What Happened to the Ryerson

[Spartan96]

Algocape and the Shelley both were on the St. Mary's River last Tuesday, Aug. 30. I posted pics of both in the News Gallery later that week.

[hausen]

I thought that it had something to do with the fact that it does not have an unloader. I was up near Sault Ste Marie last week and saw a vessle heading down the St. Mary's River that did not have an unloader. I was surprised to see it. It had the pilot house in the front just like the Ryerson. I can not remember the vessle's name, I do remember it had blue paint on the hull. Anyone familiar with the ship? Anyway, maybe there is some hope that the Ryerson will see some action soon!

If it was a bright blue you saw the J W Shelley. If it was a very dark blue, almost black then you saw the Algocape as previously stated.

There are plenty of lakers sailing today that don't have self-unloading equipment. The Shelley and Algocape are just two of about twenty 'straight deckers' or 'flatbacks' as they're called on the Lakes. The difference between the Ryerson and all the other 'straight deckers' is that they have comparably spacious cargo holds which can accomodate grain and coal, materials that are low-density / take up a lot of volume per unit of weight. This makes those ships versatile, as they can make money on a number of different trade routes. The Ryerson was designed specifically to carry iron ore, a high-density cargo, and her holds are relatively small in terms of volume or space. If you tried to load coal or grain aboard her, her cargo holds would be full to the brim well before she would be weighed down to anywhere near her maximum draft; she just would not be competitive in any other trade than iron ore.

With the economy sluggish and quite a bit of extra tonnage laid up around the lakes, there are plenty of more efficient carriers out there competing for the runs the Ryerson was on (Superior to Indiana Harbor, Duluth to Hamilton). While that is the case she'll remain in layup. If or when demand for cargo to be carried on the lakes starts outstripping the currently active fleet's carrying capacity, you'd see the Ryerson out sailing again.

[rburdick27]

Algocape was probably the straight decker sailing down the St. Marys River with ore from Marquette.

[Guest]

I thought that it had something to do with the fact that it does not have an unloader. I was up near Sault Ste Marie last week and saw a vessle heading down the St. Mary's River that did not have an unloader. I was surprised to see it. It had the pilot house in the front just like the Ryerson. I can not remember the vessle's name, I do remember it had blue paint on the hull. Anyone familiar with the ship? Anyway, maybe there is some hope that the Ryerson will see some action soon!

[Ronsun]

The Ryerson could be constructed by keeping her cargo hold squared like some of the canadian boats, such as the John D. Leitch, and a conveyor belt running the center. The Leitch has two big frontloaders and a bobcat to push the cargo to the conveyor belt. The cargo deck extends under the pilot house and this is where the frontloaders and bocat are stored when loaded with cargo.

[Randy S]

One has to wonder if it would be worth it to keep her ends and install a lonter, self-unloading mid-body? That might be cheaper than attempting a conversion and the mid-body could be constructed in true self-unloader configuration.

[Guest]

the self unloader conversion plans included adding a 120' midbody to maintain cargo capacity. back in 1996 the cost was estimated @ $10.5 million.

[Andrew]

Although there has been talk of converting the Ryerson to a self-unloader, none of the talk has come to fruition. The boat will never be converted to a self-unloader for many reasons. In the first place, the boat was not built to be a self unloader. Her current capacity is I believe 27,500 tons or in that range. A self-unloading unit would reduce her capacity by about 5,000-10,000 tons, partially because the unit acts like a conveyor under the cargo hold, and partially due to the fact that the boat was constructed to remain a straight-decker. On an boat like the American Valor, it pays to have a self unloading unit, because she is longer. However, the boat lost about 1,500 tons in cargo capacity due to the conversion. The Ryerson would be worse off because her holds are squared. This, as well as the fact these holds do not carry coal, slag, or limestone well, accounts for not converting the boat. To have a self unloading unit work, the boat's holds would have to be re-configured with sloped sides; this would allow for cargo to move freely to the conveyor at the bottom of the hold. The reconfiguration, which would cost a fortune, would, as I pointed out above, cut cargo hold capacity more than a usual conversion because the holds would be reconfigured smaller than before.
Another reason the boat would never be converted is they don't need it to be converted. The boat can carry cargo to Indiana Harbor and CML has equipment that can unload the boat. When the demand is there, the boat is there. That has been the story of the Ryerson's career. Her lay-up of 6 years in 1992, and the her 8 year lay-up in 1998, and now this. She was brought out of all those lay-ups because of the steel demand. My guess is when the demand gets better, out she'll go. The boat has always been kept in good condition; the owners (there have been 3 different owners since her 1998 lay-up) have kept her in good condition. When they need her, she is there.
The third, and probably least relevant reason she has not been scrapped are her looks. Imagine the quack CLM would get if she were scrapped or made into a barge! CML is proud of the Ryerson; they will keep her the way she is.
So, it's just a waiting game as boatnerds wait for her return to the lakes. In the meantime, she is in Superior at Fraser shipyard. If you get off the Blatnick Bridge, there is a turnoff into a truck depot, where you can get real close. Check out Chris Wilson's photo. I'm betting he didn't zoom in on his camera for that photo- that's how close you can get to her. -Andrew

[Jon Paul]

The Ryerson does not burn coal, it burns Bunker C Oil.

[duck]

The problem is it is a straight decker when everyone wants self unloaders. 17 hours vs. 6 hours unloading. It is also steam powered and burns coal instead of the more efficient and better emissions of diesel/fuel oil.

It will soon be out of EPA compliance and need an engine swap and unloader conversion. I assume 20-25 million worth of modifications and updates.

It is still in pretty good shape though, so it might happen. Stranger things have happened.

[Chriswilson]

You can get this close (see photo).

[Andrew]

You can get awfully close to her if you get off the bridge and and enter a trucking depot next to Fraser shipyard.

[Denny]

Edward L. Ryerson arrived in Superior, Wisconsin May 18, 2009 for lay-up at the Fraser Shipyards and has been there since.

[MichAlex]

The Ryerson is in long term layup at Fraser's Shipyard, Superior, Wisconsin.

[Guest 1]

What Happened to the Ryerson? I have not seen it in a couple of years. Has it been retired?

The Ryerson has been in layup in Superior since May 2009.

[Guest]

What Happened to the Ryerson? I have not seen it in a couple of years. Has it been retired?