Inside Look at Kaye E. Barker in Superior

Tour of Work on Lakers Before Shipping Season

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While the lakers are set to sleep, workers and crews are working hard to repair the damage from the shipping season.

Fox 21 got an inside look at what goes on inside during the off season.

Ice covered Lake Superior won’t see much traffic from these ships as they hibernate for the winter.

For a few months out of the year, maintaining the lake’s fleet requires long hours from multiple workers.

Interlake Steamship Co. Superintendent, Phil Moore, says they have everyone from boiler makers to electricians and all different skilled trades.

The work to be performed stretches from bow to stern. 

“There are probably 6 different places on the boat where we have teams working,” said Moore.

Cargo holds are re-lined and propellers examined. 

Crews are doing engine repairs and inspections for 10 hours a day, 5 days a week. 

All lakers in service this year have a number of replacements.

The Kaye E. Barker, laid up at Fraser Shipyard’s, has been re-powered from a steel propulsion plant to a highly efficient diesel plant.

It was also converted to a self unloader. 

The Barker is 767 feet long, 70 feet wide and hauls 25,900 tons of cargo. 

The $75 million spent during the year comes on top of the nearly $6 million required just for the off season.

“Three point two percent of the GDP passes through the Great Lakes here,” said Moore.

Nearly 300 workers are employed at Fraser.

The Barker has quite a team on board with more than 100 crew members. 

The next 10 weeks are tough for the men.

“Every spring we think, thank goodness our repair schedule is over,”said Moore.

Once that ship has sailed, worker Randy Lima loves what he does. 

“That’s why i keep coming back,” said Lima. 

The ships are expected to head out for the 2015 season at the end of March.

There are 6 vessels on dry dock between Duluth and Superior. 

The Barker is undergoing more than $2.5 million worth of work.