Great Lakes bulker

Self-unloading bulker grounded twice, which proved expensive

In its second recent report on a Great Lakes bulker grounding incident, the National Transportation Safety Board has released its findings on an April 2023 incident in which the 1973-built, 667-foot-long, self-unloading bulk carrier John J Boland grounded twice in Lake Huron, sustaining over $775,000 in damage.

The incident occurred on April 21, 2023, while the John J Boland, which, like the vessel in the earlier NTSB report, was owned by the American Steamship Company and chartered and operated...

https://www.marinelog.com/legal/safety-and-security/self-unloading-bulker-grounded-twice-which-proved-expensive/

Modern laker Mark W. Barker features Thordon RiverTough bearings

Like other vessels in the Interlake Steamship fleet, Mark W. Barker, the first new U.S flagged Great Lakes bulker in almost 40 years, is fitted with oil-free propeller shaft bearings from Thordon Bearings.

Thordon’s scope of supply for the vessel includes a water lubricated RiverTough bearing, nickel-chromium-boron (NCB) alloy liner for a propeller shaft diameter of 445 mm (17.5 inches), and two Thordon Water Quality Packages.

Thordon’s authorized distributor in Ohio, Advanced Sealing...

https://www.marinelog.com/technology/modern-laker-mark-w-barker-features-thordon-rivertough-bearings/

No watchman, major fire, ship is lost

The Coast Guard issued a marine safety alert yesterday after U.S.-inspected Great Lakes bulker that was laid up for the winter suffered a catastrophic fire that caused major cosmetic, machinery, and structural damage.

The vessel was unmanned and vacant at the time the fire was discovered, although there was normally a ship watchman onboard during kay-up periods. The ship watchman assigned to the vessel that suffered the casualty went home for the weekend earlier on the day of the fire.

On the day...

https://www.workboat.com/news/government/no-watchman-ship-is-lost/