SAULT STE. MARIE, MI— The Soo Locks are opening early this spring.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the Poe Lock will open to all marine traffic at 8 a.m. on March 21. That will signal the start of the 2025 Great Lakes shipping season.
The shipping industry requested an early season based on the understanding that lock maintenance would be completed by that date.
Lake Carriers’ Association President James Weakley says the March 21 opening will provide relief to the increased pressure that the Great Lakes Navigation System will face with the influx of foreign vessels—including the Canadian domestic fleet—on March 22 when the St. Lawrence Seaway opens.
