Community members for first time tour facility that helps protect the Straits
A May 24 open house at the Enbridge Straits Maritime Operations Center (ESMOC) drew hundreds to the state-of-the-art facility in the Straits of Mackinac.
Hundreds attend Enbridge open house
May 31, 2023
Michiganders have heard about it, many have read about it—and, on May 24, hundreds experienced it.
For the first time, the Enbridge Straits Maritime Operations Center (ESMOC) in St. Ignace opened its doors to the public.
The technologically advanced ESMOC is a one-of-a-kind, purpose-built facility that uses world-class maritime technology specifically designed to protect the Straits of Mackinac. It serves as the nerve center for a suite of waterway safety systems Enbridge put in place to mitigate the possibility of an anchor strike on Line 5 in the Straits.
“It was a wonderful way to connect with community members.”
—Lauren Brown, Enbridge community engagement advisor in northern Michigan and a native of St. Ignace, MI.
More than 100 guests saw firsthand how ESMOC staff monitors the Straits 24/7. They also interacted with Enbridge staff, asking questions about the ESMOC and Line 5 in the Straits, as well as seeing the many resources the ESMOC uses.
“The open house provided unique opportunity for guests to tour the ESMOC and learn about its role in the continued safe operation of Line 5,” shared Lauren Brown, an Enbridge community engagement advisor and native of St. Ignace.
“It was a wonderful way to connect with community members ─ most of whom enjoyed food provided by a local favorite, Dusty Dog Gourmet Hotdogs.”
Guests could tour the facility or simply enjoy the outdoor atmosphere, which included a display of the elite emergency equipment that Enbridge maintains, out of an abundance of caution, to ensure rapid and proactive event response.
“The ESMOC provides a wonderful near-term solution that enables the region to continue to receive from Line 5 the energy on which it relies while protecting the waterways,” said Kate Houchard, CMRP, Enbridge area manager. “The Great Lakes Tunnel, though, will be the long-term solution to bolstering energy security and enhancing protection of the Straits.”
Placed deep below the lakebed, the Great Lakes Tunnel will house Line 5, eliminating the chance of an anchor strike and a release into the Straits.
Enbridge is awaiting federal permits to begin construction of the Great Lakes Tunnel, favored by 70 percent of Michiganders.
