First Ship to Cross the St. Lambert Lock, April 1959 First Ship to Cross the St Lambert Lock April 1959 Source: St. Lawrence Seaway Authority. The Seaway was opened for navigation in 1959. The first ship to cross the St. Lambert Lock in April 1959 was the Frontenac, an icebreaker. Share this:Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)