For the first time in more than 35 years, a US flagged Great Lakes bulk carrier will be built thanks to an agreement recently signed between the Interlake Steamship Company and Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding. The new “river-class,” self-unloading bulk carrier is believed to be the first ship for US Great Lakes service built on the Great Lakes since 1983. When completed, the vessel will transport raw materials to support manufacturing throughout the Great Lakes region and represents hundreds of good-paying jobs for US merchant mariners and Wisconsin shipyard workers. The ship, which will be built in Sturgeon Bay, will measure 639 feet in length. The Interlake Steamship Company, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, and Bay Engineering are jointly designing the bulk-carrier, complete with advanced vessel and unloading systems automation. The vessel is scheduled for completion in mid-2022.
