Is anyone building new "Lakers"?

[rd77]

Hi all,

I have wondering about something lately: every year, I see pictures of a handfull of old Lakers heading for the scrapyard in Turkey, but I never see pictures of newly built Lakers. Is there any construction of new Lakers going on at all?

Brgds.
Ralph

[Phil English]

Ralph,

Algoma are building 4 x 30,000 DWT vessels at Nantong Mingde, which are for Lakes trading  delivery 2013 - 2014. Though it is specified that the vessels will be employed only in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, the full specs of these ships has not been disclosed, hence it is not inconcievable that they will also be designed for international trade.

http://www.rttnews.com/content/CanadianNews.aspx?Id=1512105

Brgds
Phil

[esima001]

A new laker is on it's way. It's the Algoma Mariner. At the beginning, it was a forebody replacement on the Algoport but the ship sunk on it's way to China. So they made a new stern section that match with the forebody that was planned to go on the Algoport.

here is a link woth some photos of the new ship.

http://algomamariner.blogspot.com/

Best regards!
Alex

[polsteam]

Polish Steamship Company has been building a series of lakers recently and the series (two sizes) are not fully delivered yet to the last unit, I suppose.

These lakers are of Polish design, built in China.

Here is the 29 984 dwt unit from Mingde.
http://www.polsteam.com.pl/admin/images/488_800.JPG

The other design will be smaller size (16 000 t or so... perhaps).

[Phil English]

Polish Steamship Company has been building a series of lakers recently and the series (two sizes) are not fully delivered yet to the last unit, I suppose.

These are 'lakes fitted' handysize bulkers. In other words, deep-sea vessels designed for lakes trading - what the Canadians traditionally refer to as "salties". Such ships are common and many are on order or have recently been delivered to the likes of Canfornav, Fedanv and od course Polsteam. The original question, I believe, relates to 'lakes-only' vessels - which are not deep sea or even coastwise vessels and a totally different kettle of fish.

Brgds
Phil

[Krispen Atkinson]

Algoma's new 'Equinox class' which are being built at Nantong Mingde seem to have the look of a modern laker, the impression (see link below) shows a self-discharger however the reports say this class is mixed between self-unloaders and gearless vessels, (believe that a total of 10 have been ordered, 4 are gearless and 6 are self-unloaders)
http://seawaymarinetransport-new.com/index.php?title=Equinox_Class

Krispen