Mesabi Miner

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Downbound Mesabi Miner.jpg
Mesabi Miner transits the Soo Locks in 2011
History
NameMV Mesabi Miner
Owner Interlake Steamship Company
Operator Interlake Steamship Company
Port of registry Flag of the United States.svg Wilmington, Delaware, United States
Builder American Ship Building Company
Yard number906
Laid down15 May 1975
Launched14 February 1977
Christened14 June 1977
Maiden voyage7 June 1977
Identification
StatusIn active service
General characteristics
Class and type Lake freighter
Tonnage
Length1,003 ft (306 m)
Beam105 ft (32 m)
Depth50 ft (15 m)
Installed power2 × MaK 6M43C four-stroke diesel engines, 8,160 HP (6 MW) each at 514 RPM
Propulsion
Speed15.5 knots (28.7 km/h; 17.8 mph)
Capacity
  • Iron ore: 59,000 long tons (60,000 t)
  • Coal: 63,300 long tons (64,300 t)

MV Mesabi Miner is a bulk carrier that operates on the upper four North American Great Lakes. [1] She is one of the small number of vessels that are too large to travel through the Welland Canal that connects Lake Erie to the lowest lake, Lake Ontario.

Contents

History

The American Ship Building Company built the ship in 1975 at Lorain, Ohio. Like her sister ships, MV James R. Barker and Paul R. Tregurtha , she is owned and operated by the Interlake Shipping Company. [2]

In spite of its size the MV Mesabi Miner is able to maneuver, in harbor, without requiring assistance from tugboats. [3]

On the morning of January 5, 2014, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock was breaking ice for the lake freighter MV Mesabi Miner approximately 22 nautical miles west of the Straits of Mackinac. [4] She slowed after encountering harder ice and was struck in the stern by the much larger ore carrier. Both vessels sustained damage but there were no injuries, release of pollutants, or reports of flooding. [5]

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References

  1. George Wharton. "Mesabi Miner". Boatnerd . Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  2. Raymond A. Bawal (2011). Superships of the Great Lakes: Thousand-foot Ships on the Great Lakes. Inland Expressions. pp. 27–32, 35, 42–46, 70. ISBN   9780981815749 . Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  3. Alex Roland; W. Jeffrey Bolster; Alexander Keyssar (2008). The Way of the Ship: America's Maritime History Reenvisoned, 1600-2000. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 367–370. ISBN   9780470136003 . Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  4. Times Herald (January 6, 2014). "Hollyhock hull, stern, fantail damaged". Port Huron Times Herald . Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  5. Times Herald (January 11, 2014). "Hollyhock returns to ice breaking duty". Port Huron Times Herald . Retrieved February 8, 2014.