While in charge on the Tregurtha, Captain Bob made. 7300 Engle Road 2023 www.thetimesherald.com. Reporter Jim Schaefer and photographer Eric Seals are sailing this week aboard the Paul R. Tregurtha, the longest ship on the Great Lakes. ", And it's not just cargo the crew takes care of, there are often VIP passengers on board. 105.0' 17,120 At 1013.5 feet, Interlake's flagship M/V Paul R. Tregurtha is the longest ship on the Great Lakes. Of course they have a couple months off in the winter. Sail to the last mile with inland North Americas multimodal logistics hub. Tonight we take you on board and introduce you to the men and women who keep the big ship on course. He's Chris Perkins, for those of you not on the boat. They're meeting and learning about the crew, the captain, the jobs they do, the sights they see and even the food they eat aboard the 1,013-foot ship, which is longer than the Renaissance Center's cylindrical tower is tall. Coming up with new ideas, different things every day. "My wife says, 'You're done.' 0000000016 00000 n And the boat's width that 105 feet leaves just a tiny buffer zone on each side. Type: Cargo IMO: 5385625. "They're home having a good time and you're just here.''. He generally works 60 days, then takes off for 30. In addition, he has been Chairman of Moran Towing Corp. since 1994 and Chief Executive Officer since 1998. The Luck of the Lakes raffle is a fundraiser for the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo. De Lancey departed Lorain on her maiden voyage on May 10, 1981, sailing in ballast to Silver Bay, Minnesota, to load 55,944 long tons (56,842t) of iron ore pellets. With another 1000 footer, AMERICAN CENTURY, needing a little more time to finish her coal offload, PRT swung around downriver to wait in sequence. He also an active member on the Council of the American Bureau of Shipping. In open water, there's an autopilot, but someone always has to be on watch. 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). Home; Features; Services; About; Contact; Login; Get Free Demo Deckhands pull heavy steel cables to tie up the boat to docks, sweep the decks, paint, and shovel excess coal into the cargo hold during the loading process. A backup is necessary there because the channel is too narrow for the Tregurtha to turn. He worked his way up through the officer ranks, and has at one time or another piloted each of Interlake's working ships. %PDF-1.3 % He just took the helm of the Tregurtha last October. He serves as Director Emeritus of Cornell University. Because you're out here, you're away from your family, the ones you love," Perkins said. Perkins watched as a layer of the black chunks whizzed by. Captains like Thibaudeau use markers and GPS and radar to help them guide these goliaths plus a substantial amount of gut. He lives out of his suitcase in case he gets a call to report to a port. An hour later downriver, after countless salutes to friends along the way, TREGURTHA reached the DTE St. Clair power plant for the final time with Bob at the helm. The men and women can work 60 days on and then have 30 days off. She was married on her husband's ship, the Paul R. Tregurtha. On board the Paul R. Tregurtha: The Great Ship of the Great Lakes, GRAPHIC: I am going to die: Body camera footage released in womans in-custody death, Toledo students accused of giving teacher edibles, could face criminal charges, Alleged serial bank robber arrested in Findlay, Toledo teen identified in 41-year-old cold case, TPS becomes part of Safer Ohio School Tip Line, City of Toledo names community members to weigh-in on next Police Chief, City of Toledo launches landlord and tenant surveys, MSU plans to update security, reclaim our sense of safety. [1], She was the subject of a television program in the first season of Discovery Channel Canada's series Mighty Ships. The Paul R. Tregurtha is known as the "Queen of the Lakes." This was on a gorgeous late August day, but of course Darby says life on the lakes is not always like this, "Summer sailing is nice and easy. Operations [ edit] MV William J. Randy Burgett said it is hard to explain what it is like to be a guest on the largest freighter in the Great Lakes. 0000001202 00000 n US Coast Guard Documentation and Licensing. He views the water from behind a bank of angled windows that curve around the front of the bridge. Bob Thibaudeau of the Paul R. Tregurtha freighter takes the largest freighter on the Great Lakes (at 1,013 feet long) through the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. It can slow you down quite a bit. [ship's horn blows] tregurtha's captain is legendary, too. 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. Freighter life does have challenges, though, and when there are normal, everyday disagreements, there is no escape. His previous roles with the company include vice president of Industrial Relations and Government Affairs, Director of Human Resources & Industrial Relations and Director of Marine Personnel. They are currently upbound, headedto Duluth, Minnesota. 67 0 obj <> endobj The crew came from six states, though the heavy majority 15 of them live in Michigan. One of my favorite things is to use the meat smoker we have on board. A slight man with a scruffy beard, he may be the filthiest crew member aboard the 1,013-foot Paul R.. Captains make $160,000 to $200,000, according to Glenn Kolke, marine personnel manager for Interlake. 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. There are workshops filled with tools all over the boat, some with wrenches as big as a human head. We've been having guys scrape the sides of the ships, and it seems to be making quite a difference. ", Kadleck says it would take 700 train cars or 2,800 trucks to move the same amount the Tregurtha carries in a single trip. Prior to his current position with Interlake, Bill was a Senior Director and Business Unit Controller at Cliffs Natural Resources, an international mining and minerals focused company. Freighters are a big part of our local history and economy. from Columbia University and an M.B.A. with distinction, from Harvard Business School. 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. I hope you all still enjoy the interview anywayFair winds and following seas to Captain Bob we will all miss you on the Lakes very much, but wish you the best in the years ahead while you begin this new chapter of your life. She is truly a workhorse out on the water. Follow Staff writer Jim Schaefer and staff photographer Eric Seals all week. Chrissy Kadleck is with Interlake Steamship, the owner of the Tregurtha, "She can hold up to 70,000 tons in one trip which over a season adds up to millions and millions of tons of cargo. Perkins works in the deepest areas beneath the engine room. Depending on their seniority, the crew works an average of 6-8 months a year. The chef makes three gourmet meals that would be found in a five star restaurant. Richard Laksonen, an Upper Peninsula native who has been with Interlake for 30 years, said crew members have shifts (watches, as they call them), which typically have them working four hours on, eight hours off, then repeat. Jan A.A. van Lier, president of the firm's ocean bulk transport. If something busts, he may have to shut down the line, losing precious time. It's a story you'll only see here. Georgia, Michigan lead way-too-early Top 25 for next year's college football season. 0000002521 00000 n Nater in the wheel house of the Paul R. Tregurtha Wednesday, July 10, 2013 Watch for my new Children's book. The Free Press spent a week aboard the boat ending Sunday, chronicling freighter life, watching how the men and women aboard earn their living. For more information, click the "The National Museum of the Great Lakes" or "Interlake Steamship Company on Facebook" link on this page. And he likes chatting with them and spreading his love of the lakes. 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. The boat runs 10 months out of the year, often going deep into January, as ice conditions allow. Wishing Captain Dayton all the best in his retirement. xref 0000005758 00000 n Brendan is part of Interlakes Incident Response and Management Team, and is a Qualified Individual (OPA 90) and is trained as an Incident Commander/On-scene Coordinator. Captain Dave Johnson says it is hard for many to imagine just what all that coal looks like, "You were out this morning as we were unloading, so you got an idea of the volume here. 02 victoria warehouse manchester. The cooks on board the Tregurtha don't even want Perkins in their galley until he scrubs his hands and arms up to the elbows, ridding himself of coal grime and black grease or as much as possible. The ships usually run from March into December or January. Y]T ZY:. He has served as Chairman of Mormac Marine Group, Inc., since 1998. A trip on a freighter will also be raffled off. While a lot of the work is done outside, there's one place inside everyone likes to spend time. Anna Kolin from the museum says the trip is priceless,"I had a chance to spend a day on the Tregurtha with the 13abc crew and it was absolutely amazing. ", When it comes to the environment, Kadleck says it's a big priority for Interlake Steamship, "We are always looking for ways to protect the water ways and reduce our emissions. Across the Great Lakes ships It drops onto the belt, which then whisks it up out of the ship, through a boom stretched to a silo on land. Search. They stay in staterooms near the captain's own on a deck below the pilot house. That means learning on the job, rather than earning a maritime license from an academy. That system moves through the ship and out onto the boom . AUTOS. They'll be using the hashtag: #FreighterLife. 0:04. And she can hit hard, with things like fog and thunder storms in the summer, and thick ice in the winter. Crew members come and go, especially during vacation season. Mark is past Chairman of the board for Lake Carriers Association and he serves on the board of Moran Towing Corporation. Burgett and his wife, Lynn, boarded the 1,000-footer Tuesday in St. Clair with friends Bob and Linda Kempf,Janet Knust and Rick Sheffield. she's been hibernating in sturgeon bay, wisconsin. [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. Vessel PAUL R.TREGURTHA is a Self Discharging Bulk Carrier, Registered in USA. United States of America. As Vice President of Marketing and Marine Traffic, Brendan leads and manages customer relations, contract administration and revenue for the fleet. A week earlier, on May 3, 2002, Captain Mitch Hallin passed away on board his command, the M/V Paul R. Tregurtha. We move those cargo for industries like construction, steel and power generation. 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. Paul R Tregurtha departed Duluth early this morning. Michigan Republicans gather at the Nuthouse before picking party chair. Capable of unloading at a rate of 10,000 long tons of iron ore per hour, or 6,000 net tons of coal per hour, the total system displaces 14,497 tons.[1]. "Bottom line is you're not going to get along with everybody. She can carry up to 68,000 gross tons of taconite pellets or 71,000 net tons of coal. He's just 57, but Thibaudeau already has 36 years on these waters, evident in the silver hair that sweeps back from his face. In November 2016, he assumed his current management role. The drawing will be held later this month during the museum's H20 event. Main: 440-260-6900 She arrived back in Lorain on May 16, 1981. With CENTURY on her way, she slid up and over to dock for her own offload, and the Captain's last. He plans to join his wife in Muskegon, where they live on a houseboat. He beams a little bit when talking about them. "It's more mentally stressful, the job is. All rights reserved. Track current position of PAUL R TREGURTHA on Live Map and find its IMO, MMSI, Call Sign, 7729057,366904940. We're just like a big family on a boat.". Interlake allows family visits to cut the stress of being away. A graduate of SUNY Maritime College with a degree in Marine Engineering and an Unlimited Third Assistant Engineer License, Mark holds an MBA from the Case Western Reserve Universitys Weatherhead School of Management. 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. Two Long Three Short. 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. Dustin Darby is a First Mate, "There are gates at the bottom of the cargo holds, hydraulic gates, and they put the cargo on to a conveyor system. Officers start around $90,000. 0000004316 00000 n She is truly an engineering marvel. We've been a leader since 2006 investing more than 100 million in re-powering and installing exhaust gas scrubbers. The engine room is the blood of the ship, making everything work. "They actually assign to the guests a porter, an individual who looks after us, keeps us advised She's constanly bringing us plates of goodies," Randy Burgett said Thursday from the ship. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Fax: 440-260-6945. A lot of people can't cut it, but to me it's much more than just a paycheck. UTC. 0000005509 00000 n [3] With assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard, at 5:30a.m. on August 19, two tugs with a combined 4,000 horsepower (3,000kW) moved the stern of the ship into the middle of the channel. All rights reserved. It is the biggest ship sailing the lakes today. That program recounts how in 2008, while leaving Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, MV Paul R. Tregurtha got stuck in ice and cracked steel plating on the port side of her bow, causing ballast tank water to leak out. Its 1,013.5-foot length dwarfs the Renaissance Center's cylindrical tower that looms over downtown Detroit. Don't miss the boat! Charming Craftsman-style house in northwest Detroit listed at $430,000. He's a hulking man, fond of blue coveralls unzipped to the center of his chest because he works where it's hot. Paul R. Tregurtha, born 1935, was the Vice Chairman of Interlake Steamship Company's Board. During the period from 1971-88, Moore McCormack grew from $50 million to more than $800 million in revenues. Paul R. Tregurtha, born 1935, was the Vice Chairman of Interlake Steamship Company's Board. One deckhand last week said he'd had just three off days since March, and that was to get a broken tooth fixed. "Nater In The Wheelhouse." Nater lives on a boat and it is one of a kind. We also went under the Ambassador Bridge, where we were met by the J.W. 0000004077 00000 n Contact Jim Schaefer: 313-223-4542 or jschaefer@freepress.com. The Interlake Steamship Company was given a contract in 1979 by its customer Republic Steel, to transport iron ore from Lake Superior ports to their steel mill at Indiana Harbor, or to their transshipment terminal at Lorain.[1]. There aren't too many waves, but come October and November then it gets nasty. A lot has changed since the captain's first days on the job. 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. She arrived back in Lorain on May 16, 1981. In exchange for their paychecks, crew members miss family occasions, birthdays, holidays and more. 0:32. The nonprofit will start selling raffletickets for its trip in November, according to its website. Are currently upbound, headedto Duluth, Minnesota, according to its website hit hard, with like... 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