US & Canada: The Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway - Closing of the 2019 navigation season
The UK P&I Club have received the following notice from the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, regarding the closing of the 2019 navigation season.
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The Seaway Corporations have been working collaboratively with stakeholders, including water flow regulators, over the past several months to identify possible measures that would support efforts to lower Lake Ontario water levels. We are reviewing conditions experienced during the 2019 season and will work with mariners to determine if options exist to sustain safe navigation at even higher flows during the 2020 navigation season. The information resulting from the efforts to explore higher water outflow possibilities from Lake Ontario will be used by the Seaway Corporations to better inform decisions on how to best manage Seaway operations next spring.
Mariners are reminded that there is always a possibility that unanticipated conditions may occur during the closing period. Should this happen, there is a chance that the dates outlined below, for the Montreal-Lake Ontario Section or the Welland Canal, may change.
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The UK P&I Club recently held a webinar on the maintenance and proper use of mooring ropes; the webinar received an overwhelming response with attendees from more than 50 countries worldwide.
We have been working with over 200 members of our correspondents network to produce a comprehensive document that outlines challenges and changes for crew changes in ports.
