SAULT STE MARIE—The Algoma Central Corporation has acquired four former US-flagged Great Lakes vessels from the American Steamship Company based out of Williamsville, New York. According to a news release from the Algoma Central Corporation, the M.V. Buffalo, M.V. Adam E. Cornelius, S.S. American Valor and S.S. American Victor have been purchased by the company and will be added to its fleet.
M.V. is a common ship’s prefix meaning “merchant ship,” while S.S. denotes the vessel is powered by a steam turbine.
“Both the M.V. Buffalo and the M.V. Adam E. Cornelius will provide efficient capacity to serve customers in the river-class segment of Algoma’s domestic dry bulk market. Both ships will complement the company’s existing fleet to ship salt, aggregates and other commodities,” explains the Algoma release. No immediate plans for the S.S. American Valor and S.S. American Victory have been confirmed by the company, but both could be re-powered as motor vessels, basically converting them to articulated tug barges, or may have their forebodies mated with existing modern sterns, said the Algoma release.
“Delivery of the vessels further solidifies our market position in the river-class segment where we see many opportunities. We are also working with our labour partners to develop a competitive labour structure for this segment,” noted Algoma CAO Gregg Ruhl.
All four ships will be transferred to Canadian registry for service on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system and Algoma Central has taken ownership of the Algoma Innovator from Croatian shipyard Uljanik d.d shipyard. That self-unloading dry-bulk lake freighter is expected to leave Croatia in mid-February to be ready for the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway as early as this March.
