A cold, rainy, foggy April 5, 1997, was brightened by the final fit-out and departure of Inland Steel’s classic steamer Edward L. Ryerson from Sturgeon Bay shipyards. It had been idle at the yard since January 1994, a victim of changes in Great Lakes shipping.

Self-unloaders now dominate taconite trades and Ryerson is without an unloading boom. The scene on the lakes was much different in 1960 when the Ryerson entered service after construction in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. At 730 feet, the boat was one of the largest vessels on the lakes. It was, and continues to be, the most streamlined and unique vessel on the lakes, with graceful curves at the bow and stern. It is considered by many to be the most beautiful carrier on the lakes.

Ryerson set cargo records for iron ore during the 1960s with shipments of more than 25,000 tons. It continued to be a top carrier until the first 1,000-foot vessels entered service in the 1970s. Then, Ryerson’s capacity was less than half that of a supercarrier, which exceeds 60,000 tons. 

Along with vessel changes, iron ore was being processed and shipped in pelletized form, known as taconite. Self-unloaders could handle taconite much easier than natural ores and they began to carry increasing tonnages in the 1970s and more into the 1980s. During the 1980s, Great Lakes fleets converted many straight-deck carriers into self-unloaders, but the Ryerson remained boomless.

Ryerson was active in the 1980s, except for the 1986 and 1987 seasons and brief lay-ups during recession times. It evaded the scrapper’s torch which claimed many bulk carriers and, by 1990, only four American straight-deckers remained in active service.

Of the four, Ryerson was the sole carrier dedicated to the ore trade. While other Great Lakes ports dismantled unloading equipment, Inland Steel kept its unloading bridges at Indiana Harbor, Indiana, to unload the Ryerson and Canadian straight deckers bringing iron ore from Quebec through the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Ryerson sailed late in 1993 into January of 1994 and was laid-up at Sturgeon Bay shipyards. That winter, Inland Steel chartered the surplus self-unloader Adam E. Cornelius from American Steamship Company to handle iron ore cargoes previously handled by the Ryerson.

Cornelius’ capacity was equal to the Ryerson, but the self-unloader could unload a cargo in six to 10 hours, compared to the Ryerson’s 20 to 24 hours under the unloading bridges.

Ryerson remained inactive in Sturgeon Bay during the 1994, ’95 and ’96 shipping seasons, but it did receive a five-year survey in 1996. By fit-out 1997, Inland Steel’s tonnage requirements had increased enough to put the Ryerson back in service with its two self-unloading fleetmates, Wilfred Sykes and Joseph L. Block, and the chartered Cornelius. Ryerson has been busy carrying taconite from Marquette and Escanaba, Michigan, to Inland Steel’s Indiana Harbor steel mill.

Inland Steel officials say that if taconite demands continue, the Ryerson will stay in service and conversion to a self-unloader is possible.

Edward L. Ryerson is the last link to how modern iron ore shipping was done on the lakes in straight-deck bulk carriers. If it is converted or retired, another piece of Great Lakes history will be left to picture books.

Rod Burdick, from Kingsford, Michigan, is a high school teacher in Crystal Falls and a Great Lakes marine photographer. His works appear regularly in several publications and on the Internet.