Posted on 07/28/2022 9:15:38 AM PDT by texas booster
Nearly three years after the first cut of steel for the first Great Lakes freighter in nearly 40 years, the 639-foot M/V Mark W. Barker embarked on her maiden voyage today from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding.
“This is a monumental day for our company and the US flag fleet as our much-anticipated freighter departs on her first voyage in what will be a long life of service on the Great Lakes,” says Mark W. Barker, President of The Interlake Steamship Company and namesake of the vessel – the company’s first new build since 1981. “The construction of this vessel, which was made from steel manufactured in Indiana, from iron ore delivered by vessel from Minnesota, reinforces our long-term commitment to shipping and delivering essential cargoes for our customers throughout the region.”
The M/V Mark W. Barker departed the Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin shipyard at 10:36 Eastern time for her 110-mile journey to Port Inland, Michigan where her crew of 21 professional mariners will load stone to deliver to Muskegon, Michigan. Once delivered, that stone cargo will go into ready-mix concrete production.
“This new vessel not only brings with it additional cargo carrying capacity and capabilities, it is the most versatile in our fleet and strategically sized to navigate into nearly any port on the Great Lakes,” says Brendan P. O’Connor, Vice President of Marketing and Marine Traffic. “The M/V Mark W. Barker will give us unmatched ability for cargo operations and to carry unique project cargoes because of both her square-shaped cargo hold and larger hatch openings. She truly was designed to be a vessel for the future.”
Under construction since August 2019, the M/V Mark W. Barker was built by hundreds of dedicated workers at the Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, shipyard.
“We couldn’t be prouder to add this skillfully constructed vessel to our growing Interlake fleet,” says Barker, who was at the shipyard this week to personally wish the best to the ship’s crew fitting out the new vessel. “It has been genuinely inspiring to see the dedication and workmanship from all of those involved in this multi-year project, from the design, construction, final outfitting and successful sea trials. We are thrilled to add our newest US-crewed, US-built and US-owned vessel to the Great Lakes fleet.”
Kind of small for a lake freighter. Some of them are over 1000 feet long.
California is awful thirsty right now and they would love to drain the lakes so they can grow lettuce and melons in the desert.
Bookmark
You guys should actually get started electing a state government that will develop all the local water infrastructure you need. If you can’t do that, I doubt you could manage the engineering to get the water from the Great Lakes.
Sorry California.
You bring up a good point. The Keystone XL was supposed to run from Alberta to the gulf coast to pump crude oil. Thanks to biden’s handlers that has been shelved, but the technology exists where a pipeline could be built from Michigan to California to move water there. It can be done, but will never be done. Too many greenie weenies.
Soon to be seent in Duluth...
We expect a photo and full report.
People always think that California wants to pipe the Great Lakes back home, but in order to do so they're going to have to cross the Mighty Mississippi River to do it.
Methinks that the pipeline builders moving East from California will just stop at the Mississippi River and use it to fill their pipeline.
Plus with the engineering involved, might be cheaper to really just redevelop local water sources.
“As big ships go, she was bigger than most.”
Some have been named for insurance company presidents.
They have taken on cold millions,
That they never toiled to earn,
But without our brain and muscle,
Not a single wheel can turn,
We can break their haughty power,
Gain our freedom when we learn,
Their hatred makes us strong!
This boat is designed to serve River customers.
“Does anyone know where the love of God goes?”
You mean like when the waves turn the minutes to hours? One can only wonder.
Sadly, it might be another 40 years before another is built because we lost the pro economy and pro manufacturing Trump and got the economic destroyer Biden.
I didn’t know that, but if most of the shipping companies are locally owned, no reason why not.
I still wish that there was a law that kept buildings and projects from being named after living politicians ...
(There is but it is completely ignored, especially by Rats.)
Off topic, but...CA could build passive evap desalination plants and have plenty of water for drinking and ag uses, with sea salt as a byproduct. Think liferaft survival water units, writ large. They won't.
Maybe if you ran a long hose from the Great Lakes to California and sucked really hard you could get a siphon going. I’ll bet the VP could do it...
Climate change. /rimshot
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