Pan Amoco – Amoco – H. R. Schemm – J. A. W. Iglehart
1936-Present
Specs
Build Information
Year Built: 1936
Builder: Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock, Chester, Pennsylvania
Hull #155
Registry: U. S. 235570
IMO #5139179
Laid Down: —
Launch Date: September 25, 1936
Commissioned: October 14, 1936; June 15, 1965 [As cement carrier]
Construction
The J. A. W. Iglehart was originally constructed in 1936 by Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock as the deep sea tanker Pan Amoco for the Pan American Oil Company. The Amoco was rebuilt as a self-unloading cement carrier in 1965, being equipped with with airslide slopes in her cargo hold that feed a tunnel conveyor that runs to a forward-mounted bucket elevator system. The cement can be discharged to the shoreside terminal from the bucket elevator via an airslide unloading boom or powdered cement pumps.
Modifications
- Rebuilt as a self-unloading cement carrier, American Shipbuilding, South Chicago, Illinois
General Stats
As Constructed as a Saltwater Tanker
Length Overall: 501’06”
Length Between Perpendiculars: 485’06”
Breadth: 68’03”
Depth: 37′
Loaded Draft: —
Capacity: 15,515 Tons
Vessel Type: Deep-Sea Tanker
Number of Cargo Holds: —
Number of Hatches: —
Primary Operations: East Coast Petroleum Trade
Propellers: 1
Rudders: 1
After conversion to a self-unloading cement carrier, 1965
Length Overall: 501’06”
Length Between Perpendiculars: 485’06”
Breadth: 68’03”
Depth: 37′
Loaded Draft: 27’04”
Capacity: 13,200 Tons
Vessel Type: Self-Unloading Cement Carrier
Number of Cargo Holds: 18
Number of Hatches: —
Primary Operations: Cement Trade
Propellers: 1
Rudders: 1
Engineering Equipment
Original
Engine
Engine Type: Steam Turbine
Engine Manufacturer: De Laval Steam Turbine Co., Trenton, NJ
Engine Model: Cross-Compound Steam Turbine
Number of Engines: 1
Rated HP: 4400 SHP
Boiler
Boiler Type: Oil-fired Water Tube Boiler
Boiler Manufacturer: Foster-Wheeler, Baar, Switzerland
Boiler Size: 11,422 sq. ft.
Number of Boilers: 2
History
Lineage
Pan Amoco – 1936-1943
Owner: Pan American Petroleum and Transportation Co., New York, NY
Operator: Pan American Petroleum and Transportation
Flag: United States
Home Port: New York, NY
Pan Amoco – 1943-1955
Owner: American Oil Co., Baltimore, MD
Operator: American Oil Co.
Flag: United States
Home Port: New York, NY
Amoco – 1955-1960
Owner: American Oil Co., Baltimore, MD
Operator: American Oil Co.
Flag: United States
Home Port: New York, NY
Amoco – 1960
Owner: Boston Metals Co., Boston, MA
Operator: Boston Metals Co. [Laid up]
Flag: United States
Home Port: Boston, MA
H. R. Schemm – 1960-1965
Owner: Huron Portland Cement Co., Alpena, MI
Operator: Huron Transportation
Flag: United States
Home Port: Alpena, MI
J. A. W. Iglehart – 1965-1987
Owner: Huron Portland Cement Co., Alpena, MI [National Gypsum Company]
Operator: Huron Transportation Co.
Flag: United States
Home Port: Wilmington, DE
J. A. W. Iglehart – 1987-1996
Owner: Inland Lakes Transportation, Alpena, MI
Operator: Inland Lakes Management [Under charter to Lafarge]
Flag: United States
Home Port: Cleveland, OH
J. A. W. Iglehart – 1996-Present
Owner: Inland Lakes Transportation, Muskegon, MI [Andrie, Inc.]
Operator: Inland Lakes Management [Under charter to Lafarge]
Flag: United States
Home Port: Cleveland, OH
Her Story
The J. A. W. Iglehart was originally constructed in 1936 by Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock as the deep sea tanker Pan Amoco for the Pan American Oil Company. She was launched on September 23, 1936, and entered service on October 14, 1936. On March 23, 1943, the Pan Amoco was able to successfully escape a U-Boat attack off of the U.S. East Coast. Ownership of the Pan Amoco was transferred to the American Oil Company in 1943. She was renamed Amoco in 1955.
In 1960, the Amoco was sold to Boston Metals for scrapping, but was saved from the torch when she was sold to Huron Portland Cement of Alpena, Michigan, in June 1960. She was renamed H. R. Schemm and sailed up the St. Lawrence Seaway later that season and laid up at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where she was to be converted into a self-unloading cement carrier. The conversion project stalled for 4 years until the Schemm was towed to the American Shipbuilding Company yard in South Chicago, Illinois, where she was converted to a self-unloading cement carrier. Her midship pilothouse was removed and a new one constructed forward, and her aft cabins and engine modernized, while her holds were reconfigured with slopes leading to a tunnel conveyor that lead to a forward-mounted bucket elevator that could transfer cargo to the shoreside terminal via either an airslide boom or cement pumps.
The conversion project was completed in early 1965 and she was christened J. A. W. Iglehart on May 26, 1965. She then sailed on her maiden voyage as a cement carrier on June 15, 1965, bound for Alpena, Michigan, to load cement for Toledo, Ohio, arriving on June 19, 1965.
In 1987, Huron Cement was acquired by Lafarge Cement, and ownership of the fleet was transferred to Inland Lakes Transportation, being operated by Inland Lakes Management. The ships continued to operate out of the Alpena cement plant under cargo contract to Lafarge. Inland Lakes Transportation/Management was acquired by Andrie, Inc., of Muskegon, Michigan, in 1996. Fleet operations remained the same.
The Iglehart‘s career has been slightly scarred with numerous groundings at Alpena, Michigan, and at Saginaw, Michigan, on December 26, 1996. She was freed four days later after lightering a portion of her cargo into her fleetmate Alpena.
The J. A. W. Iglehart laid up for the final time at Superior, Wisconsin, on November 5, 2006. She is now in service as a cement storage and transfer vessel at Lafarge’s Superior terminal.
Compiled By Brendan Falkowski
Updated on October 6, 2020
Gallery
J. A. W. Iglehart on the St. Marys River, 1970’s. Photo by Roger LeLievre 
J. A. W. Iglehart on Lake St. Clair, 1973. Photo by Roger LeLievre 
J. A. W. Iglehart on the St. Marys River, August 1974. Photo by Roger LeLievre 
J. A. W. Iglehart on the open lake, April 1991. Photo by Al Sykes, from Marc Vander Meulen Collection 
J. A. W. Iglehart unloading at Toledo, Ohio, 1991. Photo by Jim Hoffman 
J. A. W. Iglehart arriving at Toledo, Ohio, 1990’s. Photo by Jim Hoffman 
J. A. W. Iglehart on the Welland Canal, 2000. Photo by Roger LeLievre 
J. A. W. Iglehart on the St. Marys River, July 5, 2002. Photo by Roger LeLievre 
J. A. W. Iglehart on the Detroit River, May 21, 2004. Photo by Roger LeLievre 
J. A. W. Iglehart on the Detroit River, May 21, 2004. Photo by Roger LeLievre 
J. A. W. Iglehart, bow detail, on the Detroit River, May 21, 2004. Photo by Roger LeLievre J. A. W. Iglehart in the MacArthur Lock at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, on her final trip as an active carrier, October 28, 2006. Photo by Roger LeLievre 
J. A. W. Iglehart laid up at Superior, Wisconsin, July 28, 2016. Photo by Isaac Pennock 
J. A. W. Iglehart laid up at Superior, Wisconsin, August 3, 2018. Photo by Isaac Pennock
Sources
Berry, Sterling P. “Iglehart, J. A. W.” Great Lakes Vessel History: Vessel Histories of Sterling P. Berry. N.d. Accessed 5 October 2020. <https://www.greatlakesvesselhistory.com/histories-by-name/i/iglehart-j-a-w>
Devendorf, John F. Great Lakes Bulk Carriers, 1869-1985. John F. Devendorf, 1996. Pp. 185.
Greenwood’s Guide to Great Lakes Shipping 2016, Harbor House Publishers, 2016. Pp. 3.3.
Reaume, Earl J. U.S. Freighters of the Great Lakes. Border Publishing, 2000. Pp. 117-118.
Wharton, George. “J. A. W. Iglehart”. Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online. N.d. Accessed 5 October 2020. <http://boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/jawiglehart.htm>
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