1000 Foot Freighters of the Great Lakes: Our Guide to the Biggest Boats
Michigan is an excellent place for boatwatching, with shoreline on four of the five Great Lakes, the Soo Locks, and ports in Marquette, Detroit, Alpena, Muskegon, Port Inland, Drummond Island, and more. While seeing any ship pass by can be thrilling, there are 13 that are noteworthy for being the largest on the Great Lakes. These 1000 foot freighters are limited to the Great Lakes because of their length, and they are responsible for transporting millions of tons of cargo each year. In this post we will take a look at each of the 13 freighters and give you some places to see them from.
The absolute top spot for seeing freighters in Michigan is the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie. The 1000 foot freighters pass through here frequently each season as they bring iron ore from Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula to destinations in the Lower Peninsula and Indiana. At Soo Locks Park you can get a feel for how long one of these freighters is as you walk the 1000 feet from one end of the locks to the other, passing 13 banners that detail the name, length, and launch date of each of the thousand footers.
In addition to the Soo Locks, other places where you can see these large ships include Rotary Island Park in Sault Ste. Marie, Drummond Island and DeTour Village as the freighters head up and down the St. Mary’s River, Detroit, Port Huron, Mackinaw City, and Marquette. The MarineTraffic app, the book Know Your Ships, and the website boatnerd.com are all fantastic resources for learning about and following these freighters.
Due to their size these freighters are not capable of visiting some port locations in Michigan. The Stewart J. Cort was the first 1000 foot freighter on the Great Lakes when it launched in 1972. Since then 12 other vessels have followed, with the most recent (1981) being the Paul R. Tregurtha, current “Queen of the Lakes’ as the longest (1,013 feet) freighter. Here is a look at the thousand foot freighters of the Great Lakes:
Stewart J. Cort – This Interlake Steamship Company freighter was the first 1000 foot ship on the Great Lakes when it launched in 1972, and is the only one of the “footers” with a forward pilot house and crew accommodations. She is able to carry 58,000 tons and makes frequent runs from Superior, Wisconsin to Burns Harbor, Indiana each year. Your best chances to see this ship come at the Soo Locks, on the St. Mary’s River, or passing under the Mackinac Bridge.
Presque Isle – Another unique entry on this list is the 1000 foot Presque Isle, which is a tug/barge combo. The Presque Isle entered service a year after the Cort, with a barge and a tug that pairs in to a specially designed notch so the combo is able to sail as one vessel. With a cargo capacity of 57,500 tons and two separate cargo holds that allows for transporting multiple types of bulk cargo, this Great Lakes Fleet ship can frequently be seen on the Detroit River, passing under the Mackinac Bridge, and transiting through the Soo Locks.
Edwin H. Gott – Another ship that is part of the Great Lakes Fleet is the 1,004 foot Edwin H. Gott. Named for a former president of the U.S. Steel Corporation, the Gott was built in Wisconsin and entered service in 1979. It transports iron ore and other cargoes on the Great Lakes with a hauling capacity of 74,100 tons. We got to see her up close this year while on a Soo Locks Boat Tours cruise in Sault Ste. Marie. In addition to Sault Ste. Marie, other good places to catch a glimpse of this freighter are Drummond Island, Mackinaw City, the Detroit River, and Port Huron.
James R. Barker – The James R. Barker is part of the Interlake Steamship Company fleet and is 1,004 feet long. It has a cargo capacity of 63,300 tons and is well-known by boatwatchers for its distinctive master salute, sometimes referred to as the “Barker bark.” Built in Ohio, she entered service in 1976 and can be seen frequently traveling the Detroit River, St. Mary’s River, and Lake Superior. Her primary cargos are iron ore and coal.
Indiana Harbor – This 1,000 foot ship has seen a lot in its years of service since launching in 1979. Now part of the American Steamship Company fleet, it has held several records for limestone and coal cargos. Capable of carrying almost 90,000 tons, the Indiana Harbor has also had a few grounding incidents and even collided with the Lansing Shoal Lighthouse in 1993. You can spot this ship at the Soo Locks or passing places like Detroit, Port Huron, Mackinaw City, or Drummond Island.
Mesabi Miner – Another popular Interlake Steamship freighter is the 1,004 foot Mesabi Miner. Named after the iron range in Minnesota where a great deal of the iron ore shipped on the Great Lakes comes from. We have seen this ship frequently on our trips to Minnesota’s Lake Superior shore, and here in Michigan we’ve been fortunate to catch it at the Soo Locks, passing Drummond Island, passing under the Mackinac Bridge, and in the Detroit area. This beautiful boat can carry more than 60,000 tons and it went into service in 1977.
Burns Harbor – Sailing the Great Lakes since 1980, the Burns Harbor is another 1,000 foot freighter in the American Steamship Company fleet. This well-traveled workhorse has a capacity of close to 80,000 tons and shares many similarities with the Indiana Harbor and the Walter J. McCarthy, Jr. Mainly used for hauling iron ore, your top spots for seeing this ship are at the Soo Locks, passing Drummond Island, and passing under the Mackinac Bridge as it heads to its namesake port in Indiana.
Walter J. McCarthy Jr. – This 1,000 footer is part of the American Steamship Company fleet. It was originally named the Belle River, and entered service in 1977. It shares many similarities with the Indiana Harbor and the Burns Harbor, and it makes many runs hauling coal from Wisconsin to lower Great Lakes ports like Detroit, Gary, and Cleveland. You might see this ship in Marquette, but are more likely to see it in Sault Ste. Marie, or passing by Port Huron or Detroit.
Edgar B. Speer – Part of the Great Lakes Fleet, this 1,004 foot ship can haul more than 75,000 tons of cargo. Easy to spot with its red paint and gray/black accents. The Edgar B. Speer frequently hauls iron ore from Lake Superior ports to the lower Great Lakes. You have a good chance of seeing it in Sault Ste. Marie, passing Drummond Island, passing under the Mackinac Bridge, or passing Port Huron.
American Integrity – The former Lewis Wilson Foy and Oglebay Norton has been known as the American Integrity since 2006. It is 1,000 feet long and set a record in 2017 carrying more than 75,000 tons of iron ore through the Soo Locks. Primarily used for iron ore and coal, you can get a view of this freighter in Sault Ste. Marie, or passing by Drummond Island, Port Huron, or Detroit. We were once lucky enough to catch it leaving Muskegon, though with the coal plant now closed the larger ships no longer visit.
American Century – One of the earliest 1,000 footers I can remember seeing was the Columbia Star, which passed our Shepler’s Lighthouse Cruise two decades ago. It has been owned by the American Steamship Company since 2006 and now sails as the American Century. Primarily used for iron ore and coal, you can get a view of this 1,000 foot freighter in Sault Ste. Marie, or passing by Drummond Island, Port Huron, or Detroit.
American Spirit – The third and final “American” ship on this list, the American Spirit is another member of the American Steamship fleet. Originally know as the George A. Stinson, this freighter is 1,004 feet long and hauls iron ore from Lake Superior to ports in the lower Great Lakes. You may occasionally catch the American Spirit in Marquette (as pictured) or passing through the Soo Locks. Other good spots to view it are passing Drummond Island, Port Huron, or Detroit.
Paul R. Tregurtha – We’ve finally reached the end of the list of 1,000 foot ships and this one is the longest of them all! The Paul R. Tregurtha (formerly known as the William J. DeLancey) is the current “Queen of the Lakes” at 1,013 feet and is the youngets ship on the list having entered service in 1981. She is the flagship of the Interlake Steamship Company fleet and can haul 68,000 tons of taconite or 71,000 tons of coal. We’ve seen her several times in Duluth, Minnesota as she loaded up for trips to ports in the lower Great Lakes. You can see this beautiful ship in Sault Ste. Marie or passing Drummond Island, Port Huron, Detroit, or under the Mackinac Bridge. This one tends to draw quite the crowd!