Ontario Shipyards , a Thunder Bay-based facility, missed an opportunity to repair the lake freighter Michipicoten after its owners, Lower Lakes Towing of Port Dover, Ontario, chose to send the ship to a shipyard in Superior, Wisconsin. The Michipicoten had sustained significant damage in June 2024 while ferrying iron ore pellets. Ontario Shipyards had offered their services to fix the vessel but was passed over. Ted Kirkpatrick, the director of business development and government relations at Ontario Shipyards , expressed disappointment, noting that they provided a competitive repair proposal. Despite the setback, the company remains open and ready to mobilize for future projects. While the Thunder Bay shipyard remains operational on a reduced scale, it recently completed repairs on another bulk carrier, the Federal Yoshino, showcasing its capability for handling complex repairs under tight timelines. Kirkpatrick is optimistic about securing more contracts for the facility in the coming months, emphasizing their readiness to tackle new maritime repair challenges.