Brand-new Great Lakes freighter coming into Port of Green Bay Sunday

Great Lakes bulk carrier design (images provided)(WBAY)
Published: Aug. 12, 2022 at 11:58 AM CDT

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - The shiniest new freighter on the Great Lakes is coming in to the Port of Green Bay this weekend.

The Mark W. Barker just made its maiden voyage on the Great Lakes two weeks ago.

The port says the freighter is delivering a load of road salt Sunday at 11 P.M. then departing at 6 o’clock the next morning. It can be tracked on the Port of Green Bay website.

The Mark W. Barker is the first bulk carrier built to serve the Great Lakes in over 35 years. It was constructed at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, which got the contract in 2019. The 639-foot ship is self-unloading and can carry up to 26,000 tons.

“This vessel is surely the design of the future for marine transportation,” port director Dean Haen wrote in a statement. “Everything about its design is geared toward flexibility and a reduced impact on the environment.”

The Mark W. Barker is based in Cleveland, Ohio, and it was designed the navigate the tight bends in the Cuyahoga River there. It’s owned and operated by Interlake Steamship.

Copyright 2022 WBAY. All rights reserved.