Courtesy photo

SAULT STE – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District will open the Poe Lock, part of the Soo Locks, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan to all marine traffic at 12:01 a.m. EST on March 25, marking the start of the 2026 Great Lakes shipping season.

Federal regulation (33 CFR 207.440) establishes the operating season based on the feasibility of vessels operating during typical Great Lakes ice conditions.

“Our winter closure period is essential for conducting critical inspections, repairs and maintenance on our aging infrastructure,” Soo Locks Operations Manager LeighAnn Ryckeghem said. “The reliability of Great Lakes navigation and the momentum of the American industrial supply chain depend on getting this work done.”

The locks officially closed after the last vessel of the season transited the Poe Lock on January 15, to undergo critical repairs and maintenance during the 10-week-long winter shutdown.

Maintenance crews performed a variety of critical tasks on the Poe Lock, including underfloor cleanout and manhole inspection, a five-year periodic inspection, Gate 1 repairs, Gate 4 lifting lug installation, Gate 2 concrete repairs and applying an experimental ice shedding coating. Additional work was simultaneously completed on the MacArthur Lock.

“Project staff started work well in advance of the navigational shutdown in planning and resourcing projects, getting contract actions in place, and sequencing work to optimize the short time available for critical maintenance and repairs,” Maintenance Branch Chief Tim Bartlett said. “Due to the hard work of our crews during a near-record snowfall season, we’ve been able to accomplish the required work on time.”

“We welcome visitors into the park for the 2026 Soo Locks season opening,” Chief Park Ranger Michelle Briggs said. “The lock opening always has a great energy. People travel from all around the region to watch this distinct Upper Peninsula way to mark the changing of the seasons.”

The park and viewing platform will open at 11:30 p.m. March 24 to allow visitors to welcome the first ship from the viewing platform. The Visitor Center will also host its annual open house for the public from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on March 25.

Everyone entering the park is subject to a security search at the Soo Locks entry checkpoint. Firearms, weapons, drugs, pets and bicycles are prohibited.

For those unable to attend in person, the Detroit District will host a Facebook Live of the event at https://www.facebook.com/USACEDetroitDistrict starting at 11:55 p.m. on March 24.

The MacArthur Lock, located south of the Poe, remains closed for maintenance until additional repairs are complete.

More than 4,500 vessels, carrying up to 80 million tons of cargo, maneuver through the locks annually. Iron ore, coal, wheat and limestone are among the most frequently carried commodities. Opened in 1969, the Poe Lock is 1,200 feet long. The MacArthur Lock was opened in 1943 and is 800 feet long.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, maintains a navigation system of 81 harbors, including the Great Lakes Connecting Channels that join lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, St. Clair and Erie.