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The 2025 Great Lakes shipping season begins Friday when the larger of two locks in Sault Sainte Marie, Mich. opens. Ships will soon be on the move to and from Lake Superior ports, including Duluth, Superior, Two Harbors and Silver Bay.

The Michigan locks have been closed since Jan. 16 to allow the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers a chance to complete maintenance, something they do annually for about 10 weeks during the winter. During this time, ships are unable to carry cargo between Lake Superior and the other Great Lakes.

The maintenance finished ahead of schedule so the larger of the locks will open for the season on Friday morning — four days earlier than planned.

The Poe Lock, the larger one opening later this week, and the MacArthur Lock, which will open in April, make up the Soo Locks facility which is the gateway to Lake Superior. These locks see more than 4,500 vessels and 80 million tons of cargo annually. 

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The 2025 Great Lakes shipping season will open Friday when the Poe Lock in Michigan opens. Ships will soon be on the move to and from Lake Superior ports, including in Duluth, Superior, Two Harbors and Silver Bay.

The saltie Federal Margaree passes under the Aerial Lift Bridge

2025 Great Lakes shipping season starts this week. Duluth will see ships soon

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