Great Lakes Maritime Academy Takes Ownership of Robinson Bay Tugboat

The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Group has donated the Robinson Bay tugboat to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy to help advance maritime education in the Great Lakes. The formal transfer of the tugboat was marked by a ceremony at Eisenhower Lock in Massena, New York on November 22, 2024.

The tugboat, built in 1958, will now serve as a training platform for maritime students at the academy based in Traverse City, Michigan. 

“By placing this iconic tugboat in the hands of an institution dedicated to maritime excellence, we are ensuring that the Robinson Bay remains an active part of the Great Lakes maritime community, contributing to both its legacy and its future,” said GLS Administrator Adam Tindall-Schlicht, reports ABC50 NOW. “We look forward to witnessing how the Academy utilizes this vessel to promote stewardship and education on the Great Lakes.”