Roger blough activity

[Guest]

Hello,
A couple of observations from someone in the industry,

1. The company does not aways make the best most logical choice. people in the office make terrible choices all the time, just like any other people they are not infallible super genuses. That said they have information that no-one on this board has ( or at least would not share publicly)
2. The engines are only going to be good for spare parts back up for other Fairbanks powered vessels. since the vessel was a total loss the CG/EPA will force any rebuild to have new complaint engines. Current Washington regime is not friendly to shipping interests.
3. As has been pointed out the tonnage is not needed for the foreseeable immediate future, CN is publicly traded and does not look more than a few quarterly statements down the road.

[Guest]

You picked a good time to get out. Nearly 40 years ago, during early 1980s, while beginning high school I was hoping to have a future career in the Great Lakes shipping industry. Obviously, things got so bad during that timeframe that I soon realized that this was unlikely to happen. The cost of going to the GLMA and after talking to the local Seararers hall in Algonac soon convinced me that such a career path may not be a good thing, With jobs scarce in Michigan, I first looked into joining the Coast Guard but when the schooling I desired could not be guaranteed despite a having high ASVAB score I enlisted in the US Navy with plans to either enter the Great Lakes shipping industry in about 8 years after reenlisting once. If things were still not good, then I would consider going for 20 years in the USN. As often happens, life doesn't always work out and after an injury in training, I was discharged with no real option of pursuing a career on the water. I know when I talked to the Seafarers Union representative he told me that someone just coming in would have to look for work on the Mississippi or on saltwater and, from what I recall, that the union was heavily involved in military sealift operations at the time. I really had no desire for saltwater work but figured if that was where I was likely to end up until I had some seniority I may as well try the military. Considering your length of service, your career would have begun around the same time I was in high school. How well did you fare during the 1980s?

[Custom500]

Might be all rumors, but it sure is fun listening to you guys hash it out. Forget about the Blough, I've learned alot about the industry as a whole by following these kinds of dicussions.

[Guest]

Any idea as to where they are going to dock the Blough at Conneaut? From satellite views, there does not appear to be much excess dock space in this port. Are the P&C docks #2 and #3 no longer used?

[Scott]

CN has no interest in using the vessel, it will be scrap unless a buyer is found before spring.

All Rumors at this point

[Guest]

Thank you on the CN has no interest in repair and use of the Blough. I said this 18 months ago and again in latest post but apparently first hand info from a senior GLF captain friend of mine has no validity🤷🏼‍♂️. I recently retired from 38 years sailing as a deck officer for American steamship due to the takeover by Rand. The future is bleak for USS. There is no demand for profitable use of a repaired Blough. It’s ironic that two white elephants of vessels, Blough and St. Clair met their end from layup fires. They were Odd ball designs of a era 50 years ago that never earned their keep as the sat at the wall 30% of their life spans. We got to see the fleet earnings by vessel. The St Clair was a net loss earner over her career. Her tonnage is not missed and the fire although sloppy shipkeeping created more $ than future cargos as it was not going to fit out the following spring. It’s clear the Blough tonnage is not missed. Yes many will say the Clarke is sailing due to the Blough demise. Not true as the Clarke is hauling various cargos. Just my observations from 38 years on the lakes and insight into the $ factor.

[Guest]

CN has no interest in using the vessel, it will be scrap unless a buyer is found before spring.

[Guest]

The comments about keeping her at Conneaut until space opens up at the scrapyard make a lot of sense. Lake Erie doesn't freeze usually freeze over (if it even does) until much later in the season then the Straits of Mackinaw. She could be moved to the scrapyard in January or February.

Now if she laid up in Erie then we've have a lot more to speculate about.

[Guest]

Just an observation, but I see a tow to a temporary storage dock as a good sign. The minds at CN may be deciding whether to fix the Blough up or not? She may still be viable. They may be stalling a scrap while waiting to see if the iron ore trade ramps up again. But, will that increase in ore tonnage be enough to validate her repairs? Time will tell. I'm not sold on her scrapping just yet.

One downside to this observation is that they are moving the ship a considerable distance away from a shipyard that could carry out repairs unless these could be likewise conducted at Erie.

[Guest]

Don't forget Conneaut isnt far from DonJon ship yard.

[Andrew]

I agree. If the company was in a hurry to dispose of her, they would have made the sale to MRC when scrap metal prices were a lot higher. Granted they were perhaps waiting on the insurance payout, but that's already been several months. I doubt CN will scrap her. They've taken time to wrap her engines up and keep them in usable condition. Doubtless, when they sell the fleet, the Blough will come as part of the package, and they'll be able to charge more than scrap metal price for her because of those engines and the fact that the hull is in somewhat usable condition-certainly better than the St. Clair.

My guess is CN pulled the fleet off the market to collect said insurance payout, and also because my hunch is that the operator, GLF, is saving money to buy the fleet outright. At that point, the management at GLF will have to determine if the company can financially afford to fix her up. My guess is no, but if they have a long-term vision of where they want that fleet to go, it could be that they save her. My guess is that the choice will have to be made between the Blough and the Callaway, and I'm guessing the Callaway is far more viable of an option to keep running due to her versatility, despite being 20 years older.

[Guest]

As another poster has said, and I agree, the movement of the Blough to Conneaut may not necessarily be a bad sign. However, is it possible the move to Conneaut may be to have something else removed from the ship, such as the engines? Despite the fact that these could have been easily removed at Bayship, could the cost of transportation from Sturgeon Bay to a buyer or a storage facility somewhere in the East have been prohibitive?

Regardless of what happens, the telling thing here in relation to the Blough and the St. Clair is that overall demand has been soft enough to offset the loss in these vessel's carrying capacity along with that of the other ships currently in layup. The continuing decline of coal will make available further capacity in vessels that primarily operated in that trade for the movement of iron ore. Based on current events, I would not be surprised to see many of the US ships from the 1970s era going to scrap by the end of this decade. Furthermore, even the 1950s era vessels that have been modernized will eventually reach the end of their serviceable lives around this same time. This will further reduce the US lake fleet.

[Guest]

You can maintain hope if you wish but the Blough will end up as new steel shipped to who knows where. They are not stripping useable parts to turn around n replace them. The ships fate was sealed the day the fire happened. 18 months ago I posted here that it wouldn’t be repaired. That was based on first hand info from my hometown friend who’s whole sailing career was with USS/GLF/ CN. At the time he was senior fleet captain, now retired. It’s whole history was marred with problems and calamities and with so many years sitting rather than sailing it was a net loss revenue producer. Remember, it was built when USS hauled their own cargoes. Even without the fire it most likely would be at the wall with less demand for its now “ for hire” operation. Don’t be surprised to see many more hulls go to scrap on the American side very soon. USS steel is operating on life support at its integrated mills. They’re to be admired for 121 years of operation but the next serious economic downturn may be the death nail for remaining blast furnace operation. It’s possible is new electric operations may end up sold off to Nucor, Steel Dynamics,etc. USA steel demand for rolled products is forecast to drop 12% in next 5 years as more plastics and hybrid materials increase in use. Enjoy your old favorite ships while you can.

[Guest]

Does the CN Railway own a dock in Conneaut? USS might but they have no financial interest in the Blough.

Yes, they own the Pittsburgh & Conneaut Dock Company. Does anyone know which dock at Conneaut the Blough will sit?

[Scott]

Just an observation, but I see a tow to a temporary storage dock as a good sign. The minds at CN may be deciding whether to fix the Blough up or not? She may still be viable. They may be stalling a scrap while waiting to see if the iron ore trade ramps up again. But, will that increase in ore tonnage be enough to validate her repairs? Time will tell. I'm not sold on her scrapping just yet.

[Ben Higdon]

It will be sad to see this one go, but I have to sadly admit that over the past several years I have begun losing what thus far has been a lifelong interest in the Great Lakes shipping hobby.

I agree. Same for railroads. These can be depressing hobbies!

[Pat]

From looking at the pictures, visible external items of value have been removed, noticeably, radars and the two whistles (horns) from the stack.

[Guest]

From looking at the webcam it looks like the white stripes are on the rudder leaving little doubt about an upcoming tow

[Shipwatcher1]

If they are looking for a storage spot, I'm surprised they would take her to Escanaba to the ore dock. Doesn't CN own that?

[Guest]

Does the CN Railway own a dock in Conneaut? USS might but they have no financial interest in the Blough.