Celebrate NMC's renovated harbor

TRAVERSE CITY — NMC invites the community to join a celebration marking completion of renovations to the Great Lakes Campus harbor at 2 p.m. Oct. 19. 

The $2.6 million renovation project, overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, began in fall 2013. Dredged to a depth of 16 feet, the harbor is now useable by a variety of vessels. The old riprap breakwall was replaced by a concrete pier offering ten mooring cleats to accommodate training and research vessels, including the Northwestern, the research vessel for NMC's Great Lakes Water Studies Institute, and several Great Lakes Maritime Academy vessels. It is also accessible to pedestrians. 

"The renovation of the harbor is a critical element in our long-standing strategic direction to establish national and international competencies and provide leadership in the select area of freshwater," said NMC President Timothy J. Nelson. "Having an accessible harbor will assure passage of our vessels that support our new bachelor degree in Maritime Technology and associate degrees in Freshwater Studies."

Great Lakes Maritime Academy Superintendent Jerry Achenbach credited U.S. Sen. Carl Levin for his efforts to secure the funding for the renovation.

"Sen. Levin has worked tirelessly in support of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, and the Great Lakes shipping industry. The training ship State of Michigan and the recently-renovated harbor are direct results of not only his hard work, but his interest in ensuring that Michigan residents can be trained, in Michigan, for sea-going careers on Great Lakes vessels," Achenbach said.

Originally dedicated in 1972, the harbor had most recently been updated in 2005, as part of the Great Lakes Campus construction and to accommodate the Maritime Academy's training ship, the T/S State of Michigan.

Release date: October 10, 2014

For more information:

Diana Fairbanks, Executive Director
NMC Office of Public Relations, Marketing & Communications
dfairbanks@nmc.edu
(231) 995-1019