Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Once there's an update, im sure it will be posted

Any updates on the Michipicoten and what the owners are going to do?

Guest wrote: December 12, 2024, 7:35 pm Not now. Just a bunch of nerds speculating. What’s the future for the ship?🤷 only the owners know that and most likely they don’t know for sure. Too many “ experts” posting scuttlebutt. Most likely will stay where it is now until spring

It’s a hobby website. It’s ok to speculate. No one claims to be an expert.

Where’s the proof it will sail again next year? If it’s ready to go why did it sit idle for months this season after repairs to make it cleared to sail? I doubt it’s cleared by all regulatory agencies to return hauling cargoes.

Can you imagine making a repair decision knowing that Tariffs could have a significant impact on Canadian steel companies.

DO NOT want to turn this into a political discussion but the CFO of any company has to be considering "what-if"

Kinda of ironic if Canada would put counter tariffs on repairs done in US yards after getting rid of them on Chinese ones.

As others have said its too late in the season for a deadship tow all the way down to Erie so Michipicoten is likely to stay put at Fraser or a nearby berth for the winter. I have heard from a pretty knowledgeable party that due to a change in contracts with Algoma Steel the vessel is not likely to sail next year though since that was its primary run. Not sure if that will be the case.

The Cuyahoga is probably in the same status as the Blough at this point, just waiting on any insurance or legal matters to be settled relating to the fire before being towed across to MRC. That could happen at any time over the winter so long as the lake is ice-free.

Rob wrote: December 12, 2024, 1:49 pm I guess I'm confused by this thread. Are they scrapping the Michipicoten?

No, she's been repaired and will be back out next season.

There's a lot of disdain for Lower Lakes in recent years, some of it well earned. It's tainting some people's responses to this situation.

Not now. Just a bunch of nerds speculating. What’s the future for the ship?🤷 only the owners know that and most likely they don’t know for sure. Too many “ experts” posting scuttlebutt. Most likely will stay where it is now until spring

I don’t think that has been announced. However I find it odd that the ship was drydocked and fixed in Supeior and now waits to be drydocked and fixed hundreds of miles away while many weeks have passed.

The future for that vessel appears bleak.

I guess I'm confused by this thread. Are they scrapping the Michipicoten?

Scrapping could take place at the Soo. Isn't that where the Mississagi was cut up? Fresh supply of scrap for Algoma EAF?

Doubtful they can get anyone to tow her at this late date due to weather.

When is the tow of the michipicoten from the lake Head to Erie going to begin or is the destination been changed to port colborne?

IIRC Algoma uses a barge to ship finished steel south. Maybe now they'll have a backhaul cargo of scrap. Interesting that they want to use clean scrap vs shredded cars and appliances.

I wonder who will barge the scrap to algoma? Probably purvis marine with some being shipped by rail on the Huron central railway. That way costs will be kept low by competition. By using more than one barge the process will have little down time versus by ship { ie Ryerson } remember the bottom line is the bottom line

Correction and additional information to my last post.

Found a great article from the Northern Ontario Business web page. "Algoma Steel figures to be a scrappy bunch in 2025"
https://www.northernontariobusiness.com ... 25-7905655

It appears that Algoma plans to ship scrap to the plant via barge. They also plan on using pig iron made on site from the existing blast furnace.

"During the startup phase, Garcia said they’ll be using a combination of prime scrap and “virgin metallics,” mentioning DRI (direct reduced iron), HBI (hot briquetted iron) and hot pig iron, the latter coming from Algoma’s own blast furnace before it’s permanently shuttered at the end of the decade."

So lake boats will still be heading to Algoma until the end of the decade. How many trips will be needed will depend on how much scrap they use.

Unless delayed, Algoma plans on using scrap (and some metallics as per news articles) in their EAF this spring. So both the Atlantic Huron and Michipicoten will be looking for new cargoes.

Would imagine companies owning barges and/or rail lines will be hauling the scrap. Algoma currently purchases their iron ore from US Steel. The "some metallics" could either be railed or shipped via boat.

Who carried the coal to Algoma for the current blast furnace?

I stand corrected. Thanks for the update

Guest wrote: November 26, 2024, 8:05 am Interesting = spending that much money for another drydocking. They seem to have met their customers needs this season with her and the Cuyahoga out of service for most of the year.

They haven’t met their customer’s needs, as they had to sub out some shipments to CSL… which is lost potential revenue for Lower Lakes. The Atlantic Huron has been doing some of the runs that would have normally been done by the Michipicoten.

The Mich is extra tonnage without tonnage to haul. Old boat with lots of problems. This is the third time it’s suffered serious cracks( twice as Elton hoyt) soon to be turned into recycled steel. You wanna crew her? Go ahead.. 🤔