Goderich welcomes first ship of 2026 shipping season to port

The first ship of the Great Lakes shipping season arrived in Goderich Monday morning. Here’s Scott Miller with a recap of the top hat ceremony.

Goderich’s mayor set the ceremonial top hat on the head of Capt. Joe Costello, who takes this year’s distinction, as captaining the first ship to enter Goderich’s port and kicking off the 2026 shipping season.

“It’s always one of my favorite days of the year. You know, this is my third one as mayor. We’re happy that the seaway is open. The Great lakes is a big component of the town of Goderich and what we do here,” said Goderich Mayor Trevor Bazinet.

Technically the Algoma Intrepid isn’t the first ship to enter Goderich’s port this year. Shipping lanes in Lake Huron and Lake Michigan have remained largely open throughout the winter, but until the Welland Canal opens, which happened on Sunday, and the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie open on Wednesday, ships cannot traverse the entire Great Lakes.

Monday’s first ship ceremony is as much ceremonial as anything.

“This signifies the 94th top hat ceremony taking place in the Port of Goderich. It was a tradition that was started in 1932,” said Goderich Port Management Corporation President Frank Hurkmans.

Ships have been able to continue travelling Lake Huron and Lake Michigan because of the yeoman’s work of Canadian and American ice breakers. Lake Huron reached more than 80 per cent ice coverage in early February and March.

Although it’s been slow going at times, shipping has become a nearly year-round activity in Goderich, which did lead to more ships docking in Huron County last year.

“In 2025 we saw 194 vessels in Goderich, that’s up 25 vessels from 2024. And we’re anticipating that kind of growth again in 2026,” said Hurkmans.

With a $3 million project to create more storage at Goderich’s port lands to be completed this year, and big plans for a $65 million expansion that would see 11 acres of Lake Huron filled in to make even more Goderich port lands, Hurkmans sees traffic at Goderich’s port growing exponentially in the decades to come.

“We really believe that, as Canada gets its supply chain strategy sorted out and trade diversification, that we will be a backstop to relieving congestion at some of the major ports throughout the seaway corridor,” said Hurkmans.

But Monday was about one ship. The Algoma Intrepid that will undergo some repairs while in port before picking up a load of salt, bound for Milwaukee, WI. in two weeks.

Costello won’t get to keep the ceremonial top hat, but he’ll have bragging rights as the ship that kicked off Goderich’s 2026 shipping season – and town officials hope it will ne a big one.