MANITOWOC / LUDINGTON MICH. (NBC 26) — Lake Michigan's Carferry, the SS Badger will but shut down for the rest of the season after experiencing unexpected damage to its ramp system.
Officials said in a release, on July 21, a failure of the counterweight stricter on the port side of the Badger's ramp system occurred. Underwater divers, marine construction contractors and an engineering firm quickly got to work to find a solution but over a week's time, it became clear that the necessary repairs were extensive and would take months to clear the collapsed structure and replace the ramp with a new one.
"We have made the difficult, and unfortunately unavoidable, decision to suspend our daily crossings for the remainder of the season," said 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."
Interlake Maritime Services is working to keep season staff working in Ludington, Michigan, and through other employment opportunities throughout the Interlake companies.
"While an amazing amount of work has been done in the 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 planes. We know that our passengers and out prot 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."
Spore says reservation teams are systematically issuing full refunds for passengers with reservations, and they will be contacted individually in order of their reservation date.
The S.S. Badger, which can accommodate 600 passengers and 180 vehicles, including RVs, motorcycles, motor coaches and commercial trucks, began its sailing season on May 18 and was scheduled to run daily crossings until Oct. 9.
The vessel, designated a National Historic Landmark, was built in 1953 by Christy Corp. in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, for C&O Railway Co.
