LUDINGTON, MI – The S.S. Badger is done for the season.
Lake Michigan Carferry, which owns and operates the 70-year-old vessel on Lake Michigan, said Tuesday that damage to its ramp system will force an early end to its 2023 sailing season.
The ramp, which is used to load and unload the ship malfunctioned when one of the lifting structures collapsed into the water on July 21. LMC says a failure of the counterweight structure on the port side of the Badger’s ramp system occurred.
Underwater divers, marine construction contractors and an engineering firm were quickly engaged but over the last week, but the company said “it became clear that the necessary repairs were extensive and would take months to clear the collapsed structure and erect a new one.”
Cross-lake service from Ludington to Manitowoc, Wisconsin was suspended with the goal of returning in a few weeks, but that won’t be the case.
“We have made the difficult, and unfortunately unavoidable, decision to suspend our daily crossings for the remainder of the season,” says Mark W. Barker, President of Interlake Maritime Services, parent company of the Lake Michigan Carferry.
“This is not how we hoped our 70th season would end but we are fully committed to making the extensive repairs – and doing it the right way – so that we will be back better and stronger in 2024 to serve our loyal passengers and port communities.”
The 70th season had included the return of overnight sailings known as doubles for the first time in three years. The overnight trips offer passengers a chance to view the night sky, stars, and sunsets as a part of the route to their destination.
Passengers with reservations will receive full refunds. They will be contacted individually in order of their reservation date.
LMC also said it’s working to keep as many of its seasonal staff working as possible in Ludington and through other employment opportunities in the Interlake family of companies.
“While an amazing amount of work has been done in last 11 days and an incredible effort has been made by all of our employees and key partners on the Lakes, this is a very complicated process and one that will not be complete in time to resume service this season,” said Sara Spore, General Manager of Lake Michigan Carferry.
“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and disruption in plans. We know that our passengers and our port communities of Ludington and Manitowoc rely on the Badger. We thank them for their support, patience and understanding as we tackle this unexpected and disappointing end to our season.”
She also asked that people respect the fencing around the dock area in Ludington as an active work site.
In addition to being a unique experience, the S.S. Badger provides a significant economic boon to Ludington and Manitowoc due to passengers that arrive in both coastal cities.
The vessel, which was the last coal-powered passenger steamer operating in the United States, is a designated a National Historic Landmark built in 1953 by Christy Corp. in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., for C&O Railway Co.
It once carried railcars between Ludington and Manitowoc on an extension of US-10 across the lake and can now accommodate 600 passengers and 180 vehicles, including RVs, motorcycles, motorcoaches, commercial trucks and oversized vehicles.
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