VESSEL OF THE MONTH
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early three years after the first cut of steel at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, the first Great Lakes freighter to be built in almost 40 years, the 639-foot M/V Mark W. Barker is now in operation with The Interlake Steamship Company. “T his is a monu menta l day for ou r company and the U.S. f lag f leet as our much-anticipated freighter departs on her f irst voyage in what w ill be a long life of service on the Great Lakes,” Mark Barker, president of The Interlake Steams h ip C ompa ny a nd n a me s a ke of t he vessel, said as it departed on its maiden voyage. “The construction of this vessel, which was made from steel manufactured in Indiana, from iron ore delivered by vessel from Minnesota, reinforces our long-term commitment to shipping and delivering essential cargoes for our customers throughout the region.” Interlake’s first new build since 1981, the modern laker is very far from being a repeat of the vessels built four or more 8 Marine Log // August 2022
decades ago. The M/V Mark W. Barker is the f irst ship on the Great Lakes with engines that meet EPA Tier 4 emissions standards. It is powered by twin EMD main engines generating 8,000 total horsepower and turning a single four-blade, controllable-pitch propel ler t hroug h a Luf k i n twin-input, single-output gearbox. It is outfitted with 1,000-hp Kongsberg bow and stern thrusters and a Kongsberg highlift rudder optimizes the wake through the vessel’s controllable pitch propeller. Measuring 639 feet in length and 78 feet wide and 45 feet high, the 28,000-dwt ship will carry all types of cargo throughout the freshwater Lakes and River systems and has been designed to navigate the tight bends of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland. Her hull has been optimized for efficiency and all systems have been designed to ensure low energ y consumption. A Kongsberg high-lift rudder optimizes the wake through the propeller. The Interla ke Stea mship Compa ny, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, and Bay
Engineering jointly designed the bulk carrier, complete with advanced vessel and unloading systems automation. Five la rge hyd rau l ic a l ly cont rol led stackable MacGregor hatch covers, more usually found on ocean-going vessels, offer enhanced f lexibility for project cargoes and expedite loading operations. Unlike most Great Lakes freighters, the M/V Mark W. Barker has a square-shaped, f lat-bottomed cargo hold instead of a traditional V-shaped hold that funnels bulk cargo onto conveyer belts for offloading. The combinat ion of la rger hatch op e n i ng s a nd add it ion a l c a r go hold s pac e w a s de sig ne d w it h f ut u re c a rgoes in mind to include w ind-turbine blades and project cargo. In addit ion, t he un loading boom is located on the forward end of the ship, of fe r i ng f le x i bi l it y for c a r go op e r at ions in congested por ts. Ma ny Great La kes customers f ind t he for ward boom more adva ntageous to a l low placement of cargoes in preferred areas for access at their docks.
Photo Credit: The Interlake Steamship Company
M/V Mark W. Barker:
First newbuild Great Laker in 40 years is no echo of the past
