Lower Lakes being sold?

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Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by wxbuoy » May 28, 2026, 7:28 am

Algoma needs scrap for the EAF, tow the Michpicoten to the Soo/Purvis yard and feed the furnace. The Valo, gut it and put a diesel in it.

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Guest » May 28, 2026, 6:56 am

I imagine with fuel prices being so high today, a tow to Turkey would be uncompetitive.

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Guest » May 27, 2026, 9:39 pm

Guest wrote: May 27, 2026, 6:24 pm I would imagine MRC subtracts the price of environmental remediation in their bid for the ship. It always struck me that lakers would be towed overseas when the capability was here locally.
It all comes down to who offers the best price. When a ship is to be sold, it is usually through a ship broker. A scrap yard will look over the specs for the ship and estimate the value it can get out of the materials as well as the cost of labour etc. Steel being of relatively equal value throughout the world, if the cost of labour (and even environmental compliance) is low, than the scrap yard can offer more money for a hull than a yard that may be closer but who may have higher labour and compliance costs. Even after the costs of towing a hull half way around the world are factored in, the yard for whom the expenses are lower could still off more money.

Andy

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Guest » May 27, 2026, 6:24 pm

I would imagine MRC subtracts the price of environmental remediation in their bid for the ship. It always struck me that lakers would be towed overseas when the capability was here locally.

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Guest » May 27, 2026, 4:37 pm

Guest wrote: May 26, 2026, 10:46 pm As far as I know, shipping companies have to pay to get their obsolete vessels scrapped at MRC in Port Colborne. That's due to the cost of asbestos and mold abatement along with the removal of oil and other liquids that are onboard. MRC has teams responsible for environmental remediation of aged vessels and the proper removal of hazardous waste.

https://www.marinerecycling.ca/page/com ... vironment/
Not quite. Shipping companies do not pay a scrap yard to dispose of their old ships. They are sold to the scrap yard. Having said that, the shipping company can get a better price for their old tonnage if a)the vessel arrives at the scrapyard under its own power (to avoid the cost of towing, which is usually also borne by the scrapyard, as ships are usually sold as-is/where-is) and b) the shipping company undertakes of its own accord any environmental remediation/abatement required.
Any fuel, lube oil etc. on board can be reclaimed by the scrap yard and either sold on, or sent to be recycled and then sold on.

When a scrapyard buys an obsolete ship, the price they are willing to pay is contingent on what the projected cost to dismantle the ship is vs. how much they could get from the value of any salvage or scrap steel. The seller (ie the shipping company) does not pay anything to the scrapyard, unless by agreement, the scrapyard will be removing any machinery or equipment that the shipping company wants to hang on to.

Andy

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Guest » May 27, 2026, 4:23 pm

Guest wrote: May 26, 2026, 5:19 pm
algowest wrote: May 26, 2026, 12:05 pm Algoma's website vessel listing now includes:
Kaministiqua, Robert Pierson & Saginaw

Not included are Michipicoten & Valo, which is not a surprise. I expect both of these vessels to be sold, most likely for recycling.
According to a couple of metal websites, scrap steel prices are up around 17% of last year. Makes sense to scrap now..
With Algoma looking for scrap steel, perhaps these two, if they are in indeed destined for scrap, could go to the Canadian Soo?

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Guest » May 26, 2026, 10:46 pm

As far as I know, shipping companies have to pay to get their obsolete vessels scrapped at MRC in Port Colborne. That's due to the cost of asbestos and mold abatement along with the removal of oil and other liquids that are onboard. MRC has teams responsible for environmental remediation of aged vessels and the proper removal of hazardous waste.

https://www.marinerecycling.ca/page/com ... vironment/

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Guest » May 26, 2026, 5:19 pm

algowest wrote: May 26, 2026, 12:05 pm Algoma's website vessel listing now includes:
Kaministiqua, Robert Pierson & Saginaw

Not included are Michipicoten & Valo, which is not a surprise. I expect both of these vessels to be sold, most likely for recycling.
According to a couple of metal websites, scrap steel prices are up around 17% of last year. Makes sense to scrap now..

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Geest » May 26, 2026, 12:53 pm

Not surprising, the Michipicoten has been "rand" into the ground and with her history I very much doubt there is any stomach in the Algoma insurance dept to put her back out. The Valo was a tonnage transfer and a pipe dream to return to service. Too old, too long for the locks and too expensive to operate now with the dwindling number of experienced engineers to run the plant.

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by algowest » May 26, 2026, 12:05 pm

Algoma's website vessel listing now includes:
Kaministiqua, Robert Pierson & Saginaw

Not included are Michipicoten & Valo, which is not a surprise. I expect both of these vessels to be sold, most likely for recycling.

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Guest » April 14, 2026, 9:35 am

badger wrote: April 10, 2026, 8:59 pm They were never laid up in sarnia, it was point edward. Exmouth street divides point edward from sarnia.
I hate to do this but I have to. The North Slip is owned and operated by the City of Sarnia. I believe the centre line of Exmouth St. all the way to the BridgeView Marina entrance is the boundary for Sarnia and Point Edward. The ships this winter were laid up in Sarnia.

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Jared » April 11, 2026, 8:58 am

badger wrote: April 10, 2026, 8:59 pm They were never laid up in sarnia, it was point edward. Exmouth street divides point edward from sarnia.
That's kind of splitting hairs to most folk. That's like trying to differentiate between Port Huron and Fort Gratiot.

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by badger » April 10, 2026, 8:59 pm

They were never laid up in sarnia, it was point edward. Exmouth street divides point edward from sarnia.

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Denny » April 10, 2026, 2:28 pm

As of 3:25 pm ET on April 10, the Kaministiqua has departed from their lay up berth in Sarnia, Ontario and they are downbound on the St. Clair River now. There is no destination posted at this time though.

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Guest » April 8, 2026, 10:59 am

Painting has begun on the stack of the Pierson. Black paint is on, should be getting the red and white stripes and Algoma logo soon.

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by ejawac6n » April 6, 2026, 8:38 am

Perhaps lower lakes should of practice what the flag on their vessels said "don't give up the ship"

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Denny » April 3, 2026, 9:38 am

I agree totally as I too don’t believe the Saginaw, Michpicoten and the Valo will be around too much longer at their ages as I don’t see a bright future for any of them now that Algoma has taken over as owners of them. Surely they have enough ships & vessels now in their fleet that are more than capable of hauling cargoes for Algoma and modern, updated along with newer vessels as well. Sadly, those three ships will more than likely be on a tow line at some point heading to the torch at IMS in Port Colborne someday! They’ve served their time in their careers and their previous owners got everything they wanted out of those three vessels and then some. I will miss them someday when they are cut down and scrapped but glad I was able to see and photograph them all in their glory and good ‘ole days of shipping then.

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Shipnerd125 » April 3, 2026, 7:42 am

In my totally uninformed mind, I bet it might be possible the Pierson sees some use with Algoma. Saginaw I just don't see it. 73 years old is old for Algoma

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Guest » April 2, 2026, 8:21 pm

Nothing new on the Pierson or Saginaw that's I've seen. I suspect neither will be sailing for Algoma but you never know.

Re: Lower Lakes being sold?

by Denny » April 2, 2026, 8:26 am

Anything new as far as with the Saginaw & Pierson? I take it that neither has received or gotten the Algoma stack logos applied to them as yet? Any information & updates are very much appreciated TIA.

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