January 9, 2018 -

The Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation reports that this morning, all commercial vessels cleared the U.S. locks for the navigation season. As of Sunday night, three of the five vessels waiting to depart the U.S. sector of the Seaway System, the MITIQ, the BEATRIX, and the BILLESBORG, successfully transited the U.S. Snell Lock. Late last night, all three vessels arrived safely in Montreal. Earlier this morning, the remaining two vessels, the FEDERAL BISCAY and the PACIFIC HURON, safely transited Snell Lock and are now underway towards Montreal assisted by the Canadian Coast Guard ice breaker, MARTHA L. BLACK, and accompanied by two tug boats. All transits through Snell Lock were completed without incident.

There are no commercial vessels remaining in the U.S. sector of the Seaway and that sector is officially closed for the 2017 navigation season. Once all the vessels have departed the Canadian sector of the Seaway through the Canadian St. Lambert Lock, the entire Montreal/Lake Ontario section of the Seaway will be closed for the season.