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The Soo Locks are fully functional again.
The MacArthur Lock in Sault Ste.Marie had been shut down for maintenance since July 29th, but was reopened earlier this week.
The problem centered around the lock’s gates, which were not closing correctly.
The original estimate for the repairs was 10 days, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District said the heavy work and complicated repairs forced the closure to be twice as long.
During this time, ships traditionally traversing the MacArthur Lock were routed through the Poe Lock.
103 ships were delayed a total of 166 hours at the locks because of the project.
Additional delays were experienced by the shipping companies as they slowed down in the system or were holding at dock facilities to minimize the time they waited at the Soo Locks facility.
