Fire-gutted St. Clair towed from Toledo to Port Colborne for scrap
Toledo, OH – On Tuesday, the McKeil Marine tug Molly M 1 took the fire-damaged former American Steamship Co. self-unloader St. Clair from Toledo headed for the Marine Recycling Corp. scrapyard at Port Colborne, ON, where the vessel will be cut up.
St. Clair was launched July 24, 1975 at Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, WI. When hull # 714 slid down the ways, she was the largest vessel ever to be side launched, built at a cost of $24.3 million. The 770-foot-long vessel was built primarily to deliver western low sulfur coal from Superior, WI, to Detroit Edison’s Belle River power plant near St. Clair, MI.
On Sunday, Feb. 16, 2019, a devastating fire swept through St. Clair while she was docked in Toledo, OH, for winter layup. The fire burned the length of the ship along the unloading belts and also destroyed the superstructure. No one was injured but the vessel was declared a total loss.
Ojibway retirement? Reports circulate on social media
Social media reports Tuesday indicate the 1952-built, straight-deck bulk carrier Ojibway will be retired at the end of the season. There has been no official announcement by owner Rand Logistics, however crewmembers report they have been informed of the decision. The vessel, which was repowered in 2005, is operated by Lower Lakes Towing Co., and has been active in the grain trade. She will make one more trip to Hamilton, then back to Port Cartier and then lay up in Sarnia until further notice.
