Boatnerd Discussion Forum

hausen wrote:

Shipwatcher1 wrote: That isn't exactly a bad thing for the Sherwin. Remember, all that stuff was gutted when they were planning on bringing her back out. While stripped out at the moment, also presumably all the hazardous materials have also been stripped, such as asbestos. Its not like she would have returned with that turbine anyway being in mothballs so long.

If the long term cargoes were there, I have no doubt Interlake would finish the work they started. With the decline in coal and such, at this point seems unlikely it will ever be finished.

The Sherwin has an advantage even in the face of permanently declining coal shipments. She's the right length and width to deliver iron ore pellets up the Rouge to the steel mill there; as long as that mill is in service, and especially if they ever increase capacity there, the Sherwin has a theoretical chance to be a viable carrier. It was said in 2008 that Interlake was looking forward to having a self-unloader with a forward-mounted boom to better access certain parts of the pellet storage area at the mill.

The longer the Sherwin exists as a Jones Act-compliant hull in relatively good condition while ships in other U.S. fleets become worn out, get scrapped, or sold Canadian, the better her chances get.

Shipwatcher1 wrote: That isn't exactly a bad thing for the Sherwin. Remember, all that stuff was gutted when they were planning on bringing her back out. While stripped out at the moment, also presumably all the hazardous materials have also been stripped, such as asbestos. Its not like she would have returned with that turbine anyway being in mothballs so long.

If the long term cargoes were there, I have no doubt Interlake would finish the work they started. With the decline in coal and such, at this point seems unlikely it will ever be finished.

garbear wrote:With the Sherwin you must realize she has no engine, no bow thruster, and nothing left in the pilothouse, plus no self-unloader boom. Probably she would require at least 12-18 months in the shipyard before she would ever run again. I'm sure you'd be talking in the $30-$50 million range, at least, to get her running. Plus, with Detroit Edison going to natural gas in their plants within the next several yrs. I wonder if Interlake would be that interested in running her again.

Darryl wrote:What could make a difference this year, is four less hulls at ASC..

I have learned to greed this kind of talk with skepticism. Until you see her towed over to Fraser I wouldn't count on anything.