An ice-breaking operation is officially underway on the Detroit River.
Coast Guard Sector Detroit commenced Operation Coal Shovel on Friday to prevent formed ice from hindering any commercial vessel traffic on the waterways.
Operation Coal Shovel is an ice-breaking operation that spans from southern Lake Huron, to the St. Clair-Detroit River system, into Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and into the St. Lawrence Seaway.
Coast Guards from the United States and Canada work together in these waterways to break the ice to ensure the ability to conduct Search and Rescue missions, flood mitigation, and facilitate navigation to ensure ships can pass through.
As the 2026 Operation Coal Shovel season begins, Coast Guard Sector Detroit and the Canadian Coast Guard will continue to monitor potentially hazardous conditions and conduct ice-breaking operations throughout the Great Lakes.