Lake Freighter - Lifespan

Lifespan

Since the freshwater lakes are less corrosive to ships than the salt water of the oceans, many of the Lakers remain in service for long periods and the fleet has a much higher average age than the ocean-going fleet. The average lifespan of a laker is 40–50 years. Boats older than 50 years are not unusual. The St. Mary's Challenger, built in 1906 as the William P. Snyder (552 ft), is currently the oldest boat in active duty on the Lakes. She is managed by Port City Steamship and owned by St. Mary's Cement, a subsidiary of Votorantim Cimentos. The E. M. Ford had one of the longest careers, having been built in 1898 (as the Presque Isle - 428 feet) and still sailing the lakes 98 years later in 1996. In 2007 she was still afloat as a stationary transfer vessel at a riverside cement silo in Saginaw. She went to the scrap yard in November 2010 at Purvis Marine. The J. B. Ford, built in 1904, last sailed in 1985 and in 2007 served in the same capacity as the E. M. at a different cement silo in Superior, Wisconsin. Several decorated World War II veteran ships are still in active, although civilian, use such as the tankers Chiwawa and Neshanic, now the bulk freighters Lee A. Tregurtha and American Victory, respectively, and the Landing Craft Tank 203, now the working vessel Outer Island.