Thank you for visiting The Interlake Steamship Company.

We are a family-owned company tracing its history more than 100 years on the Great Lakes, but now we are a modern marine transportation business that is made up of 400 company family members who make us who we are today.

Please explore our website to learn more about the exciting things we have been doing to ensure our fleet is on the forefront of technology and environmental stewardship while delivering the essential cargoes our customers require to drive the economy of the Great Lakes region and the nation. We are honored to partner with some of the best steelmakers, power generation companies, aggregate suppliers & users, and others that choose to move their raw materials on lake freighters — the most environmental and efficient mode of transportation.

I have had the honor and privilege to support our teams on land and by sea in delivering innovative solutions for our customers. Without question, our history is rich in tradition and accomplishments, but I am excited about the future and where we are headed to meet the new demands for logistics in the Great Lakes and beyond. So come explore who we are, what we can do and let us find a solution for you.

Maiden Voyage Underway for the First U.S.-flagged Great Lakes Bulk Carrier in Nearly 40 years

Nearly three years after the first cut of steel for the first Great Lakes freighter in nearly 40 years, the 639-foot M/V Mark W. Barker embarked on her maiden voyage today from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding.

“This is a monumental day for our company and the US flag fleet as our much-anticipated freighter departs on her first voyage in what will be a long life of service on the Great Lakes,” says Mark W. Barker, President of The Interlake Steamship Company and namesake of the vessel – the company’s first new build since 1981. “The construction of this vessel, which was made from steel manufactured in Indiana, from iron ore delivered by vessel from Minnesota, reinforces our long-term commitment to shipping and delivering essential cargoes for our customers throughout the region.”

The M/V Mark W. Barker departed the Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin shipyard at 10:36 Eastern time for her 110-mile journey to Port Inland, Michigan where her crew of 21 professional mariners will load stone to deliver to Muskegon, Michigan. Once delivered, that stone cargo will go into ready-mix concrete production. 

“This new vessel not only brings with it additional cargo carrying capacity and capabilities, it is the most versatile in our fleet and strategically sized to navigate into nearly any port on the Great Lakes,” says Brendan P. O’Connor, Vice President of Marketing and Marine Traffic. “The M/V Mark W. Barker will give us unmatched ability for cargo operations and to carry unique project cargoes because of both her square-shaped cargo hold and larger hatch openings. She truly was designed to be a vessel for the future.”