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Mark W Barker News

03 Aug 2023

Lake Michigan Carferry's SS Badger Out for the Season

SS Badger (Photo: Interlake Maritime Services)

A historic Great Lakes car and passenger ferry will be sidelined the rest of the season due to damages it suffered in July. Lake Michigan Carferry said Tuesday that the SS Badger's daily crossings between Ludington, Mich., and Manitowoc, Wis., have been suspended indefinitely.“We have made the difficult, and unfortunately unavoidable, decision to suspend our daily crossings for the remainder of the season,” said Mark W. Barker, president of Ohio-based Interlake Maritime Services, parent company of the Lake Michigan Carferry.

17 May 2023

US' Newest Great Lakes Freighter Runs Aground

(Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

The newest Great Lakes freighter in the U.S. registered fleet has run aground in the Detroit River off Belle Isle, the U.S. Coast Guard said.The 639-foot self-unloading bulk carrier Mark W. Barker was headed toward Lake St. Clair from Cleveland when it lost propulsion and ran soft aground at 8 a.m. on Wednesday. The ship, which is carrying 21,000 metric tons of salt, was due to arrive in Milwaukee on Friday.The Coast Guard said planning is underway to refloat the ship and determine what caused it to run aground. No injuries, pollution or damage has been reported.

28 Nov 2022

Marine News' Top Vessels of 2022

Mark W. Barker (Photo: Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding)

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted the most notable newbuilds delivered in 2022. From sturdy and nimble workboats, to the first new Jones Act laker in a generation, each vessel on display showcases the industry’s engineering prowess and technological ingenuity, with the focus on improving efficiency in operations. The maritime industry has no shortage of challenges to overcome, and each of Marine News’ top vessels will, in one way or another, aid efforts to tackle them.Mark W.

12 Oct 2022

“Welcome to a Dying Industry (1988)”

Photo copyright Greg Trauthwein

While pundits have long proclaimed the U.S. maritime industry dying or dead, the recent delivery of Great Lakes laker Mark W. Barker suggests an innovative future instead.Jacksonville Shipyard was a well-known repair yard that was particularly well known for servicing the Jones Act tanker fleet and Gino Ferrari was its New York representative. Each Christmas season Gino hosted a reception at the Four Seasons restaurant for tanker Owners.Gino Ferrari was a close friend of the company and my father always received an invite.

02 Sep 2022

Interlake Steamship Christens First New US-flagged Laker in Nearly 40 Years

(Photo: The Interlake Steamship Company)

The Interlake Steamship Company held a christening ceremony in Cleveland on Thursday for its new vessel, Mark W. Barker, the first U.S.-flagged freighter built on the Great lakes in nearly four decades.“This is truly a historic celebration for our company and for the United States maritime industry as we proudly christen the newest vessel to join the U.S. flag fleet on the Great Lakes and our first new build in 41 years,” said Mark W. Barker, President of The Interlake Steamship Company and the vessel’s namesake.

27 Jul 2022

US' First Modern Laker Begins Maiden Voyage

(Photo: The Interlake Steamship Company)

The newly built Mark W. Barker, the United States' first new Great Lakes bulk carrier in nearly 40 years, has embarked on its maiden voyage from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wis.“This is a monumental day for our company and the U.S. 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,” said Mark W. Barker, President of The Interlake Steamship Company and namesake of the vessel—the company’s first new build since 1981.

08 Jul 2022

First Modern US-built Laker Begins Sea Trials

(Photo: The Interlake Steamship Company)

The Interlake Steamship Company said its new vessel, the Mark W. Barker, departed from Sturgeon Bay, Wis. shipyard Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding last week for the first stage of underway testing.The 639-foot-long vessel is the first new Great Lakes bulk carrier to be built in the U.S. in nearly four decades.The builders trial marks the first time the ship has sailed under its own power. Personnel from Fincantieri and Interlake are on board for the trials.“This is the beginning of a process that has several stages. It’s the pretest to the test so to speak,” said Mark W.

11 Mar 2022

2022 US Shipbuilding Report

Gladding Hearn is currently building four pilot boats, including a 70-foot pilot boat for the Galveston Pilots. (Photo: Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding)

It’s a common story in the U.S. shipbuilding industry today. A piece of equipment that used to be available for delivery on short notice—maybe in one or two weeks—now must be ordered months or more in advance, and it costs double. Add to this rising steel prices and the labor issues that have pervaded nearly all industrial sectors since the early days of the pandemic, and it’s clear that business is far from usual for American shipyards.Bollinger Shipyards president and CEO, Ben Bordelon…

28 Oct 2021

New US-flagged Laker is First to Be Launched in Nearly 40 Years

(Photo: The Interlake Steamship Company)

A ceremony held at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding on Thursday marked the launch of the first U.S.-flagged Great Lakes bulk carrier to be built in nearly four decades. The 639-foot Mark W. Barker, currently under construction for Ohio-based The Interlake Steamship Company, was floated in the large drydock at the Sturgeon Bay, Wis. shipyard.“Today is truly gratifying for our company to commemorate the first time the completed hull of our new ship has touched water,” said Mark W. Barker…

26 Jan 2021

US Maritime Industry Praises Biden's 'Buy American' Order

President Joe Biden signs the Strengthening "Buy American" Provisions, Ensuring Future of America is Made in America by All of America’s Workers executive order (Photo: The White House)

President Joe Biden on Monday signed an executive order aiming to use government spending to strengthen domestic manufacturing and create markets for new technologies, in a move widely praised by America's maritime industry.The executive order, titled Strengthening "Buy American" Provisions, Ensuring Future of America is Made in America by All of America’s Workers", calls for increasing the amount of U.S. content that must be in a product for it to be considered made in America under existing "Buy American" requirements.

31 Dec 2020

Interlake Acquires Two Great Lakes Vessels

(Photo: Interlake Holding Company)

Interlake Holding Company announced today the purchase of the assets of Pere Marquette Shipping Company and Lake Michigan Car Ferry Company in an acquisition that includes two working Great Lakes vessels, the articulated tug-barge Undaunted-Pere Marquette 41 and the historic passenger-and-car ferry S.S. Badger.The acquisition signals the creation of a new business entity, Interlake Maritime Services, which will manage the new businesses along with The Interlake Steamship Company…

30 Dec 2020

Video: Interlake Steamship's New Laker Floated Out

(Photo: The Interlake Steamship Company)

The first new U.S.-flagged Great Lakes bulk carrier to be built in more than 35 years was launched at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wis. on December 17.Scheduled for completion in mid-2022, the Interlake Steamship Company's new River-Class, self-unloading bulk carrier Mark W. Barker is believed to be the first ship for U.S. Great Lakes service built on the Great Lakes since 1983.Measuring 639 feet long, 78 feet wide and 45 feet tall, with a deadweight of 28,000 tons…

24 Jun 2020

Video: Keel Laid For First New US-flag Laker in Decades

(Photo: The Interlake Steamship Company, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding)

A keel laying ceremony on Tuesday marked the official start of assembly on the first new U.S.-flagged Great Lakes bulk carrier to be built in more than 35 years.During the ceremony held by The Interlake Steamship Company and Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, (FBS) the keel was laid within the shipyard’s large graving dock in Sturgeon Bay, Wis. following more than nine months of engineering and prefabrication work of its modular sections by the FBS team.Though the build project is already well underway…

16 Mar 2020

Winter Work on the Great Lakes

(Photo: Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding)

Along the 1,600-mile, ice gray arch of the St Lawrence Seaway, the 2020 Great Lakes commercial shipping season will lurch back to life on March 25 when the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. reopen.The ceremonial opening signals a passage with passable ice and the 114th Great Lakes season for its fleet of 45 venerable lakers. Most of these huge self-loading freight haulers are at least 50 years old, rust free, and fit; American steel sailing on a freshwater sea.To handle Great Lakes cargo…

15 Aug 2019

Bay Shipbuilding Cuts Steel on Great Lakes Freighter

Photo: Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding

The U.S. Great Lakes freighter fleet are well-renowned for being a 'mature' group of ships, a point magnified yesterday when Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding started construction on the first U.S.-flagged Great Lakes bulk carrier built in more than 35 years. The shipyard and the owner, The Interlake Steamship Company, hosted a ceremonial first-cut-of-steel event Wednesday, August 14, signalling the start of construction.The new River-Class, self-unloading bulk carrier is believed to be the first ship for U.S. Great Lakes service built on the Great Lakes since 1983.

09 Apr 2019

Interlake Orders Great Lakes Newbuild

(Image: Interlake Steamship Company, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding)

U.S. ship owner The Interlake Steamship Company said it has ordered a new U.S.-flagged Great Lakes bulk carrier, the first to be built in more than 35 years. Measuring 639 feet in length (78 feet W, 45 feet H, 28,000 DWT), the vessel will be constructed by Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., for scheduled completion in mid-2022.The new River-Class, self-unloading bulk carrier is reportedly the first ship for U.S. Great Lakes service built on the Great Lakes since 1983.The Interlake Steamship Company…

30 Apr 2018

Interlake Charters Barge for Great Lakes Service

(Image: Interlake Steamship Company)

Ohio-based shipping firm the Interlake Steamship Company announced it will time charter a 418-foot, 14,400-short-ton capacity dry cargo barge from the U.S. East Coast to operate on the Great Lakes starting this spring.The single-hold covered hopper barge Montville, owned and operated by Connecticut-based towing services provider Moran Towing Corp, will be under charter through 2019 with options to extend.The time charter deal marks a first for Great Lakes carrier Interlake, whose owned fleet includes nine self-unloading vessels ranging in carrying capacity from 24,000 to 68,000 gross tons.

02 Oct 2017

Interlake Steamship Joins Green Marine

(Photo: The Interlake Steamship Company)

The Interlake Steamship Company has become the first U.S. Great Lakes ship owner to join Green Marine, a voluntary environmental certification program for the maritime industry in North America. As the largest privately held U.S.-flagged fleet on the Great Lakes, the Interlake Steamship Company is propelled by a long-term vision to make its vessels the most efficient and environmentally responsible in the shipping industry. “Green Marine certification aligns well with our strategic initiatives regarding the environment,” said Mark W.

25 Apr 2017

Nearly Half of Interlake Fleet Fit with Scrubbers

Photo: Interlake Steamship Company

The M/V Mesabi Miner has sailed from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding Company in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., becoming Interlake Steamship Company’s fourth self-unloading bulk carrier to be outfitted with exhaust gas scrubbers. Interlake became the first U.S.-flag fleet to test freshwater scrubbers on the Great Lakes in April 2015 after pioneering the emission-reduction technology on its M/V Hon. James L. Oberstar. In 2016, the company outfitted its first thousand foot vessel, the M/V James R. Barker, and its 826-foot M/V Lee A. Tregurtha in its second phase of exhaust gas scrubber implementation.

26 Sep 2016

Interlake Steamship Bulk Carrier Repowered

The newly repowered M/V Herbert C. Jackson departed Fraser Shipyards in Superior, Wis., yesterday giving a farewell salute to the Twin Ports where it has been undergoing its steam-to-diesel conversion since December 21. As the last steam-powered ship in Interlake Steamship Company’s fleet, the conversion of the Herbert C. Jackson represents the final phase of the company’s decade-long modernization program to create the most efficient, reliable and environmentally responsible fleet on the Great Lakes. The 690-foot Jackson is the fifth ship to undergo a major overhaul and Interlake’s fourth and last steam-to-diesel conversion since 2006. “After a successful repowering at Fraser Shipyards, the Herbert C.

21 Dec 2015

Final Interlake Steamship Vessel in for Repower

hoto: Dave Brendorfer

The S.S. Herbert C. Jackson made its final journey as a steamship this month when it sailed into Fraser Shipyards in Superior, Wis., where it will undergo a six-month conversion to a highly automated diesel propulsion system. As the last steam-powered ship in Interlake Steamship Company’s fleet, the Jackson is the fifth ship to undergo a major overhaul and its fourth steam-to-diesel conversion since 2006. This conversion represents the final phase of the company’s 10-year, $100 million modernization effort.

13 Jun 2016

Interlake Steamship Continues Scrubber Upgrades

M/V James R. Barker (File photo: The Interlake Steamship Company)

The M/V James R. Barker sailed Sunday from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding Company in Sturgeon Bay, Wisc., becoming Interlake Steamship Company’s first 1,000-footer and its second self-unloading bulk carrier to be outfitted with exhaust gas scrubbers. Interlake became the first U.S.-flag fleet to test scrubbers on the Great Lakes in April 2015 after pioneering the emission-reduction technology on its M/V Hon. James L. Oberstar. “Implementing this innovative scrubber system on our 1…

22 Jun 2016

Scrubbers Installed on Another Great Lakes Bulker

M/V Lee A. Tregurtha (Photo: Interlake Steamship Company)

The Interlake Steamship Company’s M/V Lee A. Tregurtha sailed today from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding Company in Sturgeon Bay, Wisc., becoming the shipper’s third self-unloading bulk carrier to be outfitted with exhaust gas scrubbers. Interlake became the first U.S.-flag fleet to test scrubbers on the Great Lakes in April 2015 after pioneering the emission-reduction technology on its M/V Hon. James L. Oberstar. Earlier this month, the M/V James R. Barker sailed as the fleet’s first 1,000-footer with scrubbers. “With the Lee A.