John F. Cushing – James E. Skelly – Olive L. Moore
1928-Present
Articulated Tugboat, Hydraconn Coupler; Paired with Barge Menominee
Specs
Build Information
Year Built: 1928
Builder: Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, WI
Hull #241
Registry: U.S. —
IMO #8635227
Laid Down: —
Launch Date: April 16, 1928
Commissioned: 1928
Paired Barges:
- Buckeye {2} [1979-1990]
- McKee Sons [1990-2000]
- Lewis J. Kuber [Menominee, 2017;] [2006-Present]
Construction
The John F. Cushing was constructed in 1928 by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company as a tugboat for Great Lakes Dock & Dredge of Chicago, Illinois.
She has been rebuilt several times to push barges on the Great Lakes.
Modifications
- Rebuilt and Repowered, Stender Shipyard, Bay City, MI, 1968.
- Rebuilt and Repowered, Upper Lakes Towing, Escanaba, MI, 1980.
- Rebuilt, Upper Lakes Towing, Escanaba, MI, 1990.
- Rebuilt, Upper Lakes Towing, Escanaba, MI, 2006.
General Stats
Length Overall [Combined Tug & Barge]: 728′
Length Overall [Tug]: 125′
Breadth: 39’02”
Depth: 13’09”
Vessel Type: Articulated Tugboat
Propellers: 1
Rudders: 1
Engineering Equipment
Original
Engine
Engine Type: Diesel Engine
Engine Manufacturer: Busch-Sulzer, St. Louis, MO
Engine Model: 6-CM-17
Number of Engines: 1
Rated HP: 1000 BHP
Repower – 1968
Engine Type: Diesel Engine
Engine Manufacturer: Fairbanks-Morse, Beloit, WI
Engine Model: 12-38D8-1/8
Number of Engines: 1
Rated HP: 2000 BHP
Repower – 1980
Engine Type: Diesel Engine
Engine Manufacturer: Alco, Schenectady, NY
Engine Model: 16V251
Number of Engines: 2
Rated HP: 5830 BHP
Repower – ?
Engine Type: Diesel Engine
Engine Manufacturer: General Electric Co., Boston, MA
Engine Model: FDL16
Number of Engines: 2
Rated HP: 5830 BHP
History
Lineage
John F. Cushing – 1928-1965
Owner: Great Lakes Dock & Dredge Co., Chicago, IL
Operator: Great Lakes Dock & Dredge
Flag: United States
Home Port: Chicago, IL
James E. Skelly – 1965-1966
Owner: Chicago Marine Refueling Co., Chicago, IL
Operator: Chicago Marine Refueling
Flag: United States
Home Port: Chicago, IL
Olive L. Moore – 1966-1968
Owner: Socony-Mobil Oil Co., New York, NY
Operator: Socony-Mobil Oil Co.
Flag: United States
Home Port: New York, NY
Olive L. Moore – 1968-1969
Owner: South Range Aggregates, South Range, MI
Operator: South Range Aggregates
Flag: United States
Home Port: Escanaba, MI
Olive L. Moore – 1969-1980
Owner: Escanaba Towing, Escanaba, MI
Operator: Escanaba Towing
Flag: United States
Home Port: Escanaba, MI
Olive L. Moore – 1980-2006
Owner: Upper Lakes Towing, Escanaba, MI
Operator: Upper Lakes Towing
Flag: United States
Home Port: Escanaba, MI
Olive L. Moore – 2006-2011
Owner: K&K Integrated Logistics, Menominee, MI
Operator: K&K Integrated Logistics
Flag: United States
Home Port: Menominee, MI
Olive L. Moore – 2011-Present
Owner: Grand River Navigation, Traverse City, MI [Rand Logistics]
Operator: Grand River Navigation Co.
Flag: United States
Home Port: Cleveland, OH
Her Story
The John F. Cushing was built in 1928 by Manitowoc Shipbuilding at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, as a tugboat for the Great Lakes Dock & Dredge Company of Chicago, Illinois.
The Cushing was sold to Chicago Marine Refueling Company in 1965, and Socony-Mobil Oil Company in 1966. She was renamed Olive L. Moore.
While en route to the east coast, she ran aground near Little Sable Point on Lake Michigan on May 5, 1966. She was taken to the Stender shipyard in Bay City, Michigan, for repairs before being put up for sale.
In 1968, she was purchased by South Range Aggregates, owned by the VanEnkevort family. She was rebuilt and repowered, with ownership being transferred to Escanaba Towing, another VanEnekvort company. She was used to push the barge A. E. Nettleton during the 1970’s.
In 1980, she was transferred to Upper Lakes Towing, another VanEnkevort company, and rebuilt and repowered yet again to push the barge Buckeye {2}. She pushed the Buckeye until 1990 when the barge was retired. She was then rebuilt again for service pushing the barge McKee Sons. The McKee Sons came off of charter in 2000 and the Olive L. Moore was laid up at Escanaba, Michigan.
On January 14, 2003, the Olive L. Moore towed the former railroad car ferry Viking out of Erie, Pennsylvania, towing her to Menominee, Michigan, arriving on January 19.
In 2005, the Moore was used to tow the Buckeye {3} to Erie, Pennsylvania, for conversion to a barge. She then proceeded back to Escanaba, where she was rebuilt to push the barge after completion. The Moore was fitted with a Hydraconn Articulated Tug-Barge connection system to mate with her barge. She was sold to K&K Integrated Logistics during this time period. The Olive L. Moore returned to Erie in August of 2006, and she entered service pushing the barge Lewis J. Kuber in September.
In February 2011, Rand Logistics announced that they had acquired the vessels of the K&K Integrated Logistics fleet, those being their two Articulated tug-barge units, Lewis J. Kuber / Olive L. Moore and James L. Kuber / Victory. The tug-barge units were placed under the ownership of Rand’s Grand River Navigation Company. Part of the agreement was that the barges must keep their names for five years after the purchase.
She remains paired with the barge Lewis J. Kuber, since renamed Menominee {3}, though rumors indicate that the tug Invincible is to be reconstructed to be paired with the barge. Nothing has moved forward with this project. The Menominee / Olive L. Moore continue to be active members of the Grand River Navigation fleet, serving the stone trades.
Compiled By Brendan Falkowski
Updated on July 7, 2020
Gallery
Sources
Greenwood’s Guide to Great Lakes Shipping 2016, Harbor House Publishers, 2016. Pp. 6.5.
“Menominee Integrated with tug Olive L. Moore”. Rand Logistics, N.d. Accessed 7 July 2020. <https://www.randlog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Rand-Vessel-Profile-MEN-8-2019.pdf>
Pennock, Isaac. “Olive L. Moore”. Great Lakes Tugs & Workboats. N.d. Accessed 7 July 2020. <https://gltugs.wordpress.com/olive-l-moore/>
Wharton, George. “Olive L. Moore”. Great Lakes and Seaway Shipping Online. N.d. Accessed 7 July 2020. <http://boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/OliveLMoore.htm>
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