INTERLAKE STEAMSHIP

Ship Rechristened to Honor Former Congressman Oberstar

In his 47-year Congressional career, former Congressman Jim Oberstar has received many honors. But few are as big – literally – as the announcement that The Interlake Steamship Company will rename and rechristen one of its massive ships the MV Hon. James L. Oberstar this spring. The vessel will sail from layup in March as the MV Hon. James L. Oberstar, and will be rechristened in a ceremony at Duluth later this spring.   The ship stretches longer than two-and-a-half football fields – 805 ft to be exact – with a beam of 75 ft and a current carrying capacity of 31,000 gross tons. Built in 1959 at the American Ship Building Company in Toledo, Ohio, and later modified at Fraser Shipyards, Inc. in Superior, Wis., the vessel is currently known as the MV Charles M. Beeghly.   “It’s a big ship that will be renamed for one of the giants of Congress,” said Mark W. Barker, president of Interlake Steamship Company. “Jim Oberstar’s commitment to America in general and our region in particular is truly as big as the Great Lakes.” Barker said it is the first time one of the huge Great Lakes lakers has been named for a US legislator.   Oberstar’s tenure on Capitol Hill stretched over nearly a half century – 11 years as a senior Congressional aide and 36 years as a member of Congress

Weakley Named Next President of Lake Carriers' Association

James H.I Weakley has been selected to be the next President of Lake Carriers' Association. He will succeed George J. Ryan when the latter retires after 20 years of service on January 15, 2003. Weakley will begin serving as President-Elect of LCA on October 1 to ensure an orderly succession. "I am delighted to turn the helm over to Jim Weakley," said Ryan. "I have worked with him for more than 10 years and consider Jim ideally suited to represent U.S.-Flag shipping on the Great Lakes

India Steamship to Buy Tankers

India Steamship, a company of the K K Birla group managed out of Kolkata by C S Nopany, is planning for mega expansion, the Business Standard reported. The outfit, which is now a part of Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals, would invest $206 million for doubling its fleet of tankers. Nopany said the company had already signed a MOU with a Greek company for acquiring a ship. India Steamship had three single hull tankers at present

Tidewater To Purchase Platform Supply Vessel

Tidewater has signed a letter of intent to purchase M/V Ace Navigator from the Sanko Steamship Co. of Tokyo, Japan for $22.5 million. Constructed in October 1999, Ace Navigator is a UT 745 design platform supply vessel that is able to work in both harsh weather and deep water. Measuring 275 ft. (83.8 m), the vessel is rated at 9,600-bhp with full dynamic positioning capabilities.

Containership Agency Founder and Chairman Dies at 68

Former chairman and founder of Containership Agency, Inc., Rolf D. Hartmann, died on Sunday, March 17, 2002, at his home in Manesota Key, Fla. He was 68 years old. Originally from Bremen, Germany, Hartmann descends from long line of family ship owners and operators. His father was founder and director of F.W. Hartmann & Co., Inc., which provided steamship agency and related services, and his grandfather was Managing Director of Hansa Line of Germany.

First U.S.-Flag "Lakers" Back In Service; 52 More To Follow

The 2013 Great Lakes shipping season began on March 2 with the sailing of the tug/barge unit Prentiss Brown/St. Mary’s Conquest. The vessel, operated by Port City Marine Services, departed its winter lay-up berth in Milwaukee and sailed for Charlevoix, Michigan, where it loaded 9,200 tons of cement for delivery to Chicago. Next to get underway was the tug/barge unit Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder. The vessel, one of 10 operated by The Interlake Steamship Company, loaded about 13

Niagara Christened at Port Weller Dry Docks

The largest-ever Canadian ship built for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence was christened at Port Weller Dry Docks at the Lake Ontario entrance to the Welland Canal. CSL Niagara is the newest member of the Canada Steamship Lines fleet, and the first of three ships built by Port Weller as part of a $100 million fleet reinvestment program by CSL. Measuring 740 x 78 x 48 ft., Niagara required more than 6,000 tons of steel for construction

This Day in Naval History – April 1

1893 - Navy General Order 409 of 25 February 1893 establishes the rate of Chief Petty Officer as of this date. 1917 - Boatswain's Mate 1/c John I. Eopolucci, a Naval Armed Guard on board the steamship Aztec, died when the vessel was sunk by a German U-boat. He was the first U.S. Navy sailor killed in action in World War I. 1942 - First Naval Air Transportation Service (NATS) squadron for Pacific operations commissioned

Mississippi River Pilots Limit Large Ship Movements

According to a Feb. 2 report from Bloomberg, deep-draft ships traveling on sections of the Mississippi River in southern La. will be allowed to run only during the day because of shallow water and lack of dredging, the New Orleans Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Association said. (Source: Bloomberg)

Massport Announces "New England-Halifax Shuttle"

The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) has announced that a new weekly cargo service connecting Boston with Halifax, Nova Scotia is set to begin June 14, connecting New England businesses to 20 major steamship lines. The “New England-Halifax Shuttle,” to be operated by American Feeder Lines (AFL), will call Conley Container Terminal every Tuesday. This is the second new service to launch at the Massport facility in less than a month