Bradshaw McKee was constructed in 1977 as Lady Elda for United Offshore Services. She was built by Toche Enterprises of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, as yard Hull #101. She is 121’06’’ long, 34’06’’ wide, and 18’02’’ deep, and was fitted with a Bludworth ATB coupler system when constructed. She was originally powered by a pair of Brons Diesel engines.

In 1978, Lady Elda was sold to King’s Marine International Corp. of Gretna, Louisiana, who renamed her Kings Challenger. She was chartered out to a different company later in the season, being renamed ITM No. 1. The charter expired in 1981, and she was returned to her name Kings Challenger. She visited the Great Lakes on an occasion under this name.

In 1986, Kings Challenger was sold to Hannah Marine Corp. of Lemont, IL, who brought her to the Great Lakes and renamed her Susan W. Hannah. She was paired with the self-unloading cement barge Medusa Conquest in 1987. Hannah Marine had been contracted by Cement Transit, the owner of the Medusa Conquest, to operate and manage the barge. Susan W. Hannah was repowered in 1994 with a pair of GM EMD 12-645-E5 diesel engines, providing 4,320 BHP. The arrangement with Cement Transit lasted until late 2008, when the Hannah was laid up at South Chicago, IL. Hannah Marine’s assets were seized by the U.S. Marshal in early 2009, and Susan W. Hannah was sold to Port City Marine Services, a subsidiary of Sand Products Corp. Port City sailed her to Muskegon, MI, where she was laid up at the Mart Dock.

Susan W. Hannah underwent a refit in November 2010, and was repainted in Port City Marine colors. She was renamed Bradshaw McKee in late 2011, after the late president and executive of Sand Products Corporation. She was paired with the self-unloading barge Cleveland Rocks at the beginning of the 2012 season. After some modifications being made to the barge by Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair, the pair entered service in May 2012. They operated in the stone and aggregates trades for the duration of the season, but were placed in long term layup at the Mart Dock on December 1, 2012.

In late 2013, Versatile Fabrication of Muskegon, MI, fabricated and installed a new elevated pilothouse on Bradshaw McKee while she was in layup at the Mart Dock. This was done in preparation for her to be paired with the barge St. Marys Challenger beginning in the 2014 season. She departed layup in Muskegon in May, sailing to Sturgeon Bay, WI, to pair up with the St. Marys Challenger. The pair departed Bay Shipbuilding on June 3, 2014, light for Charlevoix, MI, to load cement.

Bradshaw McKee switched places with the Prentiss Brown as the primary push tug for the barge St. Marys Conquest, being reunited with her old partner in early 2015. She switched barges again in January 2019, when she paired up with the recently-converted cement carrier barge Commander in January 2019. They sailed together for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, before Bradshaw McKee switched back to the St. Marys Conquest.

Written by Brendan Falkowski

Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co.’s Hull #292 was christened Red Crown and launched into the waters of the Manitowoc River on September 18, 1937. Red Crown was constructed as a powered tanker for the Standard Oil Co. of Indiana, and was 465’03’’ long, 55’ wide, and 28’ long. She was originally powered by a shipyard-built Triple Expansion steam engine producing 2600 IHP, with a pair of oil-fired scotch boilers. Red Crown entered service on November 1, 1937, beginning her 50-year career of serving the Standard Oil and later, Amoco Oil, facilities across the Great Lakes with petroleum from her home facility in Whiting, IN.

In 1962, Standard Oil Co. of Indiana’s assets were sold to Amoco Oil of Indiana. Amoco Oil was formerly owned by Standard Oil, but was sold independent in 1911 when the Standard Oil Trust was broken up by the federal government. Red Crown was renamed Amoco Indiana, continuing to serve her normal trade routes.
Amoco Indiana was sold to Cement Transit Co., a subsidiary of Medusa Portland Cement, in 1986 for conversion to a self-unloading cement carrier barge. She was taken to Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, WI, for her reconstruction. Her engine room and accommodations were cut down and a notch for a push tug was fabricated on her stern. Her cargo holds were reconfigured for the carriage of the powdered cement, and a forward bucket elevator system leading to an airslide boom was installed. She is now 437’06’’ long and capable of carrying 8500 tons of cement. She entered service as the self-unloading cement barge Medusa Conquest in 1987. Hannah Marine Corp. was contracted to manage the barge, and she was paired with the tug Susan W. Hannah.

Medusa Cement was bought out by Southdown, Inc., in 1998, and Medusa Conquest was renamed Southdown Conquest in early 1999. Southdown was purchased by Mexico-based Cemex in 2000. The Southdown Conquest was sold to Wilmington Trust in order to keep her Jones Act-compliancy. She remained under management of Hannah Marine Corp., under a cargo contract charter to Cemex. She was renamed Cemex Conquest in 2003.

Cemex’s Great Lakes regional operations were purchased by Brazilian Cement firm Votorantum Cimentos in 2005. Ownership of the assets were placed under their subsidiary St. Marys Cement US. Cemex Conquest’s name was briefly shortened to Conquest, before being renamed St. Marys Conquest after her new charterer.
In early 2009, Hannah Marine Corp. went out of business. Port City Marine Services, a subsidiary of Sand Products Corp., took over management of the St. Marys Conquest, pairing her with their tug Prentiss Brown. The pair entered service together on March 8, 2009.

Bradshaw McKee switched places with the Prentiss Brown as the primary push tug for St. Marys Conquest in early 2015. Bradshaw McKee switched to another barge in January 2019, pushing the recently-completed Commander. Prentiss Brown rotated between pushing the barges St. Marys Challenger and St. Marys Conquest for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, depending on contract needs. Port City Marine chartered the tug Meredith Ashton from Ashton Marine of North Muskegon, MI, in August 2020, to push St. Marys Conquest. The Conquest operated with Meredith Ashton until the beginning of December. St. Marys Conquest continues to serve the powdered cement trade for St. Marys Cement, and was paired with the Bradshaw McKee prior to the 2021 season.

Written by Brendan Falkowski