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[quote="Shipwatcher1"]The Lafarge barges are what ended the career of the Townsend. That capacity is still there, just being transported differently. Remember, the Integrity put the EM Ford and ST Crapo out of service. The Innovation put the Townsend and Iglehart out of service.[/quote]

Has something also changed as to the storage capacity provided by the former cement boats? I recall the E. M. Ford spending several years as a storage barge at Zilwaukee before it went to scrap and was never replaced in that role. The J. B. Ford spent several years at South Chicago before going to Superior and eventually replaced by the Iglehart. It seems the Townsend must have been used in a similar capacity at Muskegon because I remember seeing it several years ago loaded down at that port. Do the barges offer Lagarge more flexibility in moving their cargoes or has there been other changes that eliminated the need for the storage vessels? Have new silos been built at ports such as South Chicago and Muskegon to replace the storage capacity lost with the departure of these ships?

The Lafarge barges are what ended the career of the Townsend. That capacity is still there, just being transported differently. Remember, the Integrity put the EM Ford and ST Crapo out of service. The Innovation put the Townsend and Iglehart out of service.

[quote="Guest"]Ore or Taconite is a much higher value cargo, historically have there been other cargoes of cement brought from over seas to Duluth?[/quote]

I'm not sure but salt came to GL's a few years ago from overseas. And that's not a high value product.

Another crazy one was in the late 90's or early 2000's a saltie brought some kind sugar beet product to Saginaw (unloaded near Wirt's Saginaw dock) and anyone who lives in the Thumb area, as well as Saginaw, Bay, Midland, and Gratiot counties can't kick a rock with out hitting a sugar beet farm or processor.

Ore or Taconite is a much higher value cargo, historically have there been other cargoes of cement brought from over seas to Duluth?

[quote="Guest"]The scrapping of the Townsend has me thinking about cement production on the Great Lakes. Is production capacity maxed out?

The Silda is unloading cement from overseas (Turkey?) in Duluth, not sure how that can be cheaper unless there is no more capacity on the lakes.[/quote]

I don't think our industry capacity is a factor. It's all about price and cement from Turkey is not a unique situation. Many raw materials that are locally produced are also brought into the GL's from foreign countries. Iron ore is transshipped at Quebec City for use in the GL steel making region. Minnesota ore is also transshipped in QC for overseas consumption. Our steel industry operates below capacity yet we import steel. At the end of the day, price governs most of these transactions IMHO

The scrapping of the Townsend has me thinking about cement production on the Great Lakes. Is production capacity maxed out?

The Silda is unloading cement from overseas (Turkey?) in Duluth, not sure how that can be cheaper unless there is no more capacity on the lakes.