Oberstar Introduces Bill to Build Great Lakes Icebreaker by Oberstar.org Staff Appearing in Oberstar.org on 2009-04-17. Late last month, Congressman Oberstar introduced a bill to build another icebreaker to assist the Mackinaw, currently the largest icebreaker on the Great Lakes. The bill is aimed not only at opening shipping lanes for the transport of goods, but also at ensuring vessel operators feel comfortable sending their ships at either end of the season without enduring the damage and delay ice can bring. During the spring of 2008, U.S.-flag vessels operating on the Great Lakes suffered more than $1.3 million in damages to their hulls because the Coast Guard did not have sufficient assets to keep the shipping lanes open. While Oberstar has been pushing for a new icebreaker on the Lakes for some time, the announcement came amid reports of a lackluster start to the Great Lakes shipping season. Given the industries of Northeastern Minnesota and the importance of the shipping industry to Duluth and Two Harbors, Oberstar said, it is crucial that the federal government help in preventing a slowdown in Great Lakes shipping. “During the 2006-2007 winter season, transportation of 10,400,000 tons of iron ore on the Great Lakes supported 100,000 jobs at Minnesota and Michigan iron ore mines and lower lakes steel mills and 300,000 jobs at supplier industries,” Oberstar said on the floor of the House. “U.S. industries in the heartland of the United States are totally dependent on Great Lakes icebreakers to keep them supplied with raw materials during the winter months. Without them, steel mills would shut down for want of iron ore.” Oberstar said the creation of the new cutter would also create jobs at U.S. shipyards and related supplier industries at a time when the U.S. is losing some 600,000 jobs per month. “Think of these icebreakers as the snow plows for Great Lakes shipping,” Oberstar said. “It is the federal government’s responsibility to keep these marine highways open so the needs of the public can be met.”

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