The seemingly glacial ice that brought shipping on the Great Lakes to a virtual standstill last winter cost the economy more than $700 million and nearly 4,000 jobs, the Lake Carriers’ Association (LCA) reported, promting the group to to call for construction of a second heavy icebreaker to partner with the U.S. Coast Guard’s MACKINAW to keep the shipping lanes open in the harshest of conditions.
According to LCA, the winter of 2013/2014 was so brutal that U.S.-flag cargo movement between December 1, 2013 and May 30, 2014, plummeted nearly 7 million tons compared the same period in 2012/2013. At least two steelmakers had to curtail production and some powerplants were extremely low on coal. The limestone trade did not resume in earnest until well into April, and U.S.-flag lakers suffered nearly $6 million in damage trying to resupply customers. Eventually three vessels that had not been scheduled to operate last year were fit out to help overcome the shortfall in deliveries during the ice season, but the industry played catch-up the rest of the year.
h/t Mark
Pres. Obama and the Democrats have screamed that “GLOBAL WARMING” counter-measures are a priority. Cost is no object. Otherwise, the economy will collapse.
Meanwhile, in the real world, the shout out is for more ice breakers and fast. This
to save the economy of the Great Lakes shipping from collapse, due to the extra ice.
So who in the Great Lakes region wants another Democrat for President?
Raise your mitten!
All that Hot Air coming from the mouths of GREENPEACE,SIERRA CLUB,AL GORE,BARACK OBAMA,LUARIE DAVID,JOHN TRAVOLTA, and numerous other hollyweird wanks and UN reptiles
During the Ice Season?
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So now we have five,
Spring – Summer, Fall – Winter, and the Ice Season.
What say ye Globally Changey Artists?
Maybe they should bring the original Mackinaw out of mothballs to help out the “lighter duty” version they built believing the climate models.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USCGC_Mackinaw_%28WAGB-83%29
I was sailing on Lake Erie just outside of Buffalo one time and didn’t know what I was doing and the old Mackinaw was coming up on us. A launch came out and announced “Make way for the Mackinaw!” I managed finally to get that sailboat out of there, but it was kind of awesome to see from that perspective.
Wait a second…. wasn’t this just in July????? Keweenaw Point MI!?!? https://twitter.com/TillyLaCampagne/status/484776177794441216/photo/1
THE WRECK OF THE EDMUND FIZGERALD by GORDON LIGHTFOOT Big time ore freighter went down on the canadian side of LAKE SUPERIOR in November 1975 with the loss of all hands THE WITCH of NOVEMBER
That was a big wave that caught them astern and drove them to the bottom. They’re critical buoyancy had already been lost.
Sorry… their instead of “they’re”.
Three additional ships prepared and pressed into service. Once again the Marketplace moves into place with the necessary support, “to make a profit”-which will be much less cost than a government attempt. Y’all know the rescue effort may be ready next year OR the Armed Forces are re-directed from security concerns or another government program is established which will still be in place one century from now.