Boatnerd Discussion Forum

The plug between the bow thruster room and ballast tank for whatever undetermined as of yet reason came up missing and flooded the bow thruster room at least 6 feet deep. They shifted ballast to the stern and pretty much drained the bow thruster room back into the tank and went to the Soo to get it pumped out. The sump pumper wouldn't pump it because it had oil in the water so now they're on their way to Duluth to get pumped out, bow thruster fixed up and load.
This info comes to me from a conversation I had with the watchman that found the flooding.
Rough first 24 hours of a season, eh? Oh well, that's steamboatin'.

The Clarke is at this time being pushed sideways in the Soo lower harbor toward the Carbide dock. Anyone know what the problem is????

Will the Clarke stay out for the whole season or will she just make a few trips to help catch up with cargoes and then go back into layup?

tugboathunter wrote:Regarding the Ryerson & Sherwin unloading, both Indiana Harbor and Hamilton still have bridge cranes that can unload straight deckers. Unfortunately, as was stated her earlier, Lorain no longer receives iron ore.

I think someone posted about a month ago saying that the ore rigs in Indiana Harbor serviced Plant 2 and that the blast furnaces at that Plant have been shutdown for years. If that's the case, there basically would be no options for a straight decker Sherwin, except for the way the Ryerson was unloaded in Lorain.

Regarding the Ryerson & Sherwin unloading, both Indiana Harbor and Hamilton still have bridge cranes that can unload straight deckers. Unfortunately, as was stated her earlier, Lorain no longer receives iron ore.

I wonder then if this would be the Clarke's first trip from layup or will she do something else first? She was at one point due to be in Stoneport on Monday but has been removed from the lineup and there is nothing mentioned for any other stone loading ports at the present time.

laker mate wrote:Yes, the Clarke will be returning to service.

Duluth Shipping News still shows it loading Thurs at CN ore dock Duluth.

Yes, the Clarke will be returning to service.

According to the Stoneport tape this morning, she has now been taken off of the Stoneport lineup for Monday. Anyone hear or know if she is still due to depart from layup at Sturgeon Bay?

Scott to answer your question of "How would the Ryerson or the Sherwin be unloaded without an unloader?" It was in the 2007 season if I recall correctly, the Ryerson made several trips down to Lorain, Ohio to unload Taconite at the Jonick Dock. They used a special shoreside crane that was used for going deep into the Ryerson's holds and scooping out the Taconite to unload it onto the dock. It was not a crane like the old Huletts were but, it did do the job thus the Ryerson made several trips to Lorain on the count of that. So, it could be done if the demand for the Ryerson to return to service was there maybe like in 2007 when she went to Lorain. Granted, maybe I am like everyone else and just want the Ryerson to return to service to matter the outcome of it.

Scott wrote:Just as a sidenote, if the Sherwin and Ryerson were to sail, how would they be unloaded? With the Demise of the Hullets, I'm sure that enters into the equation as well. It's more effective to bring out a self unloader than a straight decker, just sayin' :)

We've covered this one. The Ryerson could unload in Hamilton. I think the cost of getting the Sherwin seaworthy wouldn't be worth the effort. Could be wrong. The Ryerson did unload in Lorain with crawler cranes with clamshell buckets, so it's not impossible. You can see the Lorain unload on YouTube.

Algoma Montrealais due to sail around June 26.

Just as a sidenote, if the Sherwin and Ryerson were to sail, how would they be unloaded? With the Demise of the Hullets, I'm sure that enters into the equation as well. It's more effective to bring out a self unloader than a straight decker, just sayin' :)

Duluth Shipping News' website has her listed for loading ore at the Duluth CN Ore Dock on Thursday, June 26 at 1300 hours. So with that said, it appears definite now that she will be returning soon to active service for this season. Glad to see and hear that she is to be returning to service this year. She is too nice looking of a boat and ship to have inactive and laid-up this season. Now if only we could get the Ryerson and the Sherwin back out somehow and then we can re-live some of the glory days of shipping and the past in part ways. Almost forgot too let's also have the three ASC steamers somehow back out running and we definitely can say we got the good times again with the shipping. Just a thought.

friday there was alot of activity on her with the boom swung out and the engines have been fired.

Per Rand Logistics larest conference call they are evaluating the McKee Sons for return to service next season.

Well after weeks and months of speculation, it appears certain that the Philip R. Clarke may be returning to service yet this year! She is on the schedule for now to arrive at Stoneport on Monday in the late afternoon hours to load stone. This would be her first trip of the 2014 shipping season after spending the winter lay-up at Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. With the Clarke now coming out of lay-up and the Boland also coming out this year in 2014, can we see anymore lakers possibly returning to service this year? It was mentioned on this board the Algoma Montrealais to return to service this year which I still expect to see happen at some point. Also, it was talked and mentioned about the possibility of the McKee Sons also returning to service this year. Anyone hear of anyone else that may come out yet in the 2014 season? Any information is appreciated. Thank You.