Frank Purnell Conversion

[Guest Jon Paul]

What I found interesting is that if Interlake was so intent on having a self unloader to convert the Purnell ( x Steelton) why did they sell it to Columbia within 5 yrs after and before the Jackson was converted in '75.

[guest]

Thanks for the great & clear answer guest.
One clarification, in 1979 the Pioneer sailed for Cleveland Cliffs as a straight decker.
Had a brother who got his wheelsman time in to write for his license on Pioneer that season.
Good day!
Mike

[Guest]

Here are a handful of articles from 1966 referring to the Purnell. Lots of other interesting details in the articles. I'm amazed at how much the industry was covered in the press back in the day.

The Duluth News Tribune, January 09, 1966:

The Sault News, March 12, 1966:

The Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 22, 1966:

The Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 24, 1966:

The Port Huron Times Herald, May 22, 1966:

[Guest]

Good day!
In this conversation about the trade of the Frank Purnell, ~ the Pioneer sailed for Cliffs during the 1979 season,,,,
Was it the Frank Purnell of 1943 Detroit GLEW or another vessel, perhaps the Frank Armstrong?
The trades & renaming has confused me.
Many thanks!
Mike

The ship that became Steelton (3) in 1966 was the original Frank Purnell (1). As Steelton (3) she collided with a bridge in the Welland Canal in August 1974. In 1978 Steelton (3) was sold to Medusa Cement as a self-unloader that could handle coal, stone and cement.

Due to strong demand for iron ore and other commodities in 1979, the was chartered to Cleveland-Cliffs and given the name Pioneer (3). It was planned that Pioneer would sail in 1980 as part of an iron ore float contract Cleveland-Cliffs had with Wisconsin Steel. But it never happened due to a strike at Wisconsin Steel in March-April 1980 that resulted in the closure of that steel mill in South Chicago.

Yes, the Frank Purnell (1) was built at GLEW at River Rouge as their hull 293 in 1943. The Frank Armstrong you mentioned was built at GLEW in Ashtabula, Ohio as hull 522.

[guest]

Good day!
In this conversation about the trade of the Frank Purnell, ~ the Pioneer sailed for Cliffs during the 1979 season,,,,
Was it the Frank Purnell of 1943 Detroit GLEW or another vessel, perhaps the Frank Armstrong?
The trades & renaming has confused me.
Many thanks!
Mike

[William Lafferty]

(I'm not sure if the self-unloader conversion was due to a cargo contract or not - perhaps William Lafferty will know).

I was going to respond to this yesterday, but was too lazy to do so. Now I feel compelled to respond :-) You're absolutely right about the reason for the exchange of vessels. The conversion coincided with Jones & Laughlin signing a twenty year float contract with Interlake. The conversion was announced in November 1965 to be carried out by American Ship Building Company's Toledo plant for completion in July 1966 and would yield a very efficient vessel with an unloading speed of 5000 tons per hour. The rise of taconite motivated the conversion coupled with the J & L contract. Interlake was then in an expansion program, especially the movement of Labrador ore, so it makes sense that a vessel adaptable to various cargoes, including taconite from Minnesota, and with a rapid unloading speed to offset the diminishment of carrying capacity would be attractive to Interlake. Indeed, John Sherwin stated in early 1966 that taconite would reverse the trend of ore coming from Canada, stating "[t]he demand for taconite pellets has now reversed this process, ... the company has arranged to acquire another vessel in the 600-foot class from another fleet," this I'm certain a reference to the Purnell, which entered service as a self-unloader 15 August 1966. The decision to sell the vessel to Oglebay Norton in January 1970 was, in the words of Interlake, "to concentrate on straight deckers in the bulk trades," while O-N stated the purchase "... was in keeping with our long range program to facilitate more efficient movement of cargo for customers."

[Guest]

The purchase of the former Steelton (2) from Bethlehem Steel in 1965 by Interlake Steamship was because of the condition of the Steelton (2) tanktops which were due for replacement which made it an ideal candidate for a self-unloader conversion. Interlake Steamship had new tanktops installed in the Frank Purnell (1) a year or two before they decided they needed a self-unloader in their fleet. (I'm not sure if the self-unloader conversion was due to a cargo contract or not - perhaps William Lafferty will know).

Interlake Steamship and Bethlehem Steel had a close relationship over the years, so I don't know if it was a straight-trade or money was exchanged.

[Guest]

When the Interlake Steamship Company had the Frank Purnell converted into a self-unloader in 1966 (following the trade of its former Frank Purnell to the Bethlehem Steel for this vessel), was this for a particular contract the company had been awarded? It seems strange that the ship was sold only a few years later (1970) to Oglebay Norton and that Interlake would not operate another self-unloading vessel until the conversion of the Herbert C. Jackson in 1975 and the service entry of the James R. Barker the following year.