", People on board have invested their lives on the lakes, and while it's a different way of life, Denise says she wouldn't trade it for anything, "I figure these kids I am watching climb the ladder right now, one day some of them will be captains. While in charge on the Tregurtha, Captain Bob made. Nater in the wheel house of the Paul R. Tregurtha Wednesday, July 10, 2013 Watch for my new Children's book. Perkins descended ladders into the belly of the ship, below the massive cargo hold, to monitor a conveyor belt as it unloaded about 34,000 tons. Freighter life does have challenges, though, and when there are normal, everyday disagreements, there is no escape. [1], She was the subject of a television program in the first season of Discovery Channel Canada's series Mighty Ships. Reporter Jim Schaefer and photographer Eric Seals are sailing this week aboard the Paul R. Tregurtha, the longest ship on the Great Lakes. Related: Life on a Great Lakes freighter: All hands well fed, Related: Follow Freep aboard a Great Lakes freighter. The scrubbers clean the environment and give us a signature steam plume.". And they are proud of their ability to succeed. at 1,010 feet long, she's bigger than three football fields laid end to end. Our trip took us through the St. Clair River, to Lake St. Clair, then through the Detroit River and finally into the western basin of Lake Erie. While a lot of the work is done outside, there's one place inside everyone likes to spend time. 7300 Engle Road In the engine room, earplug-wearing workers constantly monitor the performance of the massive diesel engines, the shed-sized generators and other equipment below deck. In 1975, Mr. Barker was named Outstanding Chief Executive for Transportation by Financial World. <<69DEDCDFE8AE1241B9008B1DDC630C7E>]/Prev 543681>>
Paul R. Tregurtha Entering The Harbor #3 (With Captain's Salute) - YouTube The reigning "Queen of the Lakes" title holder as the longest vessel on the Great Lakes at 1,013' 06" (308.91m). Formally launched on February 4, 1981, the vessel was christened on April 25, 1981, as MV William J. The engine room is the blood of the ship, making everything work. He plans to join his wife in Muskegon, where they live on a houseboat. A backup is necessary there because the channel is too narrow for the Tregurtha to turn. After sailing with Interlake Steamship Company for over 40 years, Captain Bob Thibaudeau commands the Queen of the Lakes, the 1,013 foot long PAUL R. TREGURTHA, one last time down the St. Clair River for the DTE/St. US Coast Guard Documentation and Licensing. Clair Power Plant at Recors Point, East China, Michigan. Following graduation from SUNY Maritime College with a BS in Marine Transportation Management and an Unlimited Third Mate Open Oceans License, Tom sailed as an officer aboard merchant vessels before attending law school. The pilot house that's the brains of the ship making everything go. "They're home having a good time and you're just here.''. He serves as Director Emeritus of Cornell University. That means learning on the job, rather than earning a maritime license from an academy. These things also affect a captain's sleep. 0000000016 00000 n
"If you turn the lights off in my room you don't know if it's 3 o'clock in the afternoon or 3 o'clock in the morning," he said. But they can be called at any time, if needed. Our travels took us by beautiful waterfront homes, through downtown Detroit. Middleburg Heights, Ohio 44130 He listened to mates on the deck and issued directions to the wheelman. In addition, he has been Chairman of Moran Towing Corp. since 1994 and Chief Executive Officer since 1998. And she can hit hard, with things like fog and thunder storms in the summer, and thick ice in the winter. Perkins, 33, comes from the tiny town of Hillman in Michigan's northeastern lower peninsula. She arrived back in Lorain on May 16, 1981. Longtime owner of . Interlake is home of the largest freighter on the Great Lakes; the Paul R. Tregurtha. Once you start unloading, the ship will rise so we have to counter balance it with ballast to keep the draft straight and keep the boat from bending too much. ELRICK. A slight man with a scruffy beard, he may be the filthiest crew member aboard the 1,013-foot Paul R.. Freighters are a big part of our local history and economy. four in a bed contestant dies. The men and women can work 60 days on and then have 30 days off. Across the Great Lakes ships Perkins, 33, comes from the tiny town of Hillman in Michigan's northeastern lower peninsula. In addition, he has been Chairman of Moran Towing Corp. since 1994 and Chief Executive Officer since 1998. Mr. Barker has served on various Boards of Directors, including the boards of GTE (1976-2000), Verizon (2000-2007) and Brinks (2000-2007). "Bottom line is you're not going to get along with everybody. Follow Staff writer Jim Schaefer and staff photographer Eric Seals all week. There's also a mate on site, and a wheelman to steer. Bob Thibaudeau early Wednesday morning eased the Paul R. Tregurtha into northern Michigan's Soo Locks slowly, slowly like a driver inching a monster truck into a crowded mall parking space. %%EOF
This is the final trip for Captain Bob Thibaudeau, senior-most captain in his 42nd season sailing with Interlake. The ships usually run from March into December or January. Our management team has a deep institutional knowledge of Great Lakes vessel safety, ship operations, marine engineering and maintenance and collectively more than 300 years of experience in the shipping industry. The biggest shift is in the pilot house, where there are now things like electronic navigation and satellite weather forecasts, "We didn't have all these fancy electronics in the early days , it was mostly visual then. The next day, at 1:08 a.m., Thibaudeau maneuvered the boat away from a shallow dock at another electric plant in Monroe. Or worse. They caught up on "Game of Thrones" episodes in his room when he wasn't working. First 71 cargoes totaled 4,151,398 long tons (4,218,015t), averaging 58,450 long tons (59,390t) per load, restricted due to the lower draft in Lorain (less draft) and Escanaba to Indiana Harbor, Holds lower lakes record of 50,239 net tons of coal, shipped from, 2001 season: Carried the most cargo through the, This page was last edited on 18 December 2022, at 12:01. Mates substitute in around the clock and often pilot the ship, but they call him when needed. Jan A.A. van Lier, president of the firm's ocean bulk transport. The shipping industry has a more than one billion dollar economic impact on the region. Type: Cargo IMO: 5385625. AUTOS. [1], Stephens-Adamson designed a loop belt elevator system, that feeds a stern mounted 260-foot (79m) discharge boom that can be swung 100 degrees to port or starboard. We also went under the Ambassador Bridge, where we were met by the J.W. [1] In 1990 she received her current name. There's a way for you to win a ride on board a Great Lakes freighter. Captain Johnson says the ship is a floating city, "We're our own village, we're self-contained. ", The Second Cook is Denise Hanrahan. "Mother Nature's going to be a big factor.". This week, take a ride with freep.com on a real Great Lakes freighter. Whether I was covered in cow (poop) or covered in grease working on tractors I've grown up just being dirty. My hat goes off to the old time captains . Of the 13 "footers" on the Great Lakes a nickname for the 1,000-foot boats the Paul R. Tregurtha is the longest. The Kempfs won the trip in an auction benefiting the March of Dimes this past winter. De Lancey, named in honor of Republic Steel's chairman who participated in the launch. Cheers and congrats from those of us who have had the great opportunity to watch your comings and goings here on Dennis' wonderful duluthharborcam website, and on our occasional trips to Duluth/Superior. William M. Thornton is Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Interlake Steamship Company, the largest privately held shipping company on the Great Lakes. 0000000991 00000 n
It drops onto the belt, which then whisks it up out of the ship, through a boom stretched to a silo on land. Instead, there is satellite TV in every room. Prior to joining Interlake, he sailed aboard numerous vessels in the Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico and trans-Atlantic trades. All rights reserved. We don't have a meal plan per say. Designed by the American Ship Building Company to fulfill two briefs: With the second brief in mind, she was one of the first freighters with full air conditioning, elevators, and luxurious dcor. He started as a deckhand and worked his way up. Once the Great Lakes freighter was tucked safely inside the lock, the gates shut behind it, an influx of water raised it 20 feet, and she was on her way into Lake Superior. In open water, there's an autopilot, but someone always has to be on watch. Now in his 41st season sailing with Interlake, Captain Bob stands at the helm of the longest vessel to ever sail the Great Lakes. As the Free Press rides along with the captain and crew of the Paul R. Tregurtha this week, Thibaudeau talked about his 12 years as a permanent captain aboard Great Lakes vessels. Track current position of PAUL R TREGURTHA on Live Map and find its IMO, MMSI, Call Sign, 7729057,366904940. Tom is an active member of Interlakes Incident Response and Management Team, in which he serves critical legal and operations roles, is a Qualified Individual (OPA 90) and is trained as an Incident Commander/On-scene Coordinator. Eric Seals/Detroit Free Press, Life on a Great Lakes freighter: All hands well fed, Follow Freep aboard a Great Lakes freighter, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The Tregurtha is one of nine ships owned by Interlake Steamship, the largest privately held fleet on the Great Lakes. 0:04. He lives out of his suitcase in case he gets a call to report to a port. "I grew up on a farm; I've always been dirty. The Paul R. Tregurtha is known as the "Queen of the Lakes." As Vice President of Marketing and Marine Traffic, Brendan leads and manages customer relations, contract administration and revenue for the fleet. 67 14
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He gets it on his clothing and in his eyes. Interlake hired him right out of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, which he entered in 1976, the year after the Edmund Fitzgerald went down in Lake Superior during a gale. Stay onboard with Interlake: The Interlake Steamship Company We're just like a big family on a boat.". [4], During the afternoon of September 20, 2014, she was involved in an incident in Duluth, Minnesota, when she ran aground just off the Bayfront Festival Park in the Duluth Harbor Basin, just west of the Aerial Lift Bridge. After receiving his Juris Doctorate from The University of Toledo College of Law, Tom worked for the boutique Cleveland, Ohio admiralty and maritime law firm of Ray, Robinson, Carle & Davies, P.L.L. There aren't too many waves, but come October and November then it gets nasty. His whole career has been with Interlake Steamship Co., which owns the Tregurtha and eight other working ships. After 42 years on the Great Lakes, Captain Robert Thibaudeau, or "Captain Bob" as we all call him, Captain of the Paul R Tregurtha from the Interlake Steamship Company, made his final. They stay in staterooms near the captain's own on a deck below the pilot house. (But) you gotta be very fair with people you're dealing with.". She then established a lower lakes record by loading 50,239 long tons (51,045t) net tons of coal from Ashtabula to Consumers Power, becoming the largest cargo loaded on the lower Great Lakes. After undergoing repairs at the Fraser Shipyards in Superior, Wisconsin, she then loaded her coal cargo at the dock and carried it to Detroit, Michigan. Catch up with their adventures here. Sail to the last mile with inland North Americas multimodal logistics hub. startxref
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