Carferry Badger arrives at Sturgeon Bay for drydocking
The 410-foot SS Badger arrived at BayShip, Sturgeon Bay, WI, Thursday morning after a tow across Lake Michigan
Mark W. Barker, president of Lake Michigan Carferry, said the Badger left Ludington Wednesday evening. “She will go into the ship yard on or around Nov. 15,” he said.
Barker said the Coast Guard regulations call for inspections every five years. But because the ship operates in freshwater and there is seasonality to the operation, the Coast Guard may grant a waiver or extension for a year. The Badger was granted the extension, and this will be the sixth year since it has been in dry dock.
“It is technically called a five-year dry dock by regulatory,’ he said. “In the Great Lakes, almost all of the ships are eligible to apply for an extension.”
This year the ship will undergo her regular inspection and get a new paint job, Lake Michigan Carferry General Manager Sara Spore told the Daily News last month. She said during the painting process at the dry dock the Badger will retain its traditional black and white with red and white stripes.
Spore did say the inspection itself is expected to last 10 days, and preparations include removing the ship’s propellers among other items. The repainting of the ship is expected to take a good amount of time, too.
Barker said year one went well with Lake Michigan Carferry as a part of the Interlake Steamship family. “It definitely had its challenges,” he said. “We just bought Lake Michigan Carferry in December of 2020. By the time we took ownership of it, we should have already been off to the races preparing for the next season.”
Barker said anytime you buy a company there is transition, and the company was still dealing with COVID-19. Dealing with those two things, though, the ownership was happy with how things turned out.
Now, the company is setting its sights on next sailing season. “Next year’s sailing season begins on May 12 and ends on Oct. 16,” he said. “We are planning on doing two trips a day beginning on June 10 through Sept. 5. We will have the typical cruises during the season.”
Barker said the outpouring of support from day one has been just amazing. “We knew we were walking into something special,” he said. “I do not think we fully appreciated how special it has been. It has just been amazing the support from the city officials on both sides and the communities.”
Ludington Daily News
Sugar Islander II drydocking to take longer than planned
Sault Ste. Marie, MI – The dry-docking project for the Sugar Islander II ferry has experienced a setback. The USCG has made their initial inspection and they have identified significant corrosion on structural steel members and hull plating that will need to be cut out and replaced. This was not anticipated or known while estimating the amount of time needed for the dry-docking project until the vessel was lifted.
This new development will significantly lengthen the time needed for the vessel to be in the shipyard for repair. It is not known at this time exactly how much longer the repair will take.
BayShip to build another LNG bunker barge
Sturgeon Bay, WI – Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding has agreed to partner with PNE Marine Holdings to build a second 5,500 cubic meter (CBM) LNG bunker barge. This new barge will be a sister vessel to the LNG bunker barge Clean Canaveral, which will deliver to Polaris in mid-November.
Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding is the main commercial business unit of Fincantieri Marine Group in the United States. FMG’s president and CEO, Dario Deste, offered the following on the contract announcement: “Our team at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding is once-again showing why they are the U.S. market reference point for LNG bunkering vessels.”
Demand for economical supply of LNG fueling the maritime sector is growing rapidly. Over the next several years 400 new vessels utilizing LNG are expected in service. LNG is the leading solution to fuel the maritime sector as the industry advances its sustainability goals through a transition to lower carbon fuels. The new articulated tug and barge adds to Northstar’s growing fleet delivering LNG to cruise ships, container vessels, bulk carriers, car carriers, and tankers that are in service or on order today.
The 5,500 cubic meter ATB will be fitted with four 1,375 CBM IMO Type C tanks. It will utilize a cargo handling system designed and developed by Wartsila. Upon completion, the vessel will be 340’ overall length, 66’ beam, and 32’-10” deep. The ATB will be an Oceans Classed ABS barge.
Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding
World Ship Society report
Vessels with Great Lakes / Seaway connection – reported as a casualty or sold for demolition taken from November 2021 issue of Marine News – Journal of the World Ship Society:
Sold for Demolition: Sea Jade (9053220; Sierra Leone) (Alsterstern-17 – 1st seaway trip 1998) 11,426 / 1994 – chemical / products tanker – By Full Victory Enterprises Co. Ltd (Special Wealth Ltd), Anguilla, to Bangladesh breakers and arrived Chattogram 24.05.2021 – commenced demolition 31.05.2021
Report prepared by Barry Andersen and René Beauchamp
