Heavy oil use, including N6, 320 and 280 CST oil, has largely been banned from US waters since Jan 1, 2016. Sulfur in this fuel was nailed in this Obama edict.
The 1,000 footers ran Pielstick diesels for the most part. The Columbia Star and one of the Bethlehem Steel boats ran Rail Road type 2 stroke diesels.
The boats took this penalty, raised the cost of freight and removed the offending motors. BTUs in N2 diesel are about 140,000/gallon. N6 fuel had 150-152,000 BTUs.
I bought and sold millions of tons of these fuels...
Today, Interlake Steamship is the primary independent ore carrier. US Steel’s Great Lakes Fleet was sold to the CN Railroad a few years back (seemingly a violation of the Jones Act.) Columbia’s boats were sold off years earlier...
One Columbia boat, the Middletown, was a converted WW II oil tanker. She carried three battle stars.
I did not know they banned that. They keep going, they will be using steam engines again and firing with wood.
I did read an article some time ago though, where one shipping company was investigating doing just that and firing with wood pellets. Cant remember where and what publication it was now.
Its either that or going back to sail..
There are a couple small companies in Escanaba MI that are pushing them with tug boats. People have NO CLUE how important our inland waters are. River towboats alone can transport WAY more than trains can.