| Industry | Shipping |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1924 Cleveland, Ohio United States |
| Defunct | 1986 |
| Fate | Closed |
Area served | Great Lakes |
Key people | Herbert K. Oakes |
| Parent | Bethlehem Steel Company |
Bethlehem Transportation Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio was a shipping subsidiary of the Bethlehem Steel Company founded in 1924 as Bethlehem Steamship Company, the name changed in 1927.
Bethlehem Steel Company acquired a fleet of lake freighter ships managed by Herbert K. Oakes. Herbert K. Oakes started as a lawyer with offices in Detroit and Cleveland. His legal work started in 1896 with the firm of Shaw, Warren, Cody & Oakes of Detroit. He departed the firm on May 7, 1911, to manage the shipping of iron ore for companies. He became the manager of Franklin Steamship Company in 1906, Fremont Steamship Company in 1908, Cadillac Steamship Company in 1912, and Beaver Steamship Company in 1916. The ship of these companies were acquired by Bethlehem Steel in 1924 when Herbert K. Oakes started working for Bethlehem Steel and formed Bethlehem Steamship Company in 1924. [1]