SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. — The Great Lakes shipping season has begun with the opening of the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said the locks started operating for the 2014 season on Tuesday. The locks are part of the St. Marys River system that links Lakes Superior and Lake Huron.

The locks closed for the winter on Jan. 15, and the Corps says they’ve undergone repairs during the shutdown.

It said the Poe Lock now is operating, while the MacArthur Lock alongside it will continue undergoing maintenance for several weeks.