The Steamship Alpena Completes 81st Year of Service

The longest running vessel in service on the Great Lakes, the Steamship Alpena just completed its 81st overall year of service.

Originally built by the Great Lakes Engineering Works Corporation in 1942 as an iron ore carrier for World War II, its first name was Leon Fraser as part of five sister ships.

“At the end of the day, in the scenario of the Alpena, originally called the Leon Fraser, it was being built as an ore carrier, so that ship and its sister ships, would all have very very similar characteristics and hull design to them,” said Special Collections Librarian Don La Barre.

Built in River Rouge, Michigan, the Leon Fraser launched on February 28, 1942. The ship spent 43 years under the ownership of Pittsburgh Steel Corporation, and after a brief stint with Spitzer Marine Limited, was sold to Inland Lakes Transportation in 1989, where it became a cement carrier.

“It would have been sold over, converted over to them and Inland Lakes Management would be operating the ship itself for the purposes of Lafarge’s demands for cement,” said La Barre.

Since then it has been making cement deliveries all throughout the Great Lakes and docking at Lafarge. It finished up its season on January 21st, and should return to service in just a couple months when the weather gets warmer and it can more easily move through the water.

“It’s had an incredibly long history and an important history from the efforts of WWII, to kind of, you know, like you said before, one of the longest running bulk freighters in the area for 80+ years,” said La Barre.

The ship is not currently docked at Lafarge as it is in a layover period, but should dock within the month.