Great Lakes Freighter Roger Blough Headed to Sturgeon Bay for Repairs

The MV Roger Blough during lightering operations, June 6, 2016. Photo: Ken Gerasimos/USCG

The damaged Great Lakes freight MV Roger Blough was cleared over the weekend to transit down the St. Marys River en route to a shipyard in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

The U.S. Coast Guard captain of the port in Sault Ste. Marie gave the all clear on Saturday for the vessel to make its way to an anchorage in Potagannissing Bay in the vicinity of DeTour Village, Michigan.

The Blough had been anchored in Waiska Bay in Lake Superior since June 4 after grounding on Gros Cap Reef May 27. Lightering operations were completed last Tuesday. During the operation, the iron ore on board the vessels was successfully offloaded onto two vessels, the Philip R. Clarke and Arthur M. Anderson, which departed the Waiska Bay anchorage to deliver the cargo to its intended destination.

The Coast Guard reports that before 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, the Blough weighed anchor from Waiska Bay and began its transit down the St. Marys River under its own power.

The Blough was escorted by the tug Candace Elise and made it through the Soo Locks early Saturday afternoon.

Coast Guard officials in Sault Ste. Marie and Milwaukee said they were reviewing the vessel’s full transit plan as it intends to make its way to the shipyard in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

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