Joseph H. Thompson Jr. was constructed in 1990 as an articulated tugboat at Marinette, WI, by Upper Lakes Towing. The Thompson Jr. was constructed using the steel cut from converting the Joseph H. Thompson to a barge. She was 146’ long, 38’ wide, and 30’ deep when constructed, and was powered by 3 General Motors 7FDM16 diesel engines, producing 3000 BHP. She is equipped with a Hydraconn ATB coupler system to pair with her barge. Joseph H. Thompson and Joseph H. Thompson Jr. entered service at the beginning of the 1991 season.

Joseph H. Thompson Jr. was repowered in 2007 with a pair of MaK 6M32C diesel engines, producing 8000 BHP. The work was done by Erie Marine at Erie, PA.

In 2015, the Joseph H. Thompson and Joseph H. Thompson Jr. were acquired by VanEnkevort Tug & Barge of Escanaba, Michigan. The pair’s operations remained the same.

On September 11, 2019, VanEnkevort’s new tug Laura L. VanEnkevort took over as the primary push tug for the barge Joseph H. Thompson.

After being relieved of her duties with the Thompson, the Joseph H. Thompson Jr. sailed to Erie, PA, to the Donjon Shipbuilding & Repair facility on October 9, 2019, for a refit. At the shipyard, the Thompson Jr. underwent a major transformation. Her lower pilothouse was converted into crew quarters, and her quarters and machinery spaces were expanded over the open stern. Her upper pilothouse was elevated further, and her bow was trimmed, bringing her to a new LOA of 131’. Joseph H. Thompson Jr. was renamed Dirk S. VanEnkevort during her refit. She departed the shipyard in Erie on November 12, 2020, bound for Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, WI, to pick up her newly-completed barge Michigan Trader.

Dirk S. VanEnkevort / Michigan Trader departed Sturgeon Bay on their maiden voyage together on November 20, 2020, heading for Duluth, MN, to load iron ore for delivery to Indiana Harbor.

Written by Brendan Falkowski

The Michigan Trader was constructed in 2020 as an articulated self-unloading barge by Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, for VanEnkevort Tug & Barge of Escanaba, Michigan. She is 740′ long, 78′ wide, and 45′ deep, capable of carrying 37,512 tons at her mid-summer draft of 30′. She was equipped with a Hydraconn Articulated Tug/Barge connection system, which was pioneered by her owners. She was paired with the tugboat Dirk S. VanEnkevort. She was launched between May 27 and May 30, 2020.

The Michigan Trader was the third of three similarly designed barges, the other two being the Great Lakes Trader of 2000 and the Lakes Contender [Erie Trader, 2017] of 2012. All of these barges are currently under ownership of VanEnkevort Tug & Barge.

Michigan Trader / Dirk S. VanEnkevort departed Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, on their maiden voyage on November 20, 2020.

Written by Brendan Falkowski.