Great Lakes Fleet Page Vessel Feature -- Algosoo (2)

By George Wharton

Built by Collingwood Shipyards, Collingwood, ON as their hull #206 at a reported cost of $14.5 million (CN); the keel was laid on July 16th, 1973 for this Great Lakes self-unloading bulk carrier.  She was launched July 24th, 1974 and was christened at the shipyard on November 26th, 1974 by Mrs. John Rhodes as the Algosoo (2) for the Algoma Central Railway, Marine Division, Sault Ste. Marie, ON. Mrs. Rhodes was the wife of The Honourable John Rhodes, Minister of Transportation and Communication for the Province of Ontario.  With the Canadian Government subsidizing the new ships built at Canadian yards, the cost of the Algosoo net of subsidies was approximately $11.8 million (CN).  The Algosoo and her slightly newer fleetmate Algolake are considered almost sister ships with their hull designs and machinery being very similar; the main difference being the Algolake having been built with all accommodations and wheelhouse aft.  The Algosoo was the last traditional styled laker (straight-decker or self-unloader) built on the Great Lakes.

The Algosoo is powered by two Crossley Pielstick 10PC2V single acting, four stroke cycle V-10 cylinder 4,500 b.h.p. diesel engines built by Crossley Premier Engines, Manchester, England; these engines  burning intermediate grade 40 fuel.  The engines are mounted side-by-side facing forward with the drive shafts feeding into a gear reduction box.  From the gear reduction box, the single propeller shaft passes back between the two engines to the stern to a four blade KaMeWa 17-foot (5.18m) diameter controllable pitch propeller in a Kort nozzle.  The Algosoo's rated service speed is 15 m.p.h.. She is fitted with a 1,000 h.p. KaMeWa electric drive bow thruster.

The self-unloader's 5 holds are serviced by 23 hatches. The vessel is capable of carrying 31,500 tons (32,004 tonnes) at a mid summer draft of 29' 00 5/8" (8.855m) and approximately 27,541 tons (28,085 tonnes) at the new Seaway draft of 26' 06" (8.08m) implemented in 2004.  The Algosoo's cubic capacity allows her to carry 28,400 net tons of coal.  (Coal is measured in net tons, the equivalents being 25,357 tons or 25,764 tonnes.)  Her self-unloading equipment consists of a 3-belt gravity system with a stern-mounted loop belt elevator feeding a 252-foot (76.81m) discharge boom that can be swung 95 degrees to port or starboard. The designed discharge rate is 5,354 tons (5,440 tonnes) per hour. The Algosoo's other capacities include 445 tons (452 tonnes) of fuel oil, 84.6 tons (86 tonnes) of diesel oil, 88.6 tons (90 tonnes) of potable water, and 17,631 tons (17,914 tonnes) of water ballast. Her wheelhouse equipment includes 2 Differential Global Positioning Systems (DGPS), 1 Decca radar, 1 Sperry radar, 1 ECDIS (electronic charts), 1 Sperry Gyro compass, 1 magnetic compass, 2 VHF marine radios, and last but not least, a coffee maker. Safety equipment includes 1 Shepherd boat, 2 - 25 person life rafts, 50 life jackets, 35 survival suits, 36 fire extinguishers, 36 fire fighting stations with hoses and hydrants, 6 fireman's suits, 10 life rings, 12 parachute flares, and 4 rocket line-throwing apparatus.

The name "Algosoo" has been associated with the Algoma Central Corp. since 1936. The Algosoo (2)'s predecessor was built by the American Shipbuilding Co, Lorain, OH launched in 1901 as the steel bulk carrier Saturn for the Gilchrist Transportation Co., Cleveland, OH. Algoma Central Railway, Sault Ste. Marie, ON acquired the vessel in 1913 renaming her J. Frater Taylor. She was renamed Algosoo (1) in 1936 and remained an active member of the Algoma fleet until November of 1965 after traveling almost 2 million miles and carrying in excess of 14 million net tons of cargo. The Algosoo (1) was 346' x 48' x 28', 3,373 GRT, and was powered by a triple expansion coal-fired steam engine. The "Algosoo" name is derived from the parent Company's name "Algoma" (ALGO) and the "slang" term for the Company's headquarters city in Sault Ste. Marie, ON (SOO).

The Algosoo sailed on her maiden voyage December 4th, 1974 leaving Collingwood, ON in ballast for Badgley Island, ON where she loaded 25,935 tons (26,351.6 tonnes) of quartzite bound for Midland, ON.  In 1975, the Algosoo carried a record cargo of 23,300 tons (23,674 tonnes) of salt from Goderich, ON to Toronto, ON and a record 32,600 tons (33,123.7 tonnes) of stone from Stoneport, MI to Sarnia, ON. Also that year, she carried a record 926,204 bushels of wheat to Port McNicholl but was restricted to a harbor draft of 24' 06" (7.47m).  The Algosoo carried a total of 2.25 million tons of cargo for the 1975 season.   On July 12th, 1977; the self-unloader set a salt cargo record from Ojibway Salt in Windsor, ON loading 31,936 tons (32,449 tonnes) of the product for Buffalo.  December 9th, 1977 saw the Algosoo carry the 60 millionth ton of cargo through the St. Lawrence Seaway.  Another record was set in 1985 when, on May 24th, 31,782 tons (32,292 tonnes) of rock salt were loaded on board at Goderich, ON. 

A serious fire occurred on board the Algosoo on March 7th, 1986 while she was at her winter lay-up berth at Port Colborne, ON. The conveyor belt fire was possibly started by a welder's torch and spread to the stern gutting the aft accommodations. Repairs were completed by October 6th, 1986 at Port Weller Dry Docks in St. Catharines, ON after which the Algosoo returned to service.  In October of 1987, the Algosoo reportedly unloaded the last cargo to be delivered to the port of Kingston, ON by a commercial vessel.  On March 25th, 1994; the vessel was forced aground in Lake St. Francis in the St. Lawrence Seaway while being overtaken by the vessel Prestigious.  The grounding caused approximately $1.2 million in hull damage.

More recent events in the Algosoo's history include the carrying of the 2 billionth tonne of cargo through the St. Lawrence Seaway.  This notable event took place on May 10th, 1996 and the cargo was a load of iron ore from Quebec to Ohio.  On February 28th, 1998 while at winter lay up at Port Colborne's Wharf 10, a fire causing serious damage to the self-unloader belts and other nearby equipment occurred taking fire crews from Welland and Port Colborne several hours to contain.  Further, on August 11th, 2002; a bow thruster failure at Clarkson, ON resulted in the Algosoo sliding over her dropped anchor.  Bow damage included dents, gashes, and a couple of small holes.  The vessel proceeded to the Verrault Shipyard in Les Mechins, QC for repair (the closest shipyard available at that time).  The anchor was replaced later in Hamilton.

From 1993 until January of 2000, the Algosoo sailed under the management of Seaway Self Unloaders of St. Catharines, ON; a partnership of Algoma Central and Upper Lakes Group. The Algosoo now sails under the management of the derivative company Seaway Marine Transport of St. Catharines, ON; a continued partnership of Algoma Central and Upper Lakes Group. As a member of this fleet, her cargoes could include coal/coke, aggregates, slag, iron ore/oxides, salt, fertilizers, grain products, gypsum, quartzite, and sand. A typical navigation season could see the Algosoo visit such Ontario ports as Bath, Bruce Mines, Clarkson, Courtright, Hamilton, Meldrum Bay, Morrisburg, Nanticoke, and Windsor; Quebec ports such as Baie Comeau, Sept Isles and Quebec City; Ohio ports such as Ashtabula, Conneaut, Sandusky, and Toledo; the Michigan ports of Detroit and Port Inland; the Indiana ports of Burns Harbor and Gary; as well as Chicago, Illinois.

 

Overall Dimensions (metric)
Length	730' 00" (222.50m)
Beam	75' 00" (22.86m)
Depth	44' 06" (13.56m)
Capacity	31,500 tons (32,004 tonnes)
Power (diesel)	9,000 b.h.p.

 

Detroit River.  Mike Nicholls	Entering Lock 2, Welland Canal. Alex Howard	Algosoo arriving South Chicago, IL Stephen Sostaric
CN engine at Port Huron with the Algosoo in the back ground. Jim Lindholm	Stern winter lay-up at Hamilton. Chris Simpson	close up of Cort Nozzle. Chris Simpson
Unloading coal, St. Clair River, 2003.  GW	Downbound Lake Huron, buoys 1 & 2, 2003.  GW	Bow profile, 2003.  GW
Fueling at Port Colborne, 2000.  GW	Downbound the Welland Canal at Allanburg, 2000.  GW	Winter lay-up, Hamilton, 2003.  GW