Roger Blough

[Guest]

It's not a Lower Lakes vessel

You missed the point that Blough is limited by her size to certain ports.

[guest]

It's not a Lower Lakes vessel

[guest]

If the repair her, which isn't going to happen,what cargo would she carry? Sponge toffee? Cargos are getting sparce. She will probably lead the way to the scrappers. Lower lakes use to say we can go where the big ships go and where they cant. Perhaps they will prove themselves correct

[Denny]

Very interesting news and info regarding the Blough and her fire at layup from years ago at Sturgeon Bay and also at BayShip. Thanks for sharing that information with us all Guest. It’s just a shame that there’s nothing that can be done to try and repair her and bring her back in some way shape or form! I’m sure that I’m not alone when I say that and too the fact that she’s always been a favorite of mine for many years as I always enjoyed watching her sail up and down either on the St. Clair River or the Soo. I have seen and photographed her many times at both locations and have also received many great and awesome salutes from her over the years. Every 5-10 years I would create and paint a Happy Birthday sign for the Jolly Roger Blough and most of the time, her captain would see it and then send me a salute right back to me for it. I miss her dearly and I also miss her classic horn and whistle and especially listening and hearing those engines of hers. One can only dream of the good ‘ole days of her. The last time I saw her was in 2018 I think or 2019 on the river as I only saw her once then and Yes I did get a salute from her to which I have on tape still to this very day.

[Guest]

That’s exactly what I said. Future cargo demand will not warrant spending the $ to either run her as a ship again nor convert her to a barge. Her last voyage will be to the scrappers.

[Guest]

The Roger Blough was severely damaged in a fire. It was estimated that costs would be $50 million. While the engines were not damaged, the self-unloading system was burned out, with warped steel in the stern area. Repairs would literally require the replacement of the stern and a new self-unloading system, along with steel replacement considering the existing steel would have heat damage (steel not being heated and cooled in a controlled manner as in new plate steel).

Demand for iron ore hasn't exactly been humming for a long time, and even though the U.S. government has limited imports of foreign steel, it cannot prevent the transition of the U.S. steel industry from one that was integrated to one that is now mostly EAF based, mainly in the Southern U.S.

Steel usage in the U.S. has been ongoing for over 120 years or so. As a result it's a mature industry when compared to the steel industry in China. The U.S. has built so much infrastructure from steel over the decades, much of which is recovered as scrap metal for re-use in the steel mills - the majority of it ends up in EAFs. That means there is less demand for iron ore - even though there is still a need for the creation of new steel from iron ore, but nowhere at the amounts we saw in the mid-1990s and nothing like the 103 million tons or so moved on the lakes in 1979 and 1973.

It would be difficult for Key Lakes to make an investment of $50 million or so in the Roger Blough, when there would need to be a return on that investment. (Note that the NTSB docket report mentions damage exceeding $100 million - that is most likely the Blough's replacement cost.)

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102586

[Guest]

The only place the Blough will go is as its own barge across the lake to pt colborne for scrap. Converting her makes no economic sense with future cargo demand plus the $ to do it.

You have proof of this?

[Guest]

The only place the Blough will go is as its own barge across the lake to pt colborne for scrap. Converting her makes no economic sense with future cargo demand plus the $ to do it.

[Guest]

Her engines survived the fire. Some work was done to protect them after the fire to keep their future options open.

[Guest]

I don’t think the power plant was the reason she’s layed up so converting her to a barge would still require the same repairs plus more work!

The Blough is out of service due to a fire it had in the shipyard at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. I believe the fire severely damaged/destroyed both its engines and unloading gear.

[Guest]

I don’t think the power plant was the reason she’s layed up so converting her to a barge would still require the same repairs plus more work!

[ashland69]

Interesting idea. Especially as a replacement for the "52-class" (Anderson, Clarke, Callaway) at larger docks that can handle a tug-barge combo of around 1000 feet. But, yes, it would be a considerable investment. Biggest consideration would likely be long-term cargo demands.

[Guest]

With the aging great lakes fleet and changing cargo conditions, would the Blough have any value as a barge? Or is it's size restrictive to such use? It would be a sizeable investment, but the hull should be in decent shape. Unless fire damage occurred to frameworks. A deck mounted boom either fore or aft replacing shuttle boom. 105 foot beam is as wide as they come, can I dream?