Presque Isle was constructed as a self-unloading integrated tug/barge unit for Litton Great Lakes Corporation. The tug/barge unit was intended to operate as part of Litton’s Wilson Transit Company, but Litton sold Wilson before the barge was completed. The tugboat was constructed by Halter Marine of New Orleans, Louisiana. The barge was constructed by two different shipyards on the Great Lakes. The bow portion of Presque Isle was built by DeFoe Shipbuilding in Bay City, Michigan, being towed to Erie, Pennsylvania by the tugs Laurence C. Turner and Maryland in October 1972. The cargo section and notch were being built by Litton Industries’ Erie Marine Shipyard where the 1,000-Footer Stewart J. Cort was built the year before. The bow section was welded to the cargo section in early 1973. The tug/barge Presque Isle was designed as an integrated tug/barge unit, with the tug fitting into a specially-designed notch where it would rigidly lock in, and the pair would sail as one vessel. It was designed with intentions to take advantage of the U.S. Coast Guard’s tug/barge manning requirements, but since the tug was not deemed seaworthy on its own, it had to operate with a full-size crew. The pair was built at a cost of about $35 Million under Title XI of the Merchant Marine Act of 1970. The barge portion of the unit was 974’06” long, 104’07’’ wide, and 46’06’’ deep, being capable of carrying 57,500 Tons at a mid-summer draft of 28’07’’.

The pair entered service on December 16, 1973, hauling one load of ore before laying up at Erie, Pennsylvania, for the winter.

In 1975, the United States Steel Corporation, experiencing shipyard delays, signed a 25-year lease on Presque Isle with Litton Great Lakes Corporation. U. S. Steel wanted to build a few 1,000-Footers, but backlogs at shipyards forced them to wait. The agreement proved to be a win-win, as U.S. Steel needed a 1,000-Footer, and Litton wanted to find a home for theirs.

Presque Isle fit in well with the U.S. Steel trade routes, carrying ore from their upper lakes docks to their mill in Gary. If demand was low, Presque Isle had large enough cubic capacities to be efficient in the coal and stone trades as well. Upon entering service for U.S. Steel, she went right to work as part of their winter navigation fleet during the late 1970’s.

On April 12, 1990, Presque Isle rammed the approach wall to the Poe Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. She was repaired at Superior, Wisconsin a few days later.

Presque Isle became the first vessel to utilize the unloading hopper at the DM&IR ore dock at Duluth on July 25, 1995. The hopper was installed to receive shipments of limestone for use in making taconite pellets.

USX Great Lakes Fleet, Presque Isle‘s operator, acquired 100% of Litton Great Lakes Corporation stock on November 1, 1997. Full ownership of the tug/barge pair was taken over by USX Great Lakes Fleet in 1998.

Blackstone Capital Partners, majority stockholders of USX Great Lakes Fleet, sold the fleet in 2004, being renamed Great Lakes Fleet, Inc. after ownership was transferred to the Canadian National Railway. The fleet’s ships remained under U.S. ownership. Presque Isle finally received her black and grey diagonal stripes on her bow in the early 2010’s.

Presque Isle continues to serve the iron ore, coal, and stone trades on the Great Lakes for Great Lakes Fleet, Inc. of Duluth, Minnesota.

Written By Brendan Falkowski