Ojibway

Discussion board focusing on Great Lakes Shipping Question & Answer. From beginner to expert all posts are welcome.
Denny

Re: Ojibway

Unread post by Denny »

To Mr. Link, in answer to your question of "What are the McKeil ships in Thunder Bay hauling and where are they heading to?" The Harvest Spirit is currently in Windsor after loading a canola cargo I believe it was that they loaded up there? From what I can gather, it appears then they are unloading at the ADM Dock in Windsor. Point is, McKeil ships sometimes will load canola at Thunder Bay and unload in Windsor at ADM and also will lay up there in Windsor with storage loads as well. This past winter I think there were a few McKeil ships that may have had storage loads for Windsor then. Also, as another poster mentioned "It appears and looks indeed like McKeil may have gotten some of LLT's grain contracts thus why you're seeing the McKeil ships often loading up in Thunder Bay." Hope that this information has helped you out. Also on an off topic and subject. You ever notice too, that McKeil tugs also go up to Algoma quite often to and load and unload products there? It seems that McKeil tugs I wonder could've picked up some of the Purvis contracts that they used to do as well?
guest

Re: Ojibway

Unread post by guest »

the past president of L.L.T. is now the president of McKeil, that in itself says it all
Mr Link
Posts: 1198
Joined: December 6, 2014, 3:43 pm

Re: Ojibway

Unread post by Mr Link »

McKeil has built up a pretty substantial fleet in the past few years. Have they taken away a significant amount of grain tonnage from LLT? McKeil ships are frequently in Thunder Bay, but I haven't been paying attention to what they are hauling and their destinations.
Guest

Re: Ojibway

Unread post by Guest »

Guest wrote:Something just seems strange about the scrapping I’m just wondering if LLT needed some cash so sell Ojibway raise some capital, similar to what they did with Manitoba,
If its ballast tanks are in the poor condition as they are said to be, and if there are any other significant internal structural issues then the cost of repairs likely outweighed the potential income the vessel could conceivably generate over its remaining operational life. We are talking about a 70-year-old ship, so any modernization investment would have to be carefully balanced against how many more seasons it could economically operate. Furthermore, without actual hard data on the vessel's operating expenses and hauling contract terms, it is impossible for us outside of the company to determine just how profitable the Ojibway was to operate in its assigned trade. Also keep in mind, that the sale of the fleet has been mentioned lately in press releases, this would lead me to believe that this would also preclude any significant investments in the short term.
Guest

Re: Ojibway

Unread post by Guest »

Mr Link wrote:
Andrew wrote: It could be the Michipicoten, which has seen a fair amount of deviation from her regular Soo Express run in recent seasons due to the Algoma Steel contract and demand being a little different.
And this haul (as well as the demand for coal at the Soo) is likely to go away entirely once Algoma Steel brings its two new electric arc furnaces online, currently scheduled sometime in 2024.
I think you are right on that one. I would expect to see a further downsizing of the LLT/GRN fleet concurrent with the new electric arc furnaces going into operation. Marquette ore shipments will also be taking a major hit also along with those from western Lake Superior to a lesser degree.
Guest

Re: Ojibway

Unread post by Guest »

Something just seems strange about the scrapping I’m just wondering if LLT needed some cash so sell Ojibway raise some capital, similar to what they did with Manitoba,
Mr Link
Posts: 1198
Joined: December 6, 2014, 3:43 pm

Re: Ojibway

Unread post by Mr Link »

Andrew wrote: It could be the Michipicoten, which has seen a fair amount of deviation from her regular Soo Express run in recent seasons due to the Algoma Steel contract and demand being a little different.
And this haul (as well as the demand for coal at the Soo) is likely to go away entirely once Algoma Steel brings its two new electric arc furnaces online, currently scheduled sometime in 2024.
Andrew

Re: Ojibway

Unread post by Andrew »

It is a shame and it's really sad to see her go. It can hardly be said, though, that the Ojibway didn't have her share of second chances, and I think most boatwatchers would definitely put her up there as the Cinderella story of ships. Reaching 70 years is something that few people thought would ever happen.

The two questions you raised, essentially, are why the ship is getting recycled and what ship will replace the Ojibway. To the first, her main issue are the ballast tanks, which apparently are in really bad shape, perhaps even worse than the Anderson and Callaway. If you recall, many speculators thought the Anderson would go for scrap because of those issues, and some speculators are presuming that for the Callaway, though nothing has been said definitively. The ballast system and interior steel needs almost complete replacement in cases like this, and for a company with a fairly large fleet at their disposal and no Jones Act, it doesn't make sense to do the restoration work on a steamer that will maybe only last another decade or so without another major amount of work, including repowering. Working the locks does a number on those Canadian ships as well, so they just don't last as long. So, the amount of work needed for a ship that age, given the Jones Act and the ability to get newbuilds overseas, all contributed to her end.

As to the second, LLT will likely scramble things up as they are apt to do when they lose a ship. I assume it will be a self-unloader, despite the grain cargo, simply because the only other straight decker they have is the Kaministiqua, which is already fairly busy moving grain from T-Bay. It could be the Michipicoten, which has seen a fair amount of deviation from her regular Soo Express run in recent seasons due to the Algoma Steel contract and demand being a little different.

With Rand being four ships down since 2020 (Ojibway, Mississagi, Tecumseh, Manistee), if the Valor was ever going to get repowered, it would be this year to take over some of the iron ore runs on Lake Superior and free up some of the smaller ships to work the Lower Lakes. Looking at the condition of the 3 Oglebay Norton river class ships and considering the time they were built, it may be that these ships are within a few years of retirement as well. I would assume we will see a couple ASC ships either get reflagged, a couple newcomers to the lakes, or the Valor get repowered as a solution to the fleet losing a few ships.
Guest

Re: Ojibway

Unread post by Guest »

Seems like they wasted of money to repowering and automating.
Guest

Re: Ojibway

Unread post by Guest »

Such a shame that LLT doesn’t want the Ojibway anymore, what ship is going to take over her cargos?
rh

Re: Ojibway

Unread post by rh »

At 1017 Ojibway advised Seaway Welland they are secured at Wharf 17 and vessel will be turned over to recyclers for disposition on Saturday morning.
rh

Re: Ojibway

Unread post by rh »

As of April 4 2250 Ojibway approaching Port Weller

ETA Lock 1 2356
ETA Lock 8 April 5 0913
Destination Port Colborne

So it will be a mostly night time passage through the Welland but there should be a last chance for photos around Lock 8 in the morning.
Guest

Re: Ojibway

Unread post by Guest »

Ojibway is moving upbound under her own power. No new destination has been entered into her AIS.
cpfan
Posts: 790
Joined: March 29, 2010, 2:04 pm
Location: Welland Ontario

Re: Ojibway

Unread post by cpfan »

ashland69 wrote:Reports, apparently originating from MRC itself, indicates Ojibway is finished. Supposed to sail to Port Colbourne under its own power from Sorel, but two McKeil tugs are on Lake Ontario heading to Sorel right now. Any updates?
It has been reported than the two tugs are to bring the tug MANGYSTAU-2 to Prescott from Sorel.
ashland69
Posts: 516
Joined: March 13, 2010, 4:34 pm

Ojibway

Unread post by ashland69 »

Reports, apparently originating from MRC itself, indicates Ojibway is finished. Supposed to sail to Port Colbourne under its own power from Sorel, but two McKeil tugs are on Lake Ontario heading to Sorel right now. Any updates?
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