Bulk carrier damages pier at Soo Locks after losing propulsion

摘要

A Great Lakes bulk carrier lost propulsion while approaching the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., and struck a pier separating two lock systems. The incident happened at about 0300 on July 5 as Atlantic Huron prepared to enter Poe Lock from the west. The bulker, traveling at almost 7 knots, hit the west center pier separating the north and south canals. Lt. Dan Peters, lead investigator for Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie, said Atlantic Huron's crew dropped anchor before the impact. The ship struck the pier at a "glancing angle" rather than head on, he added. The 736-foot ship "had a momentary loss of propulsion" before striking the wall, Peters said. Specifics about the propulsion fail- ure are subject to an ongoing investigation and could not be released. The Soo Locks opened in 1855. They are located in the St. Marys River at the northern end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, at the border with Ontario, Canada. Poe Lock opened in 1969, just north of MacArthur Lock. These two locks are the primary connection between Lake Superior and Lake Huron.