1950 Wilfred Sykes
Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter
Built at Lorain OH by American Ship Building Co., Hull 866
Keel laid Nov 1, 1948; launched June 28, 1949
Longest vessel on the Great Lakes (until Joseph H. Thompson of 1952 – superseded Fraser class of 1942)
678’ LOA, 660’ LBP, 70’ beam, 37’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, hatches @ 24’, oil-fired boilers, steam turbine engine, 7000 SHP
Enrolled at
661.1 x 70.2 x 32.3, 12729 GT, 7875 NT US 259193 to:
Inland Steel Co., Cleveland OH, Hutchinson & Co., Mgr.
Entered service April 19, 1950 clearing Lorain OH light for Toledo OH
Management of fleet transferred 1957 to parent company (home port to Indiana Harbor IN)
Remeasured 1968 to 7847 NT
Converted to self-unloader 1975 at Superior WI by Fraser Shipyards
Remeasured to 11701 GT, 7148 NT
Parent company sold 1898 to Ispat International of Netherlands. To allow continued operation between U.S. ports assigned to Central Marine Logistics, Highland IL.
IMO 5389554
In service 2011 for Central Marine Logistics
5001
chicago tribune m. v. 1950
sea way
https://www.greatlakesvesselhistory.com/histories-by-name/s/sykes-wilfred/
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Wilfred Sykes is a “Queen of the Lakes” in my opinion of the once sleek traditional Great Lakes Freighters until the 1000 footers came along. Wilfred Sykes was “born” in the same year as me in my hometown of Lorain, Ohio. The American Ship Building was at the end of my dead-end street, Arizona Avenue. I have many photographs, some taken by my father, the day “she” was launched on June 28, 1949. The local newspaper put the story about the event on the front page. It was surely big news of the day; after all exactly 25 years before on June 28, 1924 the Sandusky / Lorain tornado struck that remains the greatest loss of life tornado to strike in Ohio to date. Wilfred Sykes, the freighter, has a remarkable history and hopefully a vital role in the future as an actively working vessel on the Great Lakes.