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This Great Lakes Boat Blog is presented by Manistee Harbor Tours, operator of the Princess of Manistee. Book your cruise at www.manisteeharbortours.com.
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
LUDINGTON — The MV Manitowoc arrived at the Port of Ludington about 9:45 a.m. Saturday, en route to the Rieth-Riley Construction dock on Pere Marquette Lake, where it is delivering road aggregate. This is Manitowoc’s first visit to Ludington this shipping season.
The Manitowoc is 630 feet long, 70 feet wide and has a depth of 37 feet. It utilizes a 260-foot unloading boom and has an unloading rate of 5,000 tons per hour. It operates with diesel engines with a combined 5,600 horsepower.
The self-unloading River Class vessel was built in 1973 by American Shipbuilding Co. in Lorain, Ohio. It was originally named the Paul Thayer. In 1976, it was sold to Pringle Transit Co. of Cleveland, a subsidiary of Oglebay Norton Co. In 1994, it was transferred to Oglebay Norton Co. The following year, it was renamed the Earl W. Oglebay.
In 2006, it was sold to Wisconsin & Michigan Steamship Co. of Lakewood, Ohio, a subsidiary of Sand Products Corp. of Muskegon, and was chartered to Lower Lakes Transportation Co. of Williamsville, New York. It was renamed the Earl W. in 2007.
In 2008, it was sold to Grand River Navigation Co., a subsidiary of Rand Logistics Inc. of Jersey City, New Jersey, and renamed Manitowoc. Rand Logistics is now known as Mainstay Maritime and is based in Williamsville, near Buffalo, New York.
This Great Lakes Boat Blog is presented by Manistee Harbor Tours, operator of the Princess of Manistee. Book your cruise at www.manisteeharbortours.com.
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