You will have to find other ways to cross Lake Michigan this summer than the usual car ferry between Manitowoc and Ludington. The SS Badger announced Tuesday that the car ferry business will not travel for the rest of the season.
A failure of the counterweight structure on the port side of the Badger’s ramp system used to load and unload cars collapsed into the water on July 21st in Ludington. The extensive damage to the ramp system prevents Lake Michigan Carferry (LMC) from resuming the operation of its SS Badger in 2023.
President Mark W. Barker of Interlake Maritime Services, the parent company of the LMC, says “We have made the difficult, and unfortunately unavoidable, decision to suspend our daily crossings for the remainder of the season. 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 SS Badger was celebrating its 70th season this year and had recently restarted night sailing journeys in July after a three-year hiatus.
