Towns and Nature: Sturgeon Bay, WI: Interlake's New M/V Mark W. Barker

(Satellite)

I'm moving the information concerning the building the Mark W. Barker from the FBS Shipbuilding notes because I want to reference it and because the Sep 2020 version of Google's Blogspot has a serious performance problem with large posts. (Update: that is one problem with that version that they have fixed.0

This river class freighter is 639' (112m) long and 75' (23m) wide. Since it is small enough to navigate rivers, it is also small enough to use the St. Lawrence Seaway, 740' x 78' x 26.5' [Dennis DeBruler], if such a need should arise.

Mark Barker was the president of Interlake Steamship Co. when the new ship was built. Note that there already is a ship named James Barker. (James is the father of Mark and is Interlake's char. [DoorCountyPulse])

Maritime-Executive
Interlake Orders First New U.S.-Flagged Laker Since 1983
[This increases Interlake's fleet to 11 vessels. Canadian companies bought five new Lakers from China after Canada removed the 25% tariff in 2011.]

I copied photos from the 2019 annual tour because I think they have started fabricating pieces for the new ship in the building.

Bev Shaw posted ten photos with the comment:

Lance Zabrowski is at Bay Shipbuilding, Fincantieri Group. Sturgeon Bay, WI, United States ·
Bay Shipbuilding tour-the actual size is hard to describe-and pictures don't capture the massive machinery used to make these ships. Tours were given mainly by retirees with 30-40 years of service in the yard-great time, beautiful day, learned a lot, saw some awesome behind-the-scenes places that I can usually only see from outside the fence.

1
Bow Thruster
Brian Ferguson That's a baby bow thruster. Somewhere on Boatnerd there's a picture of 3-4 people in one of the Bay Ship 1000 footers.

3
Assembly/welding/burning (cutting) of sheet steel for hulls, huge! The light gray section to the right is part of the side of the hull you will see in my other pictures, and the section to the left on the floor is the bottom of the hull. This is the final assembly stage, next they will be put into the yard by the graving dock for final assembly/welding.

5
Large two sided robotic welders for making 2 layer sections of the sides of ship. You can see the 4 welders on the right side of the gantry

6
Graving dock with tug boat in for modifications that mates with a barge they are also making which you can see in the background

7
Graving dock (dry dock) 1,154 ft. x 140 ft., one of two this size in the USA. Takes 5 hours to fill with water when they are ready to send the ship out into the bay. You can see the ship sections stacked off to the right, they will be lifted into place with various cranes and assembled/welded to the other sections, one of which is on the floor of the graving dock. When the ship is completed, the structure is filled with water and the ship is floated out the back.

8
Big Blue Gantry crane, 170 ton lifting capability-Made by Manitowoc Crane. They are replacing this one in the near future.

9
Shipyard layout

10
Indoor storage/sail loft

Interlake Steamship Company posted five photos with the comment:

🇺🇸Our New Build🇺🇸
Hull 788: The M/V Mark W. Barker

Two side tank super sections have been secured to the midship unloading tunnel module in the graving dock.

It's the first visual slice of our new 639-foot ship being constructed at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsion.

Ward Posey Don’t take this wrong, only 639 feet. Why are you going smaller? This is a serious question. Thank you.
Zach Wassermann Ward Posey to compete in the cuyahoga trade. That fwd boom on a river boat is going to help the mital upper dock in Cleveland towards the end of the season when the dock is full.

Andrew Haenisch shared

5
[Note the man standing near the lower left corner.]

One of 14 photos posted by Gary Cihlar
[Look at all of the modules on the left side that are ready to be installed. And the self-unloading boom in the left side of the dock looks like it is ready for installation. It never occured to me that the dry dock would have to be wide enough to accommodate the freighter and long accessory pieces.]

safe_image for Photos: Float Out of First U.S. Built Great Lakes Bulker Since 1983
[They are freeing up the drydock for winter overhaul.]

maritime-executive
"The next phase of the construction, which will continue throughout the winter, will be focused on the vessel’s auxiliary machinery, electrical equipment, piping, and electrical wiring installations. Ashore, shipyard workers will continue building the forward hull and bow section, the loop belt casing, the accommodation structure, and the casing and funnel structural sections."

Sreenshot

M/V Mark W. Barker

Our new build being floated back into the dry dock today at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding! 

It’s her second time in the water as construction continues. She is expected to be underway in Spring 2022! 

#MadeInAmerica #ProudUSFlagFleet #JonesAct #ShippingMatters

Three photos of the ship being floated back into the dry dock.

Danny Thompson shared twelve annotated photos of the construction of the Mark W. Barker. The photos have some good views of the unloading tunnel. The boom salvaged from the Middletown/American Victory is currently stored next to the ship.

Seventeen more construction photos including interior, as well as exterior, shots.

Stephen Moore: Will this vessel be able to navigate the cuyahoga river and make stops at Cleveland Cliffs blast furnace ore dock.

Philip Ward: Stephen Moore that's what it's being built for primarily.

Rolf Sivertsen

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/.../6547723-Assembly...

Interlake Steamship Company posted fourteen photos of its May 5, 2021 status.

This video has a "talking heads" format and is a shoe commercial, but there are some interesting scenes.

Two photos of the new rudder that is 19' tall, 11' wide and weights 15 tons

This might be a launch from Fincantieri's main shipyard in Italy:
Side video, watch the waves rock the piers and boats
Stern video

6 photos of adding the final two upper and lower modules

13 photos of adding the superstructure

I reproduce the tenth photo because it also shows the Roger Blough.

And the twelfth photo because it shows adding more of the superstructure and to note the comments:
Zach Wassermann: I’m trying to fully understand why the straight decker setup for the cargo holds. I hear it’s suppose to have a remote controlled dozer and I’m assuming that is the garage it’s going to be parked in. Just not sure as to why this setup?: I’m trying to fully understand why the straight decker setup for the cargo holds. I hear it’s suppose to have a remote controlled dozer and I’m assuming that is the garage it’s going to be parked in. Just not sure as to why this setup?
Ron Norton: Zach Wassermann maximize capacity?
[Traditionally, the bottom of the inside hull for a self-unloader was V- or W-shaped so that the cargo would flow onto the self-unloader conveyor belt.]

It occurred to me to check a satellite image to see if this ship shows up yet. It doesn't. But I'm saving it anyhow since it shows a ship cut in half. According to Google Earth, this is an Oct 2013 image. That is rather old.

Satellite

8 photos of the last section of the bow being added

drone video of when the bow was being completed

2 photos of it being painted

Interlake Steamship Co. posted
[It was launched on Oct 28, 2021.]
Andrew Haenisch shared
[I saw a video, but it was a talking heads news report rather than the drydock filling up.]

Interlake Steamship Co. posted
Steven Sunde: Some one did a whoops!! Prop should be water further!! Lol
Kim Lucas: Steven Sunde they need to have Ballast in to have the prop underwater.
[Another illustration of why empty ships need to take on ballast water.]

safe_image for Freighter Ship Launched at Bayshipbuilding
By far, the best story and photos from last week's launch of our new vessel, the M/V Mark W. Barker!

The ship will ply Great Lakes waters, transporting raw materials such as road salt, iron ore, stone, sand and gypsum to manufacturers. But the ship’s unique cargo hold – a large square rather than the traditional V-shaped vessel – has been designed with the future in mind. That includes the transport of non-free-flowing bulk material such as wind-turbine blades.
“We went with a large, square hold to get more cubic and carry more tons per trip to lower our environmental impact, as well as carry some unique cargo,” Barker said.
The Mark W. Barker is adding capacity and not replacing any of the other nine lakers currently in Interlake’s fleet. Steel demand is strong, the aggregate business continues to grow and demand will increase for the carbon-efficient form of waterborne transportation.
[DoorCountyPulse]

DuluthNewsTribune
Aerial photo of the new Mark W. Barker, left, after it was floated at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021. Contributed / Interlake Steamship Company

Screenshot, a presentation with a professional voiceover starts at 0:35 and include some shots of the drydock being flooded. This was not the first time the ship went from land to water. It is the first time it has been pulled out without the intention for it to go back in for more building. The hull was pulled out at the beginning of the 2020-21 Winter to free up the dry dock for Winter layover repairs of other ships. It will go to another berth at the yard for more interior work.

Just a few days after the freighter left the dry dock, Interlake's ferry, SS Badger, arrived for a 5 year inspection and repaint.

Interlake Steamship Company posted nine photos with the comment: "A little tour of our new 639-foot M/V Mark W. Barker in the final stages of outfitting at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding."

Bill Jake LaLonde: I was Mark’s QMED back in 1996 on the Charles M Beeghly when he got out of school. He was the 3rd Assistant engineer. Glad his dad made him sail on the lakes , instead of just giving him an office job right out of school! He was a great guy when I worked with him!

Brian Taylor: I hope she’s going to get the same horn configuration that James has!!

Scott Anderson: Brian Taylor Six giant Kahlenbergs in formation baby......

Lynn Hoeppner: Brian Taylor The Barker Family bark!

Andrew Haenisch shared

2
Tim Walter: They are two stoke engines. They are 16-710s make something like 4000-4500 hp each. [EMD designed, CAT built]

3
Steven Cummings: Allen Bradley ControlLogix PLC's and a Centerline MCC...current state of the art.

4
[Some comments call this the belt tunnel. I think that is the self-unloading belt on the left.]

5
[A comments guesses that this is an emergency escape from the "engine control space."]

6
B Tupper Upham: Well thank goodness somebody insulated the pilothouse ceiling...Bay, you finally got that right!

9
Nigel Utting: Interesting, the prows on these lake boats are completely different to ocean going craft, blunt without the forward "chin" of the later. Is this because of ice or something to do the dynamics of operating on fresh water?
Grant Helmkamp: Nigel Utting the combination of slow speeds and relatively short distances means that they get more benefit from maximizing cargo hauled per trip than they would by going with a more hydrodynamic hull form.
[Another comment that the blunt bow allows them to get more cargo space in the locks.]

safe_image for Introducing: The Mark W. Barker

Interlake Steamship Company posted two images with the comment:

We are getting more excited by the day about our new build, the M/V Mark W. Barker!
We thought we'd share with you all the deets on what makes our 639-foot Interlake beauty so unique for the Great Lakes.
Not only is she the first ship to be built on the Lakes in more than 35 years, she has been thoughtfully designed - square-shaped cargo hold, large hatch openings and forward-mounted boom, to name a few. Those features along with her River Class length will make her the most versatile freighter in our fleet!

David Fischer: I’m confused by the description of square shaped holds, in that the vessel has a self unloading rig on the bow. I recall seeing skid steer loader stowage in her construction photos. Is that so the Bobcat can push the bulk cargo onto the belt?

Interlake Steamship Company: David Fischer while most of the cargo will flow onto the belt through the gates by way of gravity, the ship is equipped with two front-end loaders (tucked into garages in the hold) to remove any cargo from the sides and corners.

David Fischer: Dennis Goebel If square holds with flat floors are coming back, maybe there’s hope for the Sherwin and the Ryerson yet!

Interlake Steamship Company: Alan C Whitesell stay tuned!!!

5 of the 10 photos posted by Interlake Steamship Company with the comment:

Front-end loaders and a skid steer were lowered into our new build, the 639-foot M/V Mark W. Barker last week.
Our new River Class vessel is equipped with two Cat 938M front end loaders and one Cat 242D skid steer in her unique square-shaped, flat-bottom cargo hold.
The loaders are stored in garages in the cargo hold, one forward and one aft. The loaders have buckets for pushing cargo into the unloading hoppers. The skid steer has a custom rotary broom to clean up the cargo hold at the end of an unload.
Both are US EPA Tier 4 compliant.

Randy Fike shared

Kirk Bankey: If they are Tier 4 Cats, where is the Cat service truck? You’ll be needing it!

Richard Allison: Kirk Bankey I was thinking the same thing. If one of those Cats breaks, then they are screwed. Being in an enclosed space, I think about numerous filter changes and maintenance. Bulk materials working on seals, hoses and etc. They would have to stock common parts, filters and etc just for the CATs. CATs are not marine animals but land animals. I think they may have to have a CAT mechanic on board for servicing and repair.

Mike McCullough: Alex Caron seems inefficient for a new build still lost. Need proper explanation.

Darryl Harper: Mike McCullough But more cargo capacity than V shaped cargoholds of traditional unloaders, far more. Thus the reason for the design even if maybe slightly longer to unload. There may not even be space lost to cargo, store the wheel loaders. Stern one is below the stern superstructure while the one at the bow is below the unloading structure. Neither place would have cargo. So machines are not in the cargo holds. Each is essentially in a garage, with door separated from cargo. Much of the cargo unloads on it's own thru the central conveyor. Wheel loaders replace the need for a V shaped cargo hold bottoms.

Steve Horton: Mike McCullough Most self unloaders for bulk products have a "v" shaped hopper bottom. This allows material to flow to the grates over the conveyor at the centerline of the ship. This new ship (and some older Canadian self unloaders) has a flat bottom hold instead. So some sort of equipment is required when unloading bulk product to push it over the conveyor grates. Yes, the takes up storage space and takes longer to clean up than a hold with a hopper bottom. However a flat bottom hold can be used for other cargos. Steel coils, wind turbine parts, aluminum ingots, crated equipment, and even possibly containers. In regards to the loaders, it looks like Interlake is using standard loader buckets. but I think at least one of the Algoma ships has specially built loader buckets that are asymmetrical. One is designed to work on the port side of the ship, the other the starboard. Can't currently find the video that showed these asymmetrical buckets working.

James Torgeson shared

Interlake Steamship's brand new M/V Mark W. Barker hasn't sailed yet, but three Cats have already made her their home! The Barker is constructed of plate made primarily at the ArcelorMittal/Cliffs Burns Harbor Plant.

The MWB is intended to carry both bulk and non-bulk cargoes.

b
[They have two frontend loaders, one for each side.]

d
[That is not being driven off the rigging, the load was offset like that because most of the weight of an empty skid-steer is in the rear.]

e
[Power broom attachment for the skid-steer.]

5 drone photos of the 639' Mark W. Barker doing sea trails

2:34 drone YouTube video of the first sea trail (source)

A 0:27 video of a test of the lifeboat deployment (skip to 0:14)

Freefall!!!
Today the crews at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding deployed the freefall lifeboat off our M/V Mark W. Barker for the first time as part of her testing to make sure she is fully operational before leaving the Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin shipyard.
Weighted down with water bags to simulate 30 crew members, the launch was successful and likely the first time anywhere on the Lakes that a stern lifeboat has been deployed.
Our M/V Mark W. Barker is the first bulk carrier built on the Great Lakes in more than 35 years and the first U.S.-flagged vessel on the Lakes to be outfitted with a freefall lifeboat.

Janey Anderson shared a 2:56 video of the Mark W. Barker on the Cuyahoga River.

1:52 @ 1:24
"The M/V Mark W. Barker, the newest addition to the US flag-fleet on the Great Lakes is underway on her maiden voyage from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding where she has been under construction since the first cut of steel for her hull in August 2019.
"The M/V Mark W. Barker is the first new ship to be built on the Great Lakes in nearly 40 years and the first new build for Interlake since 1981. We couldn't be more thrilled to have her truly operational with her crew aboard to begin her life of service moving essential cargos on the Lakes!"

1 of 8 photos posted by Brian Caswell
Mark W. Barker Unloading for the first time in Muskegon / 7-30-22
[To the left of the right-most cover you can see the bucket of one of the front-loaders that they use to help unload the bulk cargo. You can also see the holes in the cargo bay that lead to the unloading conveyor. According to a comment, they unloaded at the Verplank Dock.]

1 of 3 photos and a video posted by Jeff Gushman
Mark W Barker with a salute for her first downbound passage at the Blue Water Bridge.

Dave Bogan Photography posted two photos with the comment: "It's not every day you see a new freighter sail into Buffalo. The Mark W. Barker embarked on its first voyage from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin on July 27th. It's the first freight ship to be built on the Great Lakes in almost four decades. The cargo ship was docked along the Buffalo Canal. You can see the mounds of sand unloaded from the vessel."

Interlake Steamship Company shared with the comment: "We love these photos of our new ship in action!"

Timothy Terry commented on Dave's post

James Torgeson posted
Inside the cargo hold of the brand-new 639' Mark W. Barker, which will be christened in Cleveland on Thursday [Sep 1, 2022]. She's designed to carry both bulk cargoes like ore and project cargoes such as machinery. As such, her holds are square rather than sloped. The wheeled equipment helps move bulk materials to the grating that covers the unloading belt tunnel. The Cats reside in garages when the vessel is loaded. The gal who took this selfie is the Media Relations Director for Interlake Steamship, the Barker's owner.

1st of 4 photos posted by Andrew Dean Detroit
Mark W. Barker preparing to tie up for their first unload at Cliffs Dearborn yesterday.
Detroit / Dearborn, Michigan
Andrew Russell shared

Interlake Steamship Company via Dennis DeBruler
On Oct 27, 2022, the ship had a chance to showcase one of the new markets it was designed for: backhauling general cargo. In this case, it was about 4,000 tons of steel bars from the Port of Monroe to the Fraser Shipyard in Superior, WI.

David Schauer posted four photos with the comment: "When the Mark W. Barker was at Fraser last week (10/29/2022) having steel bars unloaded, I couldn't help but recall that was the same spot where its self unloading boom was removed from the Victo (American Victory/Middletown) on June 11, 2018. The Victory had been bought by Algoma but never sailed under that flag, instead being sold for scrap overseas. Interlake bought the boom and as we know now it ended up on the MWB. Somewhat of an interesting "boatnerdy" occasion."

Dan Ross commented on David's post

3:22 video @ 0:01
Mark W. Barker was BUILT to transport Cargill Salt!

sherwin-williams, Image courtesy of The Interlake Steamship Company, 1 of several photos
A special coating was developed to help it cope with salt, its primary cargo.

safe_image for Box-shaped cargo hold among new ship's unique traits
"Mark W. Barker will sail with a safer lifeboat, gender-specific changing rooms, and private staterooms for each crew member."
"Two men walk near a partially open hatch on the Mark W. Barker on March 15. The vessel has fewer but larger hatch openings than a typical laker with a type of cover more commonly found on ocean-going vessels to give it more flexibility to carry cargos other than bulk materials.Steve Kuchera / Duluth News Tribune"
Because of the rectangular cargo space, this 639' freighter has a capacity of 26,000 tons, which is more than its 767' fleet make Kaye E. Barker.
The hatch covers are strong enough to hold containers. The bow has thicker steel to help sailing in ice conditions.
"Twin, first-of-their-kind EMD-brand engines. “We have basically serial No. 1 and serial No. 2 for these engines,” Ott said, describing them as capable of 8,000 horsepower and the first 16-cylinder, Tier 4-compliant diesel engines ever put into service. Tier 4 status means the Mark W. Barker meets the strictest federal emissions standards. “There are some different systems … to make it Tier 4,” Ott said, describing “selective catalytic reduction.” “Basically, it’s a fancy way to say they spray a bunch of stuff into the exhaust that knocks the harmful stuff out of it,” she added."
[So EMD gave up trying to meet Tier 4 requirements without using DEF.]

Interlake Steamship Co. via DuluthNewsTribune
[Obviously, the freighter has a stern thruster.]

Lance Aerial Media posted six photos with the comment: "Today I found out there are Loaders that live in the Belly of the Mark W. Barker."

Lance Aerial Media shared

Bill Kloss commented on Lance's post

Wayne Henderson commented on Lance's post

More photos of Mark W. Barker in Cleveland

May 17, 2023:

9:32 video

Many photos were posted of the stuck freighter. Andrew had the best description and photo.

1 of 4 photos posted by Andrew Dean Detroit

Well if you didn’t already know, The Mark W. Barker had to drop anchor to stop the ship safely after experiencing “loss of power and maneuverability”.

The ship was assisted by tugs and brought down to Belle Isle Anchorage for further inspection. I have included the press release from Interlake below.

“At approximately 0735 local time this morning, the M/V Mark W. Barker was transiting upbound in the Detroit River passing Belle Isle with a cargo of salt from Cleveland bound for Milwaukee, Wisconsin when it experienced a loss of power and maneuverability.

The vessel turned to port unexpectedly and the Captain dropped the anchor before the bow grounded on the soft bank of the channel.

No one was injured in the incident nor does there appear to be any risk of pollution or damage to the vessel.

Working with the United States Coast Guard and with the assistance of a tug, the vessel was able back away from the bank and get underway to make its way to the Belle Isle Anchorage where the crew will continue to assess the vessel and work to determine the cause of the incident.”

Note the timestamp in the lower-right corner in the video as to when it was refloated.

10:00 video @ 4:22
The tugboat Pennsylvania is pulling it offshore.

0:46 video @ 0:18
From the cargo hold of the M/V Mark W. Barker unloading stone on the Cuyahoga River last night.
Deckhands operate front-end loaders to push the last piles of cargo down onto the conveyor belt that travels underneath the holds and onto the unloading boom.
[Several comments also had the reaction I had --- use and angled snow blade attachment instead of a bucket.]
Jeremy S. Goldstein: Rick Tuttle when an offload is about to comence how does the conveyor belt get going when there are hundreds of tons of cargo in the hold?
Kory Shimmin: Jeremy S. Goldstein gates underneath open and close allowing cargo onto the belt in certain sequences. This also reduces stress on the vessel having a controlled unload.

2 of 6 photos posted by Stephen Sostaric. [It is docked at the end of the Indiana Harbor Canal.]

Lance Aerial Media posted four photos with the comment: "Indoor CAT vs outdoor CAT - yes the Mark Barker has loaders that live in the ship to help unload the rest of the cargo since it’s a flat bottom inside."