Built by American Shipbuilding Co., Lorain, OH in 1949 for Inland Steel Co., the streamlined bulk freighter Wilfred Sykes was the first new American-built Great Lakes vessel constructed after World War II. At the time of her launch, she was the largest vessel on the Great Lakes. The Sykes is powered by 2 steam turbine engines producing a combined 7,700 horsepower driving an 18 1/2 foot diameter four-blade propeller giving her a speed of up to 16 mph. Being the first steamship built to burn “bunker C” heavy oil for fuel instead of coal, her fuel tanks can hold 165,000 gallons giving her a cruising range of 4,500 miles. She is also equipped with a bow thruster.

Her 18 hatches feed into 6 compartments where she can carry 20,150 tons at maximum Seaway draft of 26 feet and is capable of carrying 21,500 tons at her maximum mid-summer draft of 26 feet 11 inches. The Sykes was the first Great Lakes vessel built with a 70-foot beam and was also the first laker built capable of carrying in excess of 20,000 tons. She set iron ore cargo records during her first three seasons of operations (1950, 51, & 52). At the time of her design, Inland Steel determined that the needs of the iron ore trade dictated that this vessel be the largest and fastest that the yards were capable of building and still be able to pass through the existing locks at Sault Ste. Marie. Her hatches are 44 feet wide, 11 feet long, and spaced on 24-foot centers. The one-piece hatch covers are moved by a 25 hp. electric motor driven tracked hatch crane which is equipped with 2 lifting hooks powered by a separate 10 hp. motor.

Private rooms are provided for all licensed officers and double rooms for the unlicensed personnel with each room having a private bathroom. Fore and aft recreation rooms are also provided. The Sykes was designed so that the crew could go anywhere on board without having to step outside (including stairways & passageways.

She is equipped with two 12,000 lb. bow anchors, each attached to 540 feet of 2 1/8-inch forged alloy steel chains. Her 10,000 lb. stern anchor is fitted to 540 feet of 1 7/8-inch steel chain. She also has six 50 hp. electric mooring winches with 1 1/2-inch plow steel mooring cables. Her lifesaving equipment includes two 31-person lifeboats carried on stern davits with power winches for raising and lowering as well as several inflatable rafts stowed in containers on deck.

The straight-decker was converted to a self-unloader in 1975 by Fraser Shipyards, Superior, WI. She is equipped with a 250-foot stern mounted discharge boom that can be swung 90 degrees to port or starboard for unloading.

Inland Steel has had the Sykes’ activity focused on the Lake Michigan taconite, stone, and coal trades. Inland Steel was acquired by Ispat International of the Netherlands in 1998. Ispat, in turn, sold the 3 Inland Steel lakers to the newly formed Central Marine Logistics, Highland, IN. The 3 vessels were the Wilfred Sykes, Joseph L. Block, and the Edward L. Ryerson. This move was to comply with the Jones Act which dictates that vessels moving cargoes between U.S. ports be U.S. owned, operated, crewed, and built. After the change in ownership, the Wilfred Sykes’ activity has continued to be focused on the Lake Michigan taconite trade into Indiana Harbor.

The year 1999 found the words “50 Years of Smooth Sailing” painted on the front of her pilothouse celebrating a milestone anniversary. Plagued with boiler problems during the fal of 2017, the Sykes entered layup at Sturgeon Bay, Wis. on November 19. Her boilers were rebuilt over the winter and she was back in service the following spring. The Sykes also spent a week at Toledo’s Ironhead Shipyard in the fall of 2018 for repairs to injuries sustained in a late November incident after striking a dock on the Canadian side of the St. Clair River. She departed several times from her usual Lake Michigan trade routes in 2018, making four rare trips to Lake Superior ports and two to Detroit in the fall. Boatwatchers were thrilled, and turned out in droves to photograph this Great Lakes beauty.

In April 2002, the Wilfred Sykes made trips into the Saginaw River for the first time, marking the beginning of a trend, as over the next few seasons, she would visit that river multiple times. Also during this time, she was involved in carrying ore from Marquette, Michigan, to Detroit, Michigan.

Since the 2005 season, she has mainly been consigned to the Lake Michigan stone trade, loading at northern Lake Michigan and Lake Huron docks for Lake Michigan ports.

The Sykes operated under charter to Ispat International until 2008 when Ispat was involved in a European steel manufacturer merger. The vessels were then chartered by Arcelor Mittal, the resulting firm of the merger.

On April 18, 2017, the Wilfred Sykes loaded the last cargo of taconite pellets from Escanaba, Michigan. The ore dock closed for good afterwards.

In Fall of 2017, the Sykes suffered from boiler issues, resulting in her boilers being rebuilt over the winter at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The Wilfred Sykes made several unusual trips to Lake Superior to load ore, and to the Port Huron/Detroit region during the 2018 season. She would visit Lake Superior once again in 2019.

The Wilfred Sykes continues to be an active member of the Central Marine Logistics fleet, serving the Lake Michigan stone trades.

Written by George Wharton, updated by Brendan Falkowski