The Great Lakes freighter Mark W. Barker has returned to service after running aground in the Detroit River while carrying a load of salt.
The 639-foot self-unloading bulk carrier went soft aground at about 0735 on May 17, 2023, near Belle Isle in Detroit. Its operator, Interlake Steamship Co., said the U.S.-flagged ship experienced a loss of power and maneuverability.
“The vessel turned to port unexpectedly and the captain dropped the anchor before the bow grounded on the soft bank of the channel,” according to Interlake Steamship, which is based in Shaker Heights, Ohio.
The incident involving Mark W. Barker happened less than a month after another Interlake ship went aground. Kaye E. Barker became stuck near Muskegon, Mich., in late April in an area of heavy shoaling.
The 8,000-hp Mark W. Barker was sailing from Cleveland to Milwaukee when crew lost control near Belle Isle. The ship was carrying 21,000 metric tons of salt and more than 100,000 gallons of fuel, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Mark W. Barker was not stuck for long. The Great Lakes Towing Co. tugboat Pennsylvania arrived from nearby Detroit soon afterward and began assisting the ship off the sandy bottom.
“Upon arriving on scene, a tow line was put up on the starboard quarter in order to lift the stern against the current and position the Mark W. Barker perpendicular to the shoreline,” explained Lindsay Dew, director of operations and compliance for The Great Lakes Towing Company, which is based in Cleveland.
“Once in this position, the tug maneuvered to the vessel’s stern,” Dew continued. “In combination the Mark W. Barker backing and the Pennsylvania pulling, the Mark W. Barker was refloated in approximately 20 minutes.”
Once the ship was free, Dew said the 2,000-hp Pennsylvania escorted the ship to the nearby Belle Isle Anchorage.
Interlake, in its statement, said crewmembers worked to identify the cause of the malfunction while at anchor. The company did not disclose the nature of the problem or identify what fixes its crews made before the ship got underway. The Coast Guard is investigating the incident and has not determined the cause. The service attributed the incident to an unspecified electronics malfunction.
Lt. j.g. Adeeb Ahmad from Coast Guard Sector Detroit declined to comment on the ongoing investigation into the grounding. There was no pollution during the incident, and the vessel remained stable. It did not sustain any damage.
“We worked closely with all relevant parties to ensure the safety of our waterways and the prompt resolution of this incident,” Ahmad said in a statement. “The successful refloating of the Mark W. Barker highlights our commitment to maintaining the safety and continuity of our maritime transportation system.”
Mark W. Barker was entered service last summer to great fanfare after leaving Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wis. It is the first U.S.-flagged Great Lakes freighter built in nearly 40 years, and it earned numerous industry accolades, including 2023 Ship of the Year in American Ship Review.
The April 24 incident involving 767-foot self-unloading freighter Kaye E. Barker reached a similar conclusion as Mark W. Barker.
According to Interlake Steamship, the self-unloading bulker grounded at about 1000 hrs. near the Muskegon outer break wall as it approached the harbor in Muskegon, Mich.
Muskegon, Mi.
Kaye E. Barker was loaded down with 25,498 tons of stone from Meldrum Bay, Ontario, when it grounded on a soft sandbar. Nobody was hurt and the vessel was not damaged. There was no pollution.
Authorities are investigating the cause of this incident, which Interlake said occurred in an area that was shallower than what appeared on navigation charts.
“When the vessel was loaded for Muskegon,” Interlake said in a statement, “it was loaded based upon the most recent bottom survey which indicated that there was sufficient water depth at the entrance.
“The sandbar developed after the last bottom survey was conducted,” the statement continued, “and Interlake is currently working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to get the area dredged soon.”
Kaye E. Barker returned to service soon afterward in the Great Lakes trade.