Michigan Trader

[Mr Link]

Photos as posted by Jeff Thoreson on Facebook back on Sept 9th.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/7426504 ... 077535606/

[Mr Link]

Photos by Jeff Thoreson as posted on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/groups/7426504 ... 077535606/

[Guest]

Could somebody post any pictures of the the Dirk at the shipyard?

[Pazzo]

Any idea on when they will be running sea trials and put her in service? Or when the tug Dirk VanEnkevort will be finished?

Dirk is finished and is sitting in the west slip, next to DonJon in Erie. She looks like she is ready to be tested herself. I'm trying to get some indication of when she'll depart Erie.

[Guest]

Any idea on when they will be running sea trials and put her in service? Or when the tug Dirk VanEnkevort will be finished?

[Guest]

The aggregate would have been delivered by another self-unloader, which one I don't know.

It's quite common for a new self-unloader to have aggregate delivered by another vessel as part of the testing and adjustment of the equipment.

[Guest]

Yesterday, the self unloaded on the Michigan Trader at Bay Ship was running discharging some sort of aggregate into one of its own hatches midship. First time I have ever seen this. Where was the aggregate coming from, how did it get into the hull in the first place and will it be emptied out before the hull is delivered?

The yard put it in the hold for testing the unloading system. it'll go back on the dock eventually.

[Guest]

Perhaps this material currently onboard in the cargo hold maybe an indication where the first load will occurr. Therefore, why not avoid added expense for removal from vessel.

[Guest]

Tests of a new ship's self-unloading system with stone is very common, far more so in the 1970s and early 80s with all the newbuilds and self-unloader conversions.

The stone would have been discharged by another ship into the Michigan Trader.

[garbear]

Yesterday, the self unloaded on the Michigan Trader at Bay Ship was running discharging some sort of aggregate into one of its own hatches midship. First time I have ever seen this. Where was the aggregate coming from, how did it get into the hull in the first place and will it be emptied out before the hull is delivered?

Probably a test run to make sure the self-unloading system is in working order.

[Guest]

It sounds like a test of the unloading system. I'm assuming that the stone may have been brought in by another vessel and unloaded into the hull but not knowing if this is possible with the layout of the shipyard it could have been brought in by truck and put aboard by a portable conveyor. If a vessel would have delivered it I doubt it would have escaped notice on this site.

[drydock]

Yesterday, the self unloaded on the Michigan Trader at Bay Ship was running discharging some sort of aggregate into one of its own hatches midship. First time I have ever seen this. Where was the aggregate coming from, how did it get into the hull in the first place and will it be emptied out before the hull is delivered?