Tom Wenstadt, our Door County correspondent, reports that the M/V FRONTENAC arrived at noon December 23, 2024, at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay. She came through Green Bay, then pivoted and backed the six miles up Sturgeon Bay to the yard. The tug ERIKA KOBASIC assisted with the maneuvers.
The keel for the FRONTENAC was laid at the Davie Shipbuilding Ltd. Lauzon QB, Canada for the Canadian Steamship Lines on May 17, 1967. The vessel was commissioned May 13, 1968. The vessel was converted to an aft mounted self-unloader by the Collingwood Shipyards winter of 1972-73. The vessel was the 5th ship named in honor of Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac. She has carried her name though-out her 56 years.
Specifications:
Length 730 feet
Beam (width) 75 feet
Depth 38 feet
Capacity 26,822tons
Power Sulzer 6RND76 6-cylinder 9,600 horsepower diesel engine turning a controllable pitch propeller – bow thruster
Self-Unloading rate 5,588 tons per hour
Look for a forward pilot house, a gray aft mounted self-unloading tower and a white boom with an iron ore red hull and white upper paint. Also look for the large “CANADIAN STEAMSHIP LINES” on her sides.
The winter fleet can be viewed at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, with viewing spots on both sides of the bay. Also check out the large new buildings that will be used to fabricate subassemblies for the new series of US Navy frigates. The subassemblies will be barged across Green Bay to the Fincantieri Marinette Marine yard to complete the frigates.
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Tom Wenstadt, who lives in Sturgeon Bay, is a retired marine engineer, having worked in the Great Lakes area for thirty-seven years. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan Technological University and is the author of Freighters of Manitowoc. He is a member of the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society and the Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society. He is a volunteer archival assistant and docent for the JOHN PURVES.
Photo at top of page by Craig Olson. FRONTENAC is the upper St. Marys River on May 27, 2007
