Great Lakes carrier Mark W. Barker to be christened today

The Great Lakes have a new bulk carrier and it is docked in Cleveland waiting to be christened. The Mark W. Barker is the first bulk carrier to be built on the Great Lakes in nearly 40 years. It is designed specifically to navigate the tight bends of the Cuyahoga River and will be christened today off the dock north of First Energy Stadium. "This American-made vessel is not only a veritable Great Lakes success story, it is a Cleveland ship through and through," said The Interlake Steamship Company Chairman James R. Barker. The 639-foot freighter was built with Cleveland Cliffs steel and coated with Sherwin-Williams paint. The Mark W. Barker was also built to serve a long-term partnership with Cargill Inc. and move Lake Erie mined salt. The Barker has made eight runs already and carries cargo of iron ore, salt, coal and aggregates. Mark W. Barker, President of The Interlake Steamship Co. and the vessel's namesake, called the ship "the most diverse ship in the history of the Great Lakes and the most capable of navigating restricted areas." The ship can turn at 70 degrees and an additional rudder allows it to make even tighter turns. Powered by two engines and 8,000 horsepower, it can travel an average of 14 knots over an open lake. The engines run on diesel fuel and the Barker is the first ship on the Great Lakes to have engines that meet EPA Tier 4 emission standards. The fuel tanks take 120,000 gallons to fill and the ship will burn 5,000 gallons of fuel a day on a full power day, according to Engine Chief Erik Wlazlo. In his 27th year on the water, Wlazlo laughed when asked how much it costs to fill the tank. The cargo hold can take 26,000 tons. Unlike most Great Lakes freighters, The Barker has a square, flat-bottomed cargo area instead of the traditional v-shape, allowing it to carry more cargo. On average, it takes 15 hours to load or unload salt according to Third Mate Matt Basset and Able Seaman Nick Geil. The front-end loaders used in the cargo hold are Ohio CATS. Barker, the president of Interlake Steamship and a holder of a Case Western Reserve University MBA, put the importance of moving cargo on the Great Lakes in perspective. "The impact," he said, "of Maritime movement in just one example is this — it would take 2,500 dump trucks hauling material on the highway to do what one drop from a cargo ship does." Paul Berger, of Sandusky, is the captain and he can be found in the pilot house of the Barker. He has been on the water "all of my adult life," a span covering 38 years. Berger got his start running ferry boats to the islands of Lake Erie. He smiled as he showed off the "brains of the ship" and all of its new navigational tools. However, he still uses paper charts instead of relying completely on the ECDIS electronic system that has changed navigation. What is old is new again. As the Barker was in the spotlight, two of the Interlake Steamship Company's other bulk carriers waited in turn at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River by the Cleveland lighthouse. The Dorothy Ann-Pathfinder, built in 1953, was heading out and the Herbert C. Jackson, built in 1959, was heading into the river. Great Lakes shipping is "as important as ever," Barker said. He added, "Ships last. We are in fresh water on the Great Lakes." The most important area on a cargo carrier just might be the galley. "The way to a sailor's heart is through their stomach," said Chief Steward Matthew Dillinger. The chief steward is serving his 15th year in a Great Lakes ship galley. Chefs in the galley see every member of the crew every day. Dillinger, along with second cook Inez Buie, feed a crew of 23 to 45 on a very busy day. The company spends $20 to $30 a day per crew person to keep each one fed. What are the favorites? Every Saturday they serve steak and potatoes. It is a Great Lakes tradition. Lobster and king crab is also popular. The top request from the crew is spaghetti and meatballs, according to Dillinger. His favorite dish to make? "I love to make a nice homemade soup," he said. "However, I've learned not to mess with Campbell's tomato soup. I made my own tomato soup once and the captain took his first spoonful and threw it out." The christening ceremony for the Mark W. Barker is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.