John G. Munson {2}
1952-Present
Specs
Build Information
Year Built: 1952
Builder: Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, Manitowoc, WI
Hull #415
Registry: US 264136
IMO #5173760
Laid Down: March 7, 1951
Launch Date: November 28, 1951
Commissioned: August 21, 1952
Construction
In the summer of 1950, around the same time the contracts for Pittsburgh Steamship Division’s AAA class ships were announced, Irvin L. Clymer, President of Bradley Transportation Line, announced a contract awarded to Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. to construct a 666′ long self-unloading bulk carrier. She would be somewhat similar to the AAA class ships in size, power, and capacity, and in later years, was loosely grouped as an AAA class vessel. She featured a forward located self-unloading boom, and would become the flagship of the Bradley fleet upon entering service.
She was the first of three near sister ships constructed by Manitowoc Shipbuilding in the early 1950’s. The other two being the John J. Boland {3} [Saginaw, 1999] and the Detroit Edison {2} [Scrapped, 1986].
Her self-unloading equipment consists of a dual hold belt leading to a forward bucket elevator system to a 250′ deck-mounted boom.
Modifications
- Bow thruster installed, 1966.
- Telescoping hatches replaced with single-piece hatch covers, Fraser Shipyards, Superior, WI, 1976.
- Lengthened 102′, Fraser Shipyards, Superior, WI, 1976.
- Boilers converted to heavy fuel oil-burning, Fraser Shipyards, Superior, WI, 1976.
- Boilers automated, Fraser Shipyards, Superior, WI, 1976.
- Stern thruster installed, 1986.
- Repowered with new diesel engine, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, WI, 2016.
General Stats
As Constructed
Length Overall: 666’03”
Length Between Perpendiculars: 650′
Breadth: 72′
Depth: 36′
Loaded Draft: 27’04”
Capacity: 20,900 Tons
Vessel Type: Bucket-Elevator Self-Unloader
Self-Unloading Boom Length: Bow-Mounted; 250′
Number of Cargo Holds: 6
Number of Hatches: 18 – at 24′ centers [Dimensions: 45’09”x11′]
Primary Operations: Ore, Stone, Coal Trades
Propellers: 1
Rudders: 1
After Lengthening, 1976
Length Overall: 768’03”
Length Between Perpendiculars: 751′
Breadth: 72′
Depth: 36′
Loaded Draft: 27’04”
Capacity: 25,550 Tons
Vessel Type: Bucket-Elevator Self-Unloader
Self-Unloading Boom Length: Bow-Mounted; 250′
Number of Cargo Holds: 7 [Hatch-Hold Arrangement: 3-3-3-4-3-3-3]
Number of Hatches: 22 [Dimensions: 45’09”x11′]
Primary Operations: Ore, Stone, Coal Trades
Propellers: 1 Controllable Pitch Propeller
Rudders: 1
Engineering Equipment
Original
Engine
Engine Type: Steam Turbine
Engine Manufacturer: General Electric Co., Boston, MA
Engine Model: Cross-Compound Double Reduction-Geared
Number of Engines: 2
Rated HP: 7700 SHP
Boiler
Boiler Type: Coal-Fired Water Tube
Boiler Manufacturer: Foster-Wheeler, Baar, Switzerland
Boiler Size: 13150 sq. ft.
Number of Boilers: 2
Repower – 2016
Engine Type: Diesel Engine
Engine Manufacturer: MaK, Kiel, Germany
Engine Model: 6M46C
Number of Engines: 1
Rated HP: 7,000 BHP
History
Lineage
John G. Munson {2} – 1952-1967
Owner: Bradley Transportation Line, Michigan Limestone Division, United States Steel Corp., Cleveland, OH
Operator: Bradley Transportation Line
Flag: United States
Home Port: Duluth, MN
John G. Munson {2} – 1967-1981
Owner: USS Great Lakes Fleet, New York, NY [U.S. Steel Corp.]
Operator: USS Great Lakes Fleet
Flag: United States
Home Port: New York, NY
John G. Munson {2} – 1981-1988
Owner: USX Great Lakes Fleet, Duluth, MN
Operator: USX Great Lakes Fleet
Flag: United States
Home Port: Duluth, MN
John G. Munson {2} – 1988-2004
Owner: USX Great Lakes Fleet, Inc., Duluth, MN [Blackstone Capital Partners]
Operator: USX Great Lakes Fleet
Flag: United States
Home Port: Duluth, MN
John G. Munson {2} – 2004-Present
Owner: Great Lakes Fleet, Inc., Duluth, MN [Canadian National Railway]
Operator: Key Lakes Inc., Duluth, MN
Flag: United States
Home Port: Duluth, MN
Her Story
In the summer of 1950, around the same time the contracts for Pittsburgh Steamship Division’s AAA class ships were announced, Irvin L. Clymer, President of Bradley Transportation Line, announced a contract awarded to Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. to construct a 666′ long self-unloading bulk carrier. She would be somewhat similar to the AAA class ships in size, power, and capacity, and in later years, was loosely grouped as an AAA class vessel. She featured a forward located self-unloading boom, and would become the flagship of the Bradley fleet upon entering service. The keel for the new ship was laid on March 7, 1951, with the mostly-completed hull being christened John G. Munson and launched at Manitowoc on November 28, 1951. Over the winter, her upper superstructures and unloading system were installed, and she entered service on August 21, 1952. She quickly settled into the Bradley stone trade, loading in Calcite, and later Port Dolomite near Cedarville, MI, for delivery to ports across the Great Lakes.
John G. Munson set several limestone cargo records when she came out, with one set in 1953 for 21,101 tons, which was not broken until 1966. The Bradley Transportation Line and the Pittsburgh Steamship Division were merged into one entity, the United States Steel Great Lakes Fleet, in 1967.
During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, the John G. Munson participated in U.S. Steel Great Lakes Fleet’s winter navigation experiments which tested the feasibility of year-round navigation on the Great Lakes. This project ended in 1979 with the implementation of an annual closing and opening of the Soo Locks.
At the end of the 1975 season, the Munson was sent to Fraser Shipyards in Superior, Wisconsin, where she was placed in drydock, cut in half aft of amidship, and her stern section was floated out. Workers then prepared the new 102′ long hull section for insertion. The new hull section was lined up with the bow in the drydock, then the stern was floated back in. The hull was welded back together with the new 102′ section in the middle. The Munson also had her boilers automated and converted to oil-burning while in drydock.
During the winter of 1983, the John G. Munson suffered a fire in her machine shop while laid up at Milwaukee. She also struck the Lorain, Ohio breakwater in 1974.
A majority stake in USS Great Lakes Fleet was sold to Blackstone Capital Partners in 1988. The Munson was repainted in the new fleet standard colors in 1990, showing off a nice coat of red with a black and grey diagonal stripe on each side of the bow. In late 2003, Canadian National Railway purchased Great Lakes Fleet from Blackstone for $380 Million. The fleet would continue to operate as U.S. flag vessels under the direct ownership of Great Lakes Fleet, Inc. Management of the ships was taken over by Key Lakes, Inc. The Munson struck the Shell fuel dock at Corunna, Ontario on November 6, 2006, damaging about 200′ of the dock face.
John G. Munson sat out for the 2016 season at Sturgeon Bay, WI. She was repowered with a new MaK diesel engine by Bay Shipbuilding over the season. The Munson returned to service for the 2017 season. She remains active in the ore, coal, and stone trades.
Compiled By Brendan Falkowski
Updated on April 18, 2023
Gallery
Sources
Bawal, Raymond A., Jr. Twilight of the Great Lakes Steamer. Inland Expressions, 2009. Pp. 53-56.
Berry, Sterling P. “Munson, John G. 2”. Great Lakes Vessel History: Vessel Histories of Sterling P. Berry. N.d. Accessed 2 April 2020. https://www.greatlakesvesselhistory.com/histories-by-name/m/munson-john-g-2
Greenwood’s Guide to Great Lakes Shipping 2016, Harbor House Publishers, 2016. Pp. 4.14.
Miller, Al. Tin Stackers: The History of the Pittsburgh Steamship Company. Wayne State University Press, 1999. Pp. 165, 224-225, 298-299.
Wharton, George. “John G. Munson (2)”. Great Lakes and Seaway Shipping Online, N.d. Accessed 2 April 2020. http://boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/JohnGMunson2.htm
Shipwatcher News Great Lakes Ships 