Earlier Great Lakes shipping season may be a good sign for the economy

SUPERIOR (WPR) There’s an encouraging sign of a rebounding economy: the Soo Locks are opening March 21st, four days earlier than first planned this year, to allow shipping traffic to meet pent-up demand by steelmakers. 

The earlier opening date got the Coast Guard Cutter Alder out of its winter berth in Duluth, breaking ice this week in the Twin Ports.   Lieutenant Commander Mary Ellen Durley says it's a bumpy ride to break the ice, which ranges from 1-2 ft. thick.

It's rare that the Soo Locks connecting Lake Superior with the lower Great Lakes opens earlier than March 25.  U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Operations Chief Wayne Sloop says it's to meet the needs of low steel and coal stockpiles.  He says there’s been an increase in demand for product, and several businesses in low supply didn’t think they’d make it through winter and requested the earlier opening to the shipping season.

Gearing up early after a terrible 2009 shipping season when cargo numbers were the lowest since the Great Depression, cheers port officials.  Duluth Port Facilities Manager Jim Sharrow says this will help steel mills ramp up. 

Sharrow expects this shipping season will be much better than last year but believes they'll still only carry about 75 percent of cargo they handled before the economic downturn.  

--

Information from Wisconsin Public Radio, www.wpr.org