Modern laker Mark W. Barker begins sea trials

Written by Nick Blenkey
Mark W. Barker is believed to be the first ship for U.S. Great Lakes service built on the Great Lakes since 1983.

Mark W. Barker is believed to be the first ship for U.S. Great Lakes service built on the Great Lakes since 1983. [Photo: Interlake Steamship Company]

The Interlake Steamship Company has released photographs of its new 639-foot River class self-unloading bulker on initial sea rials. Named for Interlake Steamship’s president, the vessel, the M/V Mark W. Barker, has been built by Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding.

The ship is believed to be the first ship for U.S. Great Lakes service built on the Great Lakes since 1983 and is very far from being a repeat of earlier designs.

Measuring 639 feet in length and 78 feet wide and 45 feet high, the 28,000 dwt ship will carry all types of cargo throughout the freshwater Lakes and River systems and has been designed to navigate the tight bends of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland.

The Mark W. Barker will be the first ship on the Great Lakes with engines that meet EPA Tier 4 emissions standards. She is powered by twin EMD main engines generating 8,000 total horsepower that turn a single four-blade, controllable-pitch propeller through a Lufkin twin-input, single-output gearbox. She is outfitted with 1,000-hp Kongsberg bow and stern thrusters.

Her hull has been optimized for efficiency and all systems have been designed to ensure low energy consumption. A Kongsberg high-lift rudder optimizes the wake through the propeller.

The Interlake Steamship Company, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, and Bay Engineering jointly designed the bulk carrier, complete with advanced vessel and unloading systems automation.

Five large hydraulically controlled stackable MacGregor hatch covers, more usually found on ocean-going vessels, offer enhanced flexibility for project cargoes and expedite loading operations.

Unlike most Great Lakes freighters, the Mark W. Barker has a square-shaped, flat-bottomed cargo hold instead of a traditional V-shaped hold that funnels bulk cargo onto conveyer belts for offloading.

Mark W. Barker measures 639 feet in length
639 foot long Mark W. Barker is designed to carry a range of cargoes — including wind turbine blades

The combination of larger hatch openings and additional cargo hold space was designed with future cargoes in mind to include wind-turbine blades and project cargo.

In addition, the unloading boom is located on the forward end of the ship, offering flexibility for cargo operations in congested ports. Many Great Lakes customers find the forward boom more advantageous to allow placement of cargoes in preferred areas for access at their docks.

A Kongsberg high-lift rudder optimizes the wake through the Mark W. Barker's controllable pitch propeller.
A Kongsberg high-lift rudder optimizes the wake through the vessel’s controllable pitch propeller.
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