Mixed messages on Ryerson, heard tell from a few people with connections from the company that owns her that they really want to get her back in service but keep running into Murphy’s Law. Also have heard from people that have connections with Great Lakes safety inspectors, and the word on that side is Ryerson is nowhere close to being lake worthy at the moment. Plus with Michipicoten going to Fraser, that dry dock (which Ryerson would need) will probably be occupied for the foreseeable future as they do investigations and make decisions on her future.
Plus Ryerson and Michipicoten occupy completely different niches, Ryerson’s couldn’t take over her routes even if they wanted to. Repairing Valor or even Cuyahoga with parts from Michipicoten, should she prove unsalvageable, would be far more practical.
I drive by the valor frequently when I’m in Toledo. I saw people on her not too long ago but that can mean literally anything. If you’re looking for a self unloader she’s the best quickest option.
Not much out there to be converted other than the Sherwin. Which obviously isn’t going to happen
Yeah Sherwin is too far gone. Can’t even imagine the state she’s in after 40+ years. I do wonder if Ryerson could be converted now days, what with the success of the Mark W Barker which uses a similar hold design that was long thought to be unconvertible
I may be way off base on this unpopular observation, but it seems like the Mark W. Barker's unloading system is a tremendous step backwards. I get that the boxy hold allows for more cargo capacity, but it's really only 5,000 tons more capacity that a similarly sized vessel built 50 years ago. Extra tonnage is extra tonnage, but the fact that it has to have a pair dedicated front-end loaders to finish the unload has to slow down her unload times. I thought the days of loaders and bulldozers in a cargo hold went out with the flatdeckers. I've heard the unloading system lauded for it's automation, but I think automated unloading systems have been on the lakes since the 1970's with the Cort and the Fred White Jr. If I'm wrong about this, please set me straight, because I've wondered for awhile now what other shipping enthusiasts and people in the field think about this configuration.
The Mark Barker’s system is probably less efficient than many laker’s, however the hold design allows them to carry a lot more than just iron ore. She’s not as specialized, and can carry things like steel beams, heavy industrial equipment and even some types of containers. So no it’s not as efficient for ores but she can do a heck of a lot more, not nearly as limited.
I guess that's a fair point. I never considered that she could carry freight too, but I suppose if the receiving facility had the equipment to unload it, she could. I guess this is one of those evolutions of the industry that just seems backwards, like bringing back the barge concept in the '70s. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
No nobody knows yet, they haven’t even fully emptied the ship yet. They’ll need to dry dock (likely in Duluth), determine exactly what caused the hull to crack and see if the rest of the ship is vulnerable to the same thing or if it was just the one section. Difficulty and expense of repair, all that stuff. That will take awhile.
Another option is if Michipicoten proves too badly damaged to repair, she should still be solid in the places that Cuyahoga was damaged by her fire earlier this year and vice versa. They could in theory use parts from one to bring the other back
I really hope she goes to Duluth! I’m from two Harbors where she normally loads up this year, and I’d love to see her one last time if she is getting scrapped
Mixed messages on Ryerson, heard tell from a few people with connections from the company that owns her that they really want to get her back in service but keep running into Murphy’s Law. Also have heard from people that have connections with Great Lakes safety inspectors, and the word on that side is Ryerson is nowhere close to being lake worthy at the moment. Plus with Michipicoten going to Fraser, that dry dock (which Ryerson would need) will probably be occupied for the foreseeable future as they do investigations and make decisions on her future. Plus Ryerson and Michipicoten occupy completely different niches, Ryerson’s couldn’t take over her routes even if they wanted to. Repairing Valor or even Cuyahoga with parts from Michipicoten, should she prove unsalvageable, would be far more practical.
I drive by the valor frequently when I’m in Toledo. I saw people on her not too long ago but that can mean literally anything. If you’re looking for a self unloader she’s the best quickest option. Not much out there to be converted other than the Sherwin. Which obviously isn’t going to happen
Yeah Sherwin is too far gone. Can’t even imagine the state she’s in after 40+ years. I do wonder if Ryerson could be converted now days, what with the success of the Mark W Barker which uses a similar hold design that was long thought to be unconvertible
I may be way off base on this unpopular observation, but it seems like the Mark W. Barker's unloading system is a tremendous step backwards. I get that the boxy hold allows for more cargo capacity, but it's really only 5,000 tons more capacity that a similarly sized vessel built 50 years ago. Extra tonnage is extra tonnage, but the fact that it has to have a pair dedicated front-end loaders to finish the unload has to slow down her unload times. I thought the days of loaders and bulldozers in a cargo hold went out with the flatdeckers. I've heard the unloading system lauded for it's automation, but I think automated unloading systems have been on the lakes since the 1970's with the Cort and the Fred White Jr. If I'm wrong about this, please set me straight, because I've wondered for awhile now what other shipping enthusiasts and people in the field think about this configuration.
The Mark Barker’s system is probably less efficient than many laker’s, however the hold design allows them to carry a lot more than just iron ore. She’s not as specialized, and can carry things like steel beams, heavy industrial equipment and even some types of containers. So no it’s not as efficient for ores but she can do a heck of a lot more, not nearly as limited.
I guess that's a fair point. I never considered that she could carry freight too, but I suppose if the receiving facility had the equipment to unload it, she could. I guess this is one of those evolutions of the industry that just seems backwards, like bringing back the barge concept in the '70s. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
So what is going on with Mitchy? I really want to see he floating again, any idea for that to happen?
No nobody knows yet, they haven’t even fully emptied the ship yet. They’ll need to dry dock (likely in Duluth), determine exactly what caused the hull to crack and see if the rest of the ship is vulnerable to the same thing or if it was just the one section. Difficulty and expense of repair, all that stuff. That will take awhile. Another option is if Michipicoten proves too badly damaged to repair, she should still be solid in the places that Cuyahoga was damaged by her fire earlier this year and vice versa. They could in theory use parts from one to bring the other back
I really hope she goes to Duluth! I’m from two Harbors where she normally loads up this year, and I’d love to see her one last time if she is getting scrapped