On June 23, the keel was laid for the Interlake Steamship‘s new Great Lakes bulk carrier at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, WI. The 639 ft-long, 28,000-tonne Lake-Class self-unloading bulker is the first US flag self-propelled bulk carrier to be built in the Great Lakes in 35 years.
The ship’s name was revealed by Interlake chairman James R Barker who named it Mark W Barker, after his son. Barker said: “This ship is more than the steel assembled here by Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding.
“This ship represents Interlake’s determination to be an active and responsible participant in all aspects of Great Lakes trade.
“This ship is being named for my son, Mark W Barker, to recognize the many contributions that he has made to the company, the industry, and to our community. In addition, this naming reflects the successful management team that he has put together.”
The new construction bucks a trend away from self-propelled lakers toward Articulated Tug Barges (ATB). The most recent large ATB built on the Great Lakes was the Clyde S. VanEnkevort/Erie Trader (ex-Ken Boothe Sr./Lakes Contender.) The 740-foot self-unloading barge Erie Trader and the 135-foot tug Clyde S. VanEnkevort entered service in 2012. ATBs tend to operate with smaller crews.
Interlake Steamship currently operates a fleet of nine self-unloading vessels, including one ATB, ranging in carrying capacity from 24,000 to 68,000 gross tons, and has a total trip capacity of 390,360 gross tons. Interlake carries approximately 20 million tons of cargo annually.
More than one:
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Dr. Mark W. Baker is licensed as a clinical psychologist and marriage and family therapist and is the executive director of La Vie Counseling Centers in Pasadena and Santa Monica, California