January 22, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Eastern Great Lakes received notification from the Detroit Ice Desk regarding the incident.
On January 23, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay (WTGB 102) responded from Erie, Pennsylvania. Upon arrival, Cutter Bristol Bay began breaking ice around M/V Manitoulin.
On January 24, Cutter Bristol Bay returned to Buffalo, New York, after initial ice breaking operations efforts. The same day, Canadian Coast Guard Ship Samuel Risley (CG2960) departed Windsor, Canada to assist with the effort.
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw (WLBB 30), was dispatched from Cheboygan, Michigan in case additional assistance was needed.
On January 25, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Neah Bay and CCGS Samuel Risley arrived on scene to assist Cutter Bristol Bay with ice breaking efforts.
A helicopter from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Detroit was also on-scene conducting overflights to assist in monitoring the situation.
U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Detroit deploys a helicopter crew to conduct overflights of M/V Manitoulin, beset by ice on Lake Erie, Jan. 25, 2025. (U.S. Coast Guard video by Air Station Detroit)
On the evening of January 25, cutters Bristol Bay, Neah Bay, and Samuel Risley escorted the Manitoulin through approximately 20 miles of ice from Buffalo and into open waters of Lake Erie.
Cutter Mackinaw will provide ice-breaking assistance and escort the Manitoulin to Sarnia, Canada, where it will remain for the winter season.
Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay is a 140-foot ice-breaking tug home-ported in the Detroit River. Cutter Neah Bay is a 140-foot ice-breaking tug home-ported in Cleveland, Ohio. Cutter Mackinaw is a 240-foot heavy icebreaker from Cheboygan, Michigan. All three vessels serve throughout the entire Great Lakes system.
Samuel Risley is a 229-foot ice breaking buoy tender with the capability to break ice up to 3.3 feet thick at 3 knots. The vessel is home-ported at Canadian Coast Guard Base Parry Sound in Ontario, Canada.
The U.S. Coast Guard requested assistance from the Canadian Coast Guard as part of their joint partnership to conduct ice-breaking on the Great Lakes through “Operation Coal Shovel.”
Operation Coal Shovel covers an area from southern Lake Huron, through the St. Clair and Detroit rivers, and into Lake Erie and Lake Ontario including the St. Lawrence Seaway. During the operation, U.S. and Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers work together to facilitate the navigation of vessels.
During the incident, sustained wind speeds of 16 to 20 mph and gusts as high as 38 mph were predicted in the area.
M/V Manitoulin had unloaded a shipment in Buffalo and was headed to back to port in Ontario when the incident occurred.
Manitoulin reportedly carried 17 crew members aboard and several days of provisions. During the incident, there were no reports of safety concerns for the crew or the ship.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, ice-related problems are common on Lake Erie in winter when sub-zero temperatures allow thick ice to form.
The location of the incident allowed mariners and ship spotting enthusiasts an opportunity to view and photograph ice breakers working to free the bulk carrier.
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