Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Guest wrote: September 12, 2025, 6:23 am

Luth wrote: September 11, 2025, 7:02 pm That was 60 years ago. A lot has changed since then…

Yes, a lot has changed and not for the better in the terms of the number of ships, shipping companies, and jobs on the lakes. I would say the current state of US flagged shipping on the lakes is at its lowest point since the 1980s and with no signs of any positive growth in the future, I believe we are witnessing, what for all practical purposes, is the end of US flagged shipping on the Great Lakes as it was once known. With 30 years, I would predict just a handful of barges and a an even fewer number of powered vessels in the fleet.

I suspect the footers will be gone by that time and you will see the fleet made of up of mostly river class vessels.

Luth wrote: September 11, 2025, 7:02 pm That was 60 years ago. A lot has changed since then…

Yes, a lot has changed and not for the better in the terms of the number of ships, shipping companies, and jobs on the lakes. I would say the current state of US flagged shipping on the lakes is at its lowest point since the 1980s and with no signs of any positive growth in the future, I believe we are witnessing, what for all practical purposes, is the end of US flagged shipping on the Great Lakes as it was once known. With 30 years, I would predict just a handful of barges and a an even fewer number of powered vessels in the fleet.

That was 60 years ago. A lot has changed since then…

Just read the post relating to “...hulls laid up...”.
As a user of this board and related sections/especially the webcams for at least the last 10 years...
The scarcity of traffic on the St. Clair River has really jumped out at me.
Would be curious to know if others have a similar feeling. Do any of have ideas as to why this is happening?
I sailed 2 summers in the late’60’s. Back then it seemed like we’d see 3-4 ships up and down an hour when tied up in Sarnia.

I see the Stewart j court left sturgeon bay Saturday and is heading for superior so she is back in service

An update to the “Boats on the Sidelines” the Stewart J. Cort is back out running again as they departed from Sturgeon Bay and BayShip this morning on September 6 after getting repairs done to their self-unloading boom. The Cort is now headed for Silver Bay to load next where they are due up there on September 8th. Hope that this information helps.

Your viewpoint is right on and excellent about the “sidelined vessels” in your post. You can also add in the Radcliffe R. Latimer which is still up in Thunder Bay for repairs. The Atlantic Huron has also been out of action since July having gone into lay-up in Goderich. At one point, though I saw and read once from a poster that “Atlantic Huron could be finished?” The Tim S. Dool is still laid-up in Goderich but it’s likely she might be finished as well. Oakglen from CSL has been laid up as well in Owen Sound and has yet to sail this season however, there’s a photo on boatnerd news of her now getting a new bow thruster installed into her. Sorry to say this to my dear friend EJB but, laid up in Sarnia is the Spruceglen but she should be back out hopefully soon for the Fall Grain Rush! You are indeed correct as there does seem like a few hulls are sidelined with no big demand to repair them and put them back into service. The tug Victory & barge Maumee have been in Erie, PA. for quite a while also I think getting some type of work or repairs done to them. Then of course you have these three in long-term lay-up with an unknown future the Michpicoten in Superior at Fraser Shipyards while in Toledo sitting idled and in long-term lay-up are the Arthur M. Anderson & Philip R. Clarke.
I guess we will all have to keep on watching to see what develops next and where this all goes to!

Boats are on the sidelines and there are a few. SJC diverted unbound with unloading shuttle problems to Sturgeon Bay. AIS shows "The Barn" and normally that is displayed when laying up in January. No rush to repair if demand is reduced. Cliffs has idled the Dearborn/Rouge steel mill allowing the hulls that served that route to now focus filling other orders. The Oberstar is still at Fraser after her mid June grounding and needing repairs. The Presque Isle is sidelined with a similar grounding incident barge in Toledo and the tug awaiting a dry dock at Port Weller. With these three it seems there is no urgency to return to service. Cliffs has idled North Shore production to align inventories with demand along with idled blast furnaces. Looking like an early year for layups with demand so low. I appreciate this forum and thoughtful responses.