Commercial shipping traffic has been moving smoothly through lower Lake Huron and the St. Clair River this winter.
A lack of ice development has resulted in a reduced need for Canadian Coast Guard [CCG] icebreaker support locally.
CCG Icebreaking Officer Kathryn Watton said crews have been doing routine maintenance and training scenarios in the downtime.
"We are experiencing a year of lower ice levels," said Watton. "With that said, our icebreakers are available at all times for icebreaking requests and we maintain our readiness for search and rescue [assistance] and oil spill pollution response."
Watton said the CCG ship Samuel Risley was moored at Sarnia Harbour last week and the CCG ship Griffon was at its base in Amherstburg.
"The Griffon and the Risley have both been in the Detroit, St. Clair Region area," she said "We are seeing ice in the North channel and Georgian Bay areas, and once the spring breakout operations start later this year, we'll see the vessels moving to assist with icebreaking operations then."
The CCG said icebreakers are strategically positioned to cover the most critical areas to assist ships as needed, usually between December and March.
Watton confirmed there are no plans at this time to [permanently] shift resources as a result of milder winters experienced in this region.
"No. There's not been any discussions about moving the Griffon or the Samuel Risley outside of the Great Lakes area," she said. "Both of these vessels are multi task vessels and support other programs within the Coast Guard, such as; search and rescue, oil spill response, aids to navigation and the Great Lakes Science Program."
The CCG said lower Lake Huron and the St. Clair River remain open to commercial shipping traffic, regardless of ice coverage, in the winter.
While icebreaking keeps the waterways clear and open, it also helps prevent potential flooding caused by ice jams.
The CCG announced on Friday the Samuel Risley was being deployed to Northern Ontario to assist with icebreaking operations near Sault Ste. Marie this week.