MV Mark W. Barker explained

MV Mark W. Barker is a large diesel-powered lake freighter owned and operated by the Interlake Steamship Company. She is the first of the s constructed for an American shipping company.[1] [2] MV Mark W. Barker is the first ship on the Great Lakes to be powered with engines that meet EPA Tier 4 standards.[3] [4] It is the first U.S.-flagged, Jones Act-compliant ship built on the Great Lakes since 1983.[5]

Description

The vessel was built by Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.[6] Construction began in mid-2019.[7] Her self-unloader was 's boom that was taken off before the ship was scrapped.[8] The ship is 639feet long and has a 78feet beam, with a carrying capacity of .[9] [10] She is designed to carry bulk cargo such as taconite, salt, or limestone, as well as other loads like wind turbine blades.[11] MV Mark W. Barker is powered by two 4000hp, 16-cylinder EMD diesel engines.[12] In operation, she is designed for a complement of 16–17 crew.[13]

Service history

Launched in spring 2022, she became the first new American-built lake freighter since 1983, as well as Interlake's first American-built bulk freighter since 1981. The ship underwent sea trials in June and July 2022, sailing under her own power for the first time on July 1, 2022.[14] On July 27, 2022, MV Mark W. Barker began her maiden voyage to Port Inland, Michigan to load stone for Muskegon, Michigan, thus entering regular service.[15] She was christened on September 1, 2022, in Cleveland, Ohio.[16]

On May 17, 2023, she ran aground in the Detroit River near Belle Isle.[17] She was refloated shortly before 12:30pm local time. [18]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Schuyler . David . April 9, 2019 . Freighter to be built in Wisconsin shipyard will be first new U.S. flagged bulk carrier in 35 years . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201107235407/https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2019/04/09/freighter-to-be-built-in-wisconsin-shipyard-will.html . November 7, 2020 . .
  2. Web site: Blenkey . Nick . June 24, 2020 . Great Lakes bulker newbuild project marks a milestone . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220118200707/https://www.marinelog.com/news/great-lakes-bulker-newbuild-project-marks-a-milestone/ . January 18, 2022 . April 1, 2022 . Marine Log.
  3. Web site: M/V Mark W. Barker. interlake-steamship.com. 2019. 12 November 2022. November 12, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221112093038/http://www.interlake-steamship.com/fleet/view/mark-w-barker/. live.
  4. Web site: First Great Lakes-built cargo ship in nearly 40 years arrives in the Twin Ports. wpr.org. 7 September 2022. 12 November 2022. November 12, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221112103145/https://www.wpr.org/first-great-lakes-built-cargo-ship-nearly-40-years-arrives-twin-ports. live.
  5. Web site: Marine News' Top Vessels of 2022. March 30, 2023. 117th Congress (2021). November 28, 2022. marinelink.com. Marine Link. March 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230330035010/https://www.marinelink.com/news/marine-news-top-vessels-501243. live.
  6. Web site: Slater . Brady . April 1, 2022 . Meet Great Lakes' newest arrival: Mark W. Barker . April 1, 2022 . Duluth News Tribune . en . April 1, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220401154830/https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/meet-the-great-lakes-newest-arrival-mark-w-barker . live .
  7. Web site: Lofton . Justine . July 6, 2022 . First new ship built for the Great Lakes in 35 years is underway . July 26, 2022 . Michigan Live . en . July 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220717191713/https://www.mlive.com/news/2022/07/first-new-ship-built-on-the-great-lakes-in-35-years-is-underway.html . live .
  8. Web site: Mark W. Barker . April 2021 . September 13, 2022 . September 13, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220913223032/https://boatnerd.com/mark-w-barker/ . live .
  9. Web site: Slater . Brady . April 1, 2022 . Box-shaped cargo hold among new ship's unique traits . April 1, 2022 . Duluth News Tribune . en . April 1, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220401154737/https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/box-shaped-cargo-hold-among-new-ships-unique-traits . live .
  10. Web site: Mark W. Barker . April 1, 2022 . www.interlake-steamship.com . April 1, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220401154828/http://www.interlake-steamship.com/fleet/view/mark-w-barker . live .
  11. News: Phillips . Anna . June 6, 2022 . Ship pollution is rising as the U.S. waits for world leaders to act . en-US . Washington Post . June 12, 2022 . 0190-8286 . July 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220726145004/https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/06/06/shipping-carbon-emissions-biden-climate/ . live .
  12. Web site: Mark W. Barker . April 1, 2022 . www.boatnerd.com . September 30, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210930190655/https://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/MarkWBarker.htm . live .
  13. Web site: Sterrett . Craig . May 11, 2022 . Guests Tour Giant Vessels, Old and New . May 22, 2022 . Door County Pulse . en-US . May 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220512181459/https://doorcountypulse.com/guests-tour-giant-freighters-old-and-new/ . live .
  14. Web site: McCormack . Frank . June 18, 2022 . Interlake's MV Mark W. Barker Set For Sea Trials Next Week . July 26, 2022 . The Waterways Journal . en-US . July 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220709034330/https://www.waterwaysjournal.net/2022/06/18/interlakes-mv-mark-w-barker-set-for-sea-trials-next-week/ . live .
  15. Web site: Kaster . Ashley . July 27, 2022 . Great Lakes freighter departs Sturgeon Bay on maiden voyage . July 28, 2022 . WLUK - FOX 11 . en . July 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220728132852/https://fox11online.com/news/local/great-lakes-freighter-departs-sturgeon-bay-on-maiden-voyage-mv-mark-w-barker-fincantieri-bay-shipbuilding-muskegon-michigan-port-inland . live .
  16. The Interlake Steamship Company [user] . September 1, 2022 . The Christening of the Motor Vessel Mark W. Barker . Video . September 2, 2022 . . September 1, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220901172152/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WY8F-VBYYg&gl=US&hl=en . live .
  17. Web site: Freighter runs aground in Detroit River near Belle Isle . 2023-05-17 . Detroit Free Press . en-US . May 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230517152140/https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2023/05/17/freighter-runs-aground-detroit-belle-isle/70226915007/ . live .
  18. Web site: Freighter runs aground in Detroit: Live stream shows ship stuck along U.S.-Canada border . 2023-05-17 . USA TODAY . en-US . May 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230517163917/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/05/17/detroit-ship-stuck-river/70227366007/ . live .