On this day February 14, 1977, the MESABI MINER was launched at Lorain, Ohio, by the American Ship Building Co. for the Pickands Mather & Co., a subsidiary of Moore McCormack and is part of the Interlake Fleet.
Photo at top of page: MESABI MINER at Central Ore Dock, Two Harbors, MN, August 12, 2009, Craig Olson photo
She had been built in three sections. The bow and stern sections being built at the Lorain yard and the 660 foot mid-section being built at the Toledo yard. The mid-section was towed to drydock in Lorain and then attached to the stern section. The bow was attached last. Her build cost was $45.1 million. On June 11th, the 1,000 footer was dedicated and christened at Duluth.
Pickands Mather President, Elton Hoyt, III, announced “The vessel was named as a tribute to those people of the Iron Range who have encouraged the development of the iron mining industry in Minnesota and, more particularly, those men and women of the Mesabi Iron Range who have helped build our company into a major producer and shipper of iron ore for the iron and steel industry.”
The MINER was christened by Mrs. Hubert H. Humphrey, wife of the Minnesota Senator Hubert H. Humphrey who delivered the keynote address. At the traditional breaking of the champagne bottle on the bow, Mrs. Humphrey said “I christen thee MESABI MINER, and may she and all those who sail aboard her have a safe, and prosperous voyage.”
Her christening was well attended and followed by much celebration. The boat was open for public tours for two days with her crew on hand to answer any questions her 15,000 plus visitors had – most being overwhelmed by her size.
Measuring a 1,000 feet in length by 105 feet in width, she had a height of 115 feet and a draft of 28 feet. In the widest lock, the Poe Lock, she would only have five feet of clearance. Her 265 foot self-unloading boom allowed her to unload over 59,000 tons of taconite at a rate of 10,000 tons per hour and over 52,000 tons of coal at a rate of 6,000 tons per hour. On June 13th, the MINER loaded her first cargo of taconite – 54,321 gross tons of pellets.
The MESABI MINER at Port Huron, September 1, 2003, Chuck Sterba Photo
The MINER was the fourth of thirteen American flagged 1,000 footers built on the Great Lakes. Her sister ship the JAMES R. BARKER was the first 1,000 footer constructed entirely on the Great Lakes – the MINER was the second.
The MINER and BARKER are both still currently sailing and both are still sailing for Interlake.
Suzette Lopez
PHOTO CREDIT: Great Lakes Marine Collection of the Milwaukee Public Library and Wisconsin Marine Historical Society
This story was originally posted on February 14, 2024.
