SAULT STE. MARIE — The Great Lakes will see some earlier shipping activity this year as the Soo Locks will open earlier than normal when the Poe Lock opens for the season on Friday at 8 a.m.

Normally, the Soo Locks close for the winter months on Jan. 15 and open March 25 for yearly maintenance, but this year will be different.

The shipping industry requested an early season opening based on the understanding that “the 2025 winter lock maintenance will be completed by this date and an early opening will not impact U.S. Army Corps operations this season,” said Lake Carriers’ Association President James Weakley in a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers press release. “Opening the Soo Locks on March 21 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,”

During the 10-week winter shutdown, maintenance crews and other contractors perform various tasks and repairs to ensure that the locks are operating at full capacity.

According to the American Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau website, more than 70 million tons of cargo pass through the Soo Locks annually, which makes the them a vital part of North American commerce.

“We welcome visitors into the park for the 2025 Soo Locks season opening,” Chief Park Ranger Michelle Briggs said. “The park and viewing platform will open at 7:30 a.m. 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.”

For more information on the 2025 opening ceremony, visit https://www.facebook.com/ilovethesoo for a comprehensive look at the day’s activities.