Ice gone on Lake Michigan, but shipping impacted elsewhere

Ice is gone on Lake Michigan, but ice to the north impacting shipping

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- As spring slowly arrives here in the Milwaukee area, much of the ice on Lake Michigan has melted away -- but it's still affecting the economy, for better and for worse. The ice continues to cause problems to the north on Lake Superior, and officials at the Port of Milwaukee say that's affecting business here.

The "Alpena" carried concrete into the Port of Milwaukee on Wednesday, April 16th. Here, it faced strong winds and choppy waves -- but to the north, it dealt with a far more serious problem -- one that delayed its arrival in Milwaukee.

"As you go north, the ice is pretty substantial north yet. A lot of ships are getting stuck in the ice. They`re being convoyed by the Coast Guard about three, four ships at a time," Harbor Master Wayne Johnson said.

Johnson says even though the water in Milwaukee is open, the ice up north is keeping cargo from coming and going.

"Most of our cargo comes in through the north, through the (Mackinac) Straits and the Soo Canal and they`re all iced over yet," Johnson said.

Johnson says the shipping season usually picks up in late March or early April, but much of the work that is usually underway by now is on hold.

"We`re actually behind now, also. We were expecting a ship (Wednesday) and we probably won`t see it until next week," Johnson said.

Johnson says there are some positives. Some of the ships delayed by ice have had to wait in Milwaukee.

"There is a docking fee there and with the added security, with that boat being here, it wound up making us a little more money than we anticipated," Johnson said.

As the "Alpena" arrived on Wednesday, it passed crates filled with mining equipment that haven't been able to leave -- and until work at the Port gets back in full swing, Johnson will be looking to raise money any way he can.

"I`ve got open space so if they need to come back, I`ve got open space yet," Johnson said.

For some perspective on how the ice has delayed shipping, a trip from Escanaba, Michigan in the UP to Gary, Indiana usually takes two days. This year, that trip took an entire week.