Coast Guard Begins 2026 Operation Coal Shovel
by U.S. Coast Guard PO3 Dillon Grimsley
January 7, 2026 U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit commenced Operation Coal Shovel to prevent newly formed ice from hindering commercial vessel traffic on January 2, 2026.
Operation Coal Shovel is a domestic ice-breaking operation with an area of responsibility spanning from southern Lake Huron to the St. Clair-Detroit River system and into Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, including the St. Lawrence Seaway. 
The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Neah Bay (WTGB 105), homeported in Cleveland, Ohio ... is set for ice-breaking operations again in the western bay of Lake Erie during Operation Coal Shovel of 2026 as it did on January 25, 2025. The Neah Bay assisted Sector Detroit throughout last year's icebreaking season. (Image created by USA Patriotism! from U.S. Coast Guard courtesy photo by Cutter Neah Bay.)
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U.S. and Canadian Coast Guard icebreakers work together in these waterways as conditions worsen throughout the winter to ensure the ability to conduct Search and Rescue and flood mitigation and facilitate navigation to meet the reasonable demands of commerce.
Additionally, other emergency operations include opening channels to icebound communities or breaking ice for the vessels that serve them to ensure the critical supply of food and heating oil and access to medical assistance is maintained.
Sector Detroit provides command and control for Operation Coal Shovel and may place restrictions or close waterways as ice conditions dictate. Due consideration is given to the need for cross-channel traffic such as ferries and the safety of island residents, who use naturally formed ice bridges for transportation to and from the mainland.
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. Furthermore, phone conferences are conducted regularly with maritime shipping company representatives to coordinate ice-breaking services and facilitate the movement of commercial vessels.
The Coast Guard recommends all recreational ice users plan their activities carefully, including exercising caution, carrying a reliable means of communication, wearing proper clothing to prevent hypothermia and avoiding shipping channels. U.S. Coast Guard | U.S. Coast Guard Academy | Coast Guard Gifts | U.S. Department of Homeland Security | |
