Wilfred Sykes Bulk Freighter

by Dale Kincaid

Title

Wilfred Sykes Bulk Freighter

Artist

Dale Kincaid

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

The Ohio tugboat from the Great Lakes Towing Company guides the Wilfred Sykes Bulk Freighter through the lift bridge of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Wilfred Sykes was constructed in 1949 as a gearless bulk carrier for carrying iron ore and coal, by American Shipbuilding Company at their Lorain, Ohio, shipyard, for Inland Steel Company. The design staff at American Shipbuilding were told to design the largest possible ship to navigate the Great Lakes at the time.The new ship would prove to be very innovative, introducing design features that would influence Great Lakes ship design for over two decades. She was the first Great Lakes ore carrier built with oil-fired steam propulsion. She was converted to a self-unloader in 1975

A large crowd gathered at Lorain, Ohio, on the morning of June 28, 1949, to witness the launch of the largest, fastest and most efficient vessel operating in the
Great Lakes. The ship was christened Wilfred Sykes and launched into the waters of the Black River at Lorain, Ohio, on June 28, 1949. She entered service on April 19, 1950, under the command of Captain George Fisher, departing Lorain to load coal at Toledo, Ohio.

Vessel Type: Loop-Belt Self-Unloader
Builder: American Ship Building Company
Launched: June 29, 1949
Christened: June 29, 1949
Maiden voyage: April 19, 1950
Call Sign: WC5932

Tonnage: 12,729
Gross Tonnage 21,845
Length: 678 ft (207 m)
Beam: 70 ft (21 m)
Depth: 37 ft (11 m)

Uploaded

January 12th, 2024

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