Great Ships Initiative launched in Duluth-Superior
The “Great Ships Initiative” — including plans for a research and development center on how to treat ballast water — was launched in July at the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. Leaders of more than a dozen major U.S. and Canadian Great Lakes ports were joined by scientists and federal officials at the ceremony at the Port Authority offices to announce the project. The initiative will include a $3.5 million research center — the first in the Great Lakes region — designed to specifically focus on developing the technology necessary to prevent the introduction of aquatic nuisance species into the Great Lakes by ocean-going ships.
Allegra Cangelosi, senior policy analyst with the Northeast-Midwest Institure, addressed the gathering at the launch of the Great Ships Initiative.

Research efforts will be based within the University of Wisconsin-Superior. The project will be co-managed by the Northeast-Midwest Institute and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, both of Washington, D.C.

An executive committee of maritime industry stakeholders will provide broad oversight for the plan. Several technical advisory committees will provide advice on topics relating to vessel engineering and biological efficacy.

Adolph Ojard, Duluth port director, noted; “Aquatic nuisance species are unwelcome hitchhikers; they are an unintended consequence of international maritime commerce. The sooner we develop technology to keep these organisms off ships, the sooner this problem will be solved.”

The Great Ships Initiative received $500,000 for its startup through the efforts of Congressman David R. Obey (D-WI) in the federal fiscal year 2005. Congressman Obey secured an equal amount in fiscal year 2006. Since then, additional funds or in-kind contributions have been provided by the following project partners:

The U.S. Department of Transportation

The U.S. Maritime Administration

The St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation

The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute

The City of Superior

The Duluth Seaway Port Authority

The Port of Milwaukee

The Illinois International Port District

The Ports of Indiana

The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority

The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority

The Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority

The Port of Toronto, Ontario

The Port of Hamilton, Ontario

Additionally, the project has received endorsements from Wisconsin Gov. James Doyle, the Great Lakes Cities Initiative, Great Lakes United, a regional conservation organization, and Fednav Limited, the largest operator of ocean shipping on the Great Lakes.

“Technologies to be researched will include ultraviolet light, filtration, deoxygenation, cavitation heat and chemical treatments, as well as newly developed techniques,” said Allegra Cangelosi, senior policy analyst for the Northeast-Midwest Institute and ballast technology demonstration project co-chair.

“To solve this problem, it will take an industry-led effort backed up by a reliable source of independent research,” added Port Director Ojard.