Stewart J. Cort
1972-Present
Specs
Build Information
Bow & Stern Sections
Year Built: 1970
Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding Division, Pascagoula, MS [Litton Industries]
Hull #1173
Laid Down: —
Launch Date: December 16, 1970
Cargo Section
Year Built: 1972
Builder: Erie Marine, Erie, PA [Litton Industries]
Hull #101
Entire Vessel
Registry: U.S. 532272
IMO #7105495
Launch Date: Early 1971
Commissioned: May 1, 1972
Construction
The Stewart J. Cort was constructed as the Great Lakes’ First 1,000′ ship. The construction practice for this massive vessel was quite unusual. The bow accomodations section and stern engine room section were constructed as one hull at Litton Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Hull #1173, nicknamed “Stubby”, was built only to a 75′ width to be able to pass through the locks in the St. Lawrence Seaway. The remaining ballast tanks that would bring her to her full width of 105′ would be added at the shipyard in Erie. “Stubby” arrived at Litton’s Erie Marine in June of 1970. The cargo section of the ship was constructed at Erie. The bow and stern sections were moved to drydock where they were cut apart, and welded to their respective ends of the cargo section. The additional ballast tanks were added to the bow and stern sections, and the Stewart J. Cort was launched in early 1971. Sea Trials were conducted over the summer of 1971, but due to issues with the unloading system and bow thrusters, she did not enter service until 1972.
Her self-unloading equipment consists of a single hold belt system that feeds an aft rotary elevator, leading to a transverse shuttle boom on her stern.
The Stewart J. Cort was the first of three 1,000-Footers built for Bethlehem Steel, the other two being indentical to the other Bay Shipbuilding constructed footers. They were the Lewis Wilson Foy and the Burns Harbor.
General Stats
Length Overall: 1,000′
Length Between Perpendiculars: 988’06”
Breadth: 105′
Depth: 49′
Loaded Draft: 27’11”
Capacity: 58,000 Tons
Vessel Type: Rotary-Bucket-Elevator Self-Unloader
Self-Unloading Boom Length: Aft-Mounted Shuttle Boom, 40′
Number of Cargo Holds: 4 [Hatch-Hold Arrangement: 3-5-5-5]
Number of Hatches: 18 [Dimensions: 20’x11’06”]
Primary Operations: Ore Trade
Propellers: 2 Controllable Pitch Propellers
Rudders: 2
Engineering Equipment
Original
Engine
Engine Type: Diesel engine
Engine Manufacturer: General Motors Electro-Motive Division, Chicago, IL
Engine Model: 20-645-E7
Number of Engines: 4
Rated HP: 14,400 BHP
History
Lineage
Stewart J. Cort – 1972-2000
Owner: Bethlehem Steel Corp., Cleveland OH
Operator: Bethlehem Steel Corp., Marine Division
Flag: United States
Home Port: Wilmington, DE
Stewart J. Cort – 2000-2003
Owner: — Leased to Bethlehem Steel Corp.
Operator: Bethlehem Steel Corp., Marine Division
Flag: United States
Home Port: Wilmington, DE
Stewart J. Cort – 2004-2005
Owner: — Leased to International Steel Group
Operator: International Steel Group, Cleveland, OH
Flag: United States
Home Port: Wilmington, DE
Stewart J. Cort – 2005-Present
Owner: Banc of America Leasing & Captial LLC, San Francisco, CA [managed by Interlake Steamship Co.]
Operator: Interlake Steamship Co., Middleburg Heights, OH
Flag: United States
Home Port: Wilmington, DE
Her Story
During the late 1960’s, Litton Industries constructed a new modern shipyard at Erie, Pennsylvania, to construct ships that took full advantage of the new Poe Lock under construction at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Litton officials approached Marine Consultants & Designers of Cleveland to develop a ship design for the highly automated shipyard. Litton signed a contract with Bethlehem Steel Corporation in 1968 to construct a 1,000′ ship for them, ordering MC&D to slightly alter their prepared design for the new ship.
The bow accomodations section and stern engine room section were constructed as one hull at Litton Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, beginning in 1968. Ingalls’ Hull #1173, nicknamed “Stubby”, was built only to a 75′ width to be able to pass through the locks in the St. Lawrence Seaway. The remaining ballast tanks that would bring her to her full width of 105′ would be added at the shipyard in Erie. “Stubby” arrived at Litton’s Erie Marine in June of 1970. The cargo section of the ship was already constructed at the Erie shipyard. The bow and stern sections were moved into the drydock where they were cut apart, and welded to their respective ends of the cargo section. The additional ballast tanks were added to the bow and stern sections, and the Stewart J. Cort was launched in early 1971. Sea Trials were conducted over the summer of 1971, but due to issues with the unloading system and bow thrusters, she did not enter service until 1972.
The Stewart J. Cort sailed out of Erie on her maiden voyage on May 1, 1972, headed for Taconite Harbor, Minnesota. She quickly settled into her new trade route of carrying ore from Taconite Harbor and Superior, Wisconsin to Bethlehem’s Burns Harbor mill. Since the Cort is equipped with a shuttle-type unloading boom, she is restricted to unloading in Burns Harbor.
The Stewart J. Cort has run into some trouble in her time on the lakes. She collided with the saltwater vessel Joanna at Sault Ste. Marie. Both vessel only sustained minor damage. The Cort sat out for the 1983 season at Erie, Pennsylvania, due to lack of demand. She returned to service in 1984. The Stewart J. Cort and the Edgar B. Speer broke loose from their moorings on December 2, 1985, while in layup at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
The Stewart J. Cort loaded 56,251 tons of ore pellets in a whopping 3 hours and 35 minutes on July 18, 1987 at Superior, Wisconsin. This was in part thanks to her speedy ballast pumps.
The Stewart J. Cort grounded at the Burlington Northern ore dock at Superior, Wisconsin on December 30, 1993, suffering bottom damage. She also struck a pier at the Soo Locks on April 24, 1995.
The Cort was sold to an investment group in late 2000, being leased back to Bethlehem Steel. Bethlehem was struggling financially at this point in time, declaring bankruptcy on October 15, 2001. Their assets were sold to the International Steel Group in late 2003. International Steel took over operation of the Cort and her remaining fleetmate Burns Harbor as well.
In October 2002, the Stewart J. Cort was loaded with the incorrect load of taconite at Superior, Wisconsin, requiring her to unload at Indiana Harbor, a location that cannot accomodate the Cort‘s unloading system. To solve this problem, the Cort unloaded into the holds of the Sam Laud, which in turn unloaded onto the dock.
After International Steel was sold foreign in late 2004, operation and management of the Stewart J. Cort was taken over by the Interlake Steamship Company. She has remained on her primary trade route throughout all of these changes. The Cort spent the 2009 season in layup at Milwaukee due to the economic downturn. She returned to service in 2010, and continues in her shuttle of taconite pellets from Superior, Wisconsin to Burns Harbor, Indiana.
Compiled By Brendan Falkowski
Updated on April 21, 2020
Gallery
Sources
Aho, Jody L. “Stewart J. Cort”. Great Lakes and Seaway Shipping Online, N.d. Accessed 19 April 2020. <http://boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/cort.htm>
Ahoy & Farewell II. Marine Historical Society of Detroit, 1996. Pp. 16.
Bawal, Raymond A., Jr. Superships of the Great Lakes. Inland Expressions, 2011. Pp. 8-16.
Berry, Sterling P. “Cort, Stewart J.”. Great Lakes Vessel History: Vessel Histories of Sterling P. Berry. N.d. Accessed 19 April 2020. <https://www.greatlakesvesselhistory.com/histories-by-name/c/cort-stewart-j>
Devendorf, John F. Great Lakes Bulk Carriers, 1869-1985. John F. Devendorf, 1996. Pp. 188.
Greenwood’s Guide to Great Lakes Shipping 2016, Harbor House Publishers, 2016. Pp. 4.8.
Thompson, Mark L. Queen of the Lakes. Wayne State University Press, 1994. Pp. 189-193.
Shipwatcher News Great Lakes Ships 