Update: Thursday April, 30 at 2:45 p.m.
Ships began passing through the Soo Locks about five hours after the American Century dropped its anchor while inside the Poe Lock Wednesday afternoon. No damage to the ship has been reported and the vessel was able to continue its voyage south into Lake Huron.
Officials with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers determined there was no significant damage to infrastructure. A spokesperson for the USACE told WCMU officials are deploying an underwater drone to check for other potential issues.
The U.S. Coast Guard is actively investigating the root cause of the anchor drop and have not answered a request for comment. In total, 11 ships were delayed because of the closure, according the USACE.
Original story
Shipping traffic at the Soo Locks grinded to a halt Wednesday afternoon after a ship dropped its anchor inside of the Poe Lock while trying to travel south into Lake Huron.
According to Carrie Fox, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, it’s unclear if the lock, or the Vessel, the American Century, sustained damages.
Fox told WCMU after the ship dropped its anchor shortly after 1 p.m. that it pulled its anchor back onboard before safely backing out of the lock chamber.
“There's not a set time on when the locks will reopen," Fox said.
The U.S. Coast Guard is helping the USACE investigate the anchor drop. In addition, officials are actively checking the Poe Lock for any potential damages.
“I can’t really speak to what that investigation entails,” Fox said.
As of Wednesday evening, Marine Traffic showed at least three other shipping vessels are moored around the Soo Locks.
This isn't the first round of delays for shipping vessels this season. At the start of the Great Lakes shipping season, ships experienced up to 48-hour delays due to heavy ice conditions.
Shipping leaders and economists say delays in the Great Lakes shipping industry can have negative ripple effects across several supply chains in the U.S. economy.
“I’m sure everyone involved is on target and working as hard as they can to get the Soo Locks back up and running as quickly as possible,” Fox said.
The Lake Carriers' Association did not immediately respond to our request for comment.
