The 1,004‑foot MV James R. Barker departed Duluth, Minnesota this morning (10/30/2025), loaded with iron ore pellets, heading out through the Aerial Lift Bridge toward Toledo, Ohio.
Video Transcript:
Right now we have the James R. Barker departing through the Duluth Ship Canal. James R. Barker was built in 1976 by the American Ship Building Company in Lorain, Ohio. She measures 1,004 ft in length, 105 ft in width, and 50 ft in depth. She is powered by 28,000 horsepower, 16‑cylinder diesel engines.
What you all just heard there was the captain’s salute, which is a traditional greeting between ships and the bridge. The ship initiates the greeting with one long blast followed by two short blasts, and the bridge responds with the same.
Her 28,000‑horsepower, 16‑cylinder diesel engines give her a top speed of 16 knots (about 18 mph). She is also equipped with a 1,500‑horsepower bow thruster to aid maneuverability in port. The Barker has 36 hatches on her deck which open into seven cargo holds located below deck. Each hatch cover measures 65 by 11 ft. She has a maximum carrying capacity of 63,300 tons. Overdeck is a 250‑ft self‑unloading [corrected from “self‑loading”] boom which allows her to handle cargo at a rate of 10,000 tons per hour without shoreside equipment.
James R. Barker is currently owned and operated by the Interlake Steamship Company in Middleburg Heights, Ohio. The James R. Barker just finished loading iron ore pellets at the Canadian National ore dock in West Duluth, and I believe they are delivering that cargo to Toledo, Ohio.
Once again, we have the James R. Barker departing through the Duluth Ship Canal—built in 1976, measuring 1,004 ft in length, maximum carrying capacity of 63,300 tons, owned and operated by the Interlake Steamship Company in Middleburg Heights, Ohio. They’re on their way out today with a load of iron ore pellets heading for Toledo, Ohio. If you see any crew members on deck as they come through, make sure to give them a big wave and wish them a safe trip.
