Lower Lakes being sold?

[Guest]

I have to wonder if Mainstay will stipulate that the ships (just the ones that are going to operate) be repainted as a condition of the sale. Since the Grand River fleet uses the same paint scheme, I doubt they will want another company running ships with the same colors.

[Guest]

Algoma's annual report lists $41 million purchase price.

[ejawac6n]

Did algoma purchase the old hulk {CTC #3}? Probably cant be towed to a scrap yard

[Denny]

So when can we expect them to have the Algoma stacks, logos and colors applied to them at some point? I wonder also if any of them would get the Algoma logo painted on their bows much like what took place when Algoma got the AEC and Buffalo from ASC. Granted, I know at first neither got the Algoma bow logos painted on them until in later years. So, we’ll just have to wait and see then what happens as time will tell. Another interesting thought and fact with this sale and move as far as Algoma taking over Lower Lakes and getting their ships and boats. The Kaministiqua seems to make grain runs from Thunder Bay to Sorel and sometimes will load in Hamilton and deliver to Sorel also. Most of the time though, Algoma seems to use their straight deckers after hauling grain cargoes anyway to backhaul iron ore pellets to Hamilton. I don’t suppose you will see Algoma do that with the Kaministiqua however, it will be interesting to see if her trade pattern changes very much now that she is with Algoma! I’m looking forward to someday seeing them in the Algoma blue hull colors as they should look really sharp then! I don’t suppose the Manitoulin will get painted in Algoma blue since she’s at Sturgeon Bay now in the Graving Dock getting her 5-year dry docking done to her. On the topic and subject of new names, I agree that the Algoma Saginaw along with the Algoma Manitoulin are probably names Algoma may consider using. I like Algoma Hamilton or Algoma Pioneer for the Kaministiqua as that would be cool. Also remember, Kaministiqua was once the Saskatchewan Pioneer and later the Voyageur Pioneer. So, Algoma Pioneer does sound very nice and good for the Kaministiqua. Then again, how about Algoma Ontario for the Kaministiqua as they once had the Algontario the former Winnipeg with that name or Algoma Quebec as they once had that name for the former ULS steamer Quebecois. Just some ideas and thoughts to toss around.

[Guest]

AEC has an EMD. Pierson has an Alco.

[Guest]

Does anyone have any inside information on renamings of these vessels?

Nothing has been released by Algoma yet. I would suspect though that they will keep existing names like they did with the Buffalo, though hard to say. Perhaps reusing some of the old names from ULS might be an option, though I would bet that Saginaw becomes Algoma Saginaw, and Manitoulin becomes Algoma Manitoulin or Algoma Manitou.

Some fun thoughts on the Pierson might be Welland, a name related to the salt trade such as Windsor or Halite. Or perhaps putting the name Wolverine back on her hull with the Algoma prefix.

Kam, honestly, who knows. but honestly, Algoma Hamilton or Algoma Pioneer would be cool to see as hearkening back to previous names. Time will tell.

[Geest]

I would wager that the majority of this buyout was for contract tonnage versus the actual hulls and also killing off a competitor. As for the vessels, I would wager that Manitoulin, Saginaw and Kaministiqua are likely to be kept busy under their new flag. The Robert Pierson has been pretty well beaten up so I wonder if they will throw her into salt trades until she's rotted out and done for.

Side question, the Pierson was part of a 3-ship class that went to Oglebay, does anyone know or can speak to if she has any internal or powerplant specs that are similar to the former Adam Cornelius/Algoma Compass? I know that ship was a one-off of that class being built larger and longer. If so the Pierson might become a parts hulk.

[Guest]

Does anyone have any inside information on renamings of these vessels?

[algowest]

Regarding union representation, according to Algoma's 2024 Annual Report:
1) Canadian Merchant Service Guild represents Navigation & Engineering Officers (excluding Captains & Chief Engineers, who are non-union)
2) SIU represents 3 bargaining units - Algoma Tankers, portion of domestic dry-bulk & NACC (Nova Algoma Cement Carriers)
3) Unifor (specifically Canadian Maritime Union?) represents other portion of domestic dry-bulk

[Guest]

Have pity on their payroll department with that many contracts.

[Syd bc]

Algoma was all SIU when I sailed After they bought upper lakes i believe they were UAW
So Algoma had two unions the fleet was split I dont know if Lower Lakes was union If so what union
Will Algoma be one two or three unions for unlicensed

[Guest]

Valo can’t return to the American fleet after being sold Canadian. Congress won’t act on something so trivial. She’s done except for a tow ring welded to her bow. Too big for the Welland too small for dwindling ore trade and just plain too old and worn out.

[deep sea mariner]

The million dollar question now is....

Algoma Kaministiqua?
Algoma Manitoulin?
Algoma Saginaw?
Algoma Michipicoten?
Algoma Robert S. Pierson?

Algoma Manitou has an ok ring to it.

I truly hope to be proven wrong, but I would say this spells the end of the Valo, Michipicoten, Saginaw, and possibly the Robert S. Pierson.

Saginaw has a forward-mounted boom and decent cubic capacity going for it, although its re-powering to diesel is nearly 20 years in the past now and Algoma doesn’t seem likely to want to deal with the last laker still sporting telescoping hatches.

At this point there’s probably a better chance for Valo to be returned to the U.S. registry, act-of-congress-style, as a candidate for repowering and return to service vs. ever sailing under the Canadian flag, and to be clear the chances of either of those things happening seems remote, but stranger things have happened. Valo’s hull and cargo holds could very well be in better condition than a lot of Mainstay/Grand River’s active tonnage these days.

[Guest]

Tim S. Dool was scheduled for retirement prior to her grounding. She needs a five-year to return to service. I'm surprised she wasn't sold for scrap last year.

[Guest]

They may have just bought the company for the crews and contracts. Imaging Algoma will go over these boats with a fine tooth comb and perhaps realize that buying new from Croatia or China is better than putting big money in to bring them up to Algoma standards.

[Guest]

Algoma kept pretty busy in 2025. All except the Tim S. Dool sailed into January of this year for instance, iirc the Boatnerd layup list. And 4 of the 6 Lower Lakes ships kept busy, too.

So I imagine more than just two Lower Lakes ships will be sailing in 2026 unless they've lost a lot of business, have new ships on the way (I've not kept up with the flood of overseas builds for the two big Canadian fleets; Do they have anything under construction at the moment?), or bring out the Tim S. Dool to take the place of a Lower Lakes hull (She was allowed to finish up her season after grounding late in 2024, so presumably she's just been surplus to needs rather than condemned from severe damage).

[J Kerwin]

The Kaministiqua is currently sitting in Sarnia with a good size piece of her external hull plating removed. I doubt she would be headed to the scrap yard with repairs like that being completed. But I will say that years ago when she came into Sarnia as the Voyager Pioneer, I talked with a person that was completing repairs onboard and they told me that she was definitely not in pristine condition. Couple that with almost 20 years in Lower Lakes hands and I would imagine she is getting a little thin in places. One has to remember that the Kam and her two sister were built at Govan in Scotland and they were built very well. I would think there is still plenty of steel holding her together. My guess: Algoma will run her for 5 or 6 years to make up for any runs the Tim S. Dool would have made and then when her survey expires, so will she.

[Andrew]

The million dollar question now is....

Algoma Kaministiqua?
Algoma Manitoulin?
Algoma Saginaw?
Algoma Michipicoten?
Algoma Robert S. Pierson?

[Guest]

I truly hope to be proven wrong, but I would say this spells the end of the Valo, Michipicoten, Saginaw, and possibly the Robert S. Pierson.

[Guest]

Guess Boatyard rumor mill still works! Will be interesting to see what they valued the company for and what ships sail next year.