STURGEON BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A launch ceremony was held Thursday in Sturgeon Bay for a new Great Lakes carrier ship.
The ship is the first U.S.-flagged Great Lakes bulk carrier to be built in more than 35 years.
The ceremony included a traditional breaking of the bottle and a blessing.
“Really, it’s all about honoring the men and women that have worked so hard to bring it to the level that we’ve gotten to here, right now, today,” Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding vice president and general manager Todd Thayse said.
The 640 foot carrier ship will transport raw materials, like salt, iron, ore, and stone, throughout the Great Lakes region.
“People have asked a lot, why is it so short? Our biggest ship is over 1000 feet long. The ship is only 640. That’s to meet some unique harbors and docks that we need to go into,” Interlake Steamship Company president Mark Barker said.
While officials say the ship is expensive, they wouldn’t say the actual cost. They say it’s an investment built to last.
“We operate in freshwater so our ships are long-lasting and long-lived. We’ve done an immense amount of work to re-power and bring our boats up to modern standards, the ones that are pre-existing. We do maintenance here every year to renew steel and upgrade systems so they last a long time,” Barker said.
While the boat still has work to be done, officials say Thursday’s ceremony was a milestone for all.
The boat will be christened in June in Ohio.
Officials say the ship will be ready to start transporting materials in the spring.
