by Guest » March 1, 2023, 6:16 pm
Bethlehem Steel was dissatisfied with the amount of time it had taken for the Stewart J. Cort to be built and they had told Litton Industries / Erie Marine in 1972 that they would not order another ship from them.
In late December 1973, with demand strong for steel and iron ore, they placed an order for three more vessels of the Stewart J. Cort's design. When the Cort was ordered in December 1968, Bethlehem Steel had an option for up to five additional vessels of the Cort-type. But since Bethlehem Steel had told Erie Marine in 1972 that they would never order another vessel from them, the yard had commenced shutdown of the shipbuilding facility, keeping only enough people for the construction of the Presque Isle.
Erie Marine refused to honour the option they and Bethlehem Steel had signed back in 1968, and as a result Bethlehem Steel sued for breech of contract, and the case went to the Pennsylvania Supreme Cort where Bethlehem Steel lost.
I've never heard of US Steel planning a sister to the Blough. Both the Roger Blough and Stewart J. Cort were designed by Marine Consultants and Designers, but as everyone can see - they are vastly different, except for forward and aft cabins. Stewart J. Cort was designed to load at conveyor docks - either Taconite Harbor or Silver Bay (the BN #5 dock hadn't existed yet.) While the Roger Blough was designed to load at existing gravity chute ore docks at either Two Harbors or Duluth, which limited her hull depth so she could fit under the chutes. The hull depth limited the Roger Blough's length, as the maximum length to depth ratio for Great Lakes vessels is 21. It was found that as Great Lakes vessels starting approaching a length to depth ratio of 18 or higher, they would have an increased tendency for "springing". In fact, both the Roger Blough and Stewart J. Cort were instrumented with hull stress gauges as part of a program to study the phenomena of "springing" and what design changes would be needed for 1,100 foot vessels that were being discussed in the late-1970s.
American Steamship had an option for a sister to the St. Clair, and a near duplicate of the Roger M. Kyes, except with a 45 foot hull depth. Both options were changed to other vessels in 1974.
Bethlehem Steel was dissatisfied with the amount of time it had taken for the Stewart J. Cort to be built and they had told Litton Industries / Erie Marine in 1972 that they would not order another ship from them.
In late December 1973, with demand strong for steel and iron ore, they placed an order for three more vessels of the Stewart J. Cort's design. When the Cort was ordered in December 1968, Bethlehem Steel had an option for up to five additional vessels of the Cort-type. But since Bethlehem Steel had told Erie Marine in 1972 that they would never order another vessel from them, the yard had commenced shutdown of the shipbuilding facility, keeping only enough people for the construction of the Presque Isle.
Erie Marine refused to honour the option they and Bethlehem Steel had signed back in 1968, and as a result Bethlehem Steel sued for breech of contract, and the case went to the Pennsylvania Supreme Cort where Bethlehem Steel lost.
I've never heard of US Steel planning a sister to the Blough. Both the Roger Blough and Stewart J. Cort were designed by Marine Consultants and Designers, but as everyone can see - they are vastly different, except for forward and aft cabins. Stewart J. Cort was designed to load at conveyor docks - either Taconite Harbor or Silver Bay (the BN #5 dock hadn't existed yet.) While the Roger Blough was designed to load at existing gravity chute ore docks at either Two Harbors or Duluth, which limited her hull depth so she could fit under the chutes. The hull depth limited the Roger Blough's length, as the maximum length to depth ratio for Great Lakes vessels is 21. It was found that as Great Lakes vessels starting approaching a length to depth ratio of 18 or higher, they would have an increased tendency for "springing". In fact, both the Roger Blough and Stewart J. Cort were instrumented with hull stress gauges as part of a program to study the phenomena of "springing" and what design changes would be needed for 1,100 foot vessels that were being discussed in the late-1970s.
American Steamship had an option for a sister to the St. Clair, and a near duplicate of the Roger M. Kyes, except with a 45 foot hull depth. Both options were changed to other vessels in 1974.