Shipping and Logistics
SMU Publisher to Travel on Ore Carrier M/V James R. Barker
Written by John Packard
July 6, 2015
At the end of July, Steel Market Update founder and publisher, John Packard, will travel from Two Harbors, Minnesota to Indiana Harbor, Indiana on the M/V James R Barker. The James R Barker is an iron ore supply ship owned by Interlake Steamship Company. The 1004 foot long vessel will carry approximately 63,000 tons of iron ore pellets from the mines in Minnesota to the mill at Indiana Harbor.
The purpose of the trip is to get a first hand experience as to how iron ore transits the Great Lakes to feed the fully integrated steel mills located in the Northern Indiana/Chicago/Detroit to Cleveland area.
John will be reporting from aboard the ship during the three day transit time. He will be sending out Tweets (@SMUsteel), Facebook and LinkedIn (Steel Market Update group) messages as well as blog posts from the Steel Market Update website. SMU will also have articles on the adventure in each newsletter published at the end of July.
Follow Steel Market Update to learn more about the vessel, the mine where the pellets are coming from, what it is like to transit Lake Superior and Lake Michigan on a 1004 foot vessel, how the ore is loaded and unloaded and more. More details coming soon!
John Packard
Read more from John PackardLatest in Shipping and Logistics
Wittbecker on Aluminum: When do the tariffs reach Main Street?
Containers sailing from China in April are down 15%-20% and Hapag Lloyd says their future bookings transpacific are down 30%.
Wittbecker on Aluminum: US-China trade war clobbers cross-Pacific trade
Container shipping lines have sharply increased blank sailings on Transpacific routes in response to escalating trade tensions between the US and China.
Volvo plans to lay off up to 800 workers at US truck plants
The company cited uncertainty about freight rates and demand, regulatory changes and the impact of tariffs.
Trump signs executive order aimed at making US shipbuilding ‘great again’
President Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order meant to breathe new life into American shipbuilding and curb Chinese dominance in the sector.
Great Lakes iron ore trade fell again in March
Recall that shipments also saw a sharp decline in January.