View source for MV American Mariner

{{Short description|Self-discharging bulk carrier}}
{| {{Infobox ship begin}}
 {{Infobox ship image
 | Ship image = Drummond Island Ferry.jpg
 | Ship image size = 250px
 | Ship caption = ''American Mariner'' (right) with Drummond Island Ferry
 }}
 {{Infobox ship career
 | Hide header =
 | Ship country = United States 
 | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|United States}}
 | Ship name =''American Mariner''
 | Ship namesake = 
 | Ship operator = 
 | Ship ordered =
 | Ship builder = [[Bay Shipbuilding Company]]<ref name="usCoastGuardDB">{{cite web | url= http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/pls/webpls/cgv_pkg.vessel_id_list?vessel_id_in=564002| title= Vessel Documentation Query | publisher= [[NOAA]]/[[US Coast Guard]] | date= 2015-07-02 | accessdate = 2015-07-02 }}</ref>
 | Ship yard number = 723<ref name="usCoastGuardDB" /><ref name="Colton, Tim">{{cite web|url=http://shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/2large/active/bay.htm |title=Bay Shipbuilding, Sturgeon Bay, WI |website=shipbuildinghistory.com |first=Tim |last=Colton |url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703093316/http://shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/2large/active/bay.htm |archivedate=2015-07-03 }}</ref>
 | Ship laid down =
 | Ship launched = August 2, 1979
 | Ship sponsor=
 | Ship completed = 1980<ref name="usCoastGuardDB" />
 | Ship acquired = 
 | Ship in service = April 1980<ref name="American Steamship" />
 | Ship out of service =
 | Ship fate =
 | Ship status = In service as of 2024
 | Ship notes =
 | Ship identification=*[[Maritime call sign|Call sign]]: WQZ7791
*{{IMO|7812567}}
 }}
 {{Infobox ship characteristics
 | Hide header =
 | Header caption =
 | Ship class = [[Lake freighter]]
 | Ship tonnage =*{{GT|15396}}<ref name="usCoastGuardDB" />
* {{NetT|11245}}<ref name="usCoastGuardDB" />
 | Ship displacement =
 | Ship length =*{{cvt|730|ft|m}} (overall)<ref name="American Steamship" />
*{{cvt|714.8|ft|m}}<ref name="usCoastGuardDB" />
 | Ship beam = {{cvt|78|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="usCoastGuardDB" />
 | Ship height =
 | Ship draft =*{{cvt|30|ft|11.875|in|m}} (midsummer draft)<ref name="American Steamship" />
*{{cvt|42.7|ft|m}} (hull depth)<ref name="usCoastGuardDB" />
 | Ship propulsion = two {{cvt|3500|hp|lk=on}} General Motors Electro Motive Division (EMD) diesel engines, {{cvt|7000|shp|lk=in}}<ref name="American Steamship">{{cite web |url= http://www.americansteamship.com/fleet/mv-american-mariner.php |title= M/V American Mariner |website= American Steamship }}</ref>
 | Ship speed =
 | Ship capacity = 
 | Ship crew =
 | Ship notes =
 }}
|}

'''MV ''American Mariner''''' is a [[Diesel fuel|diesel]]-powered [[lake freighter]] owned and operated by the [[American Steamship Company]] (ASC). This vessel was built in 1980 at [[Bay Shipbuilding Company]], [[Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin]] and included self-unloading technology.

The ship is {{convert|730|feet|m}} long and {{convert|78|feet|m}} wide, with a carrying capacity of 37,300 tons (at midsummer draft), [[limestone]], [[grain]], [[coal]] or [[iron ore]].<ref name="American Steamship" />

== History ==
The ship was built for American Steamship in 1980 and was originally planned to be named ''[[Chicago]]''. The ship was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] August 2, 1979 and named ''American Mariner'' for all American seafarers.<ref name="American Steamship" />

=== Lake Huron incident ===

On April 28, 2000, the vessel lost steering and struck Light number 7 in the Lake Huron Cut. The Mariner was loaded with [[taconite]] for Ashtabula, OH. A survey of damage from the accident revealed a 30-foot by 10-foot tear in the forepeak and another 6-inch-wide tear on the starboard bow stretching nearly 25 feet. Flooding from this damage was so severe that the forward cargo hold and tunnels flooded. Temporary repairs were made to control the flooding and the crew lightened the vessel by offloading 3,100 tons of cargo from the number one hold into fleet mate Adam E. Cornelius. She was refloated and underway on Saturday the 29th. Because American Mariner was blocking the channel, the [[United States Coast Guard|U. S. Coast Guard]] temporarily closed the area to commercial navigation. The river closure delayed more than 23 vessels.

=== Munuscong Lake incident ===

On March 28, 2024, at approximately 01:00, the ship struck a [[navigational aid]] in the midst of [[Munuscong Lake]], blocking the navigation channel of the [[St. Marys River (Michigan–Ontario)|St. Mary's River]].<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.sootoday.com/local-news/accident-closes-st-marys-river-8521353| title = Accident closes St. Marys River (update)| date = March 28, 2024| publisher = Village Media| access-date =  March 28, 2024}}</ref>  By the afternoon of the following day, she had been cleared to move and left the site under her own power, allowing the shipping channel to be reopened.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.sooleader.com/local-news/several-freighters-in-st-marys-river-system-remain-anchored-8528681 | title = Update: Freighter that struck buoy in St. Marys River cleared to move | last = Lehocky | first = Jim | date = March 29, 2024 | website = Soo Leader | publisher = Village Media | access-date = March 31, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.saultstar.com/news/canadian-coast-guard-ship-provides-on-scene-support-to-disabled-u-s-vessel/wcm/e6f29069-93bd-44fa-a28d-18c217655bb1/ | title = UPDATED: American Mariner transited to 'safe anchorage', channel reopened | last = Ougler | first = Jeffrey | date = March 29, 2024 | publisher = The Sault Star | access-date = March 31, 2024 }}</ref>  After a stop at anchor in Raber Bay to more fully assess damage, the ship proceeded to [[Ashtabula, Ohio]] for [[Maintenance|repairs]].<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.saultstar.com/news/updated-american-mariner-on-its-way-to-ohio-for-repairs | title = UPDATED: American Mariner on its way to Ohio for repairs | last = Ougler | first = Jeffrey | date = March 31, 2024 | publisher = The Sault Star | access-date = April 1, 2024 }}</ref>  No injuries or pollution were reported.

== References ==
{{Commons category|IMO 7812567}}
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{cite web |url= http://www.boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/americanmariner.htm |title= American Mariner |website= [[Boatnerd]] |first= George |last= Wharton }}

{{Bay Shipbuilding ships}}
{{2024 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:American Mariner}}
[[Category:1979 ships]]
[[Category:Great Lakes freighters]]
[[Category:Ships built in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 2024]]
[[Category:March 2024 events in the United States]]


{{Merchantship-stub}}