After a harsh winter, the Lake Carriers' Association said that Great Lakes shipping lost 82 ship days due to icebreaking issues.
Related: Officials build small-scale model of Soo Locks in effort to address ice delays for ships
According to the Lake Carriers' Association, the 82 ship days equal about 30% of the shipping season on the Great Lakes, which lasts from late March through the next January.
Officials said that it took 96 hours after the Soo Locks opened for the year for the first vessel to clear the St. Mary's River. At one point, officials said 19 vessels were stopped for multiple days on the ice.
Watch below: Video shows scale model of Soo Locks testing ice flow
The ice season dragged on into April as Coast Guard icebreaking crews continued to work to free ships.
The president of the Lake Carriers' Association, Jim Weakley, said the problem requires America's attention.
According to data from the NOAA, the ice coverage on the Great Lakes spent much of mid-January through March above the historical average.
