First US bulk carrier ship built on the Great Lakes in 40 years launches

[Brad]

https://greatlakesseaway.org/launch-of-the-first-u-s-flagged-great-lakes-bulk-carrier-in-nearly-40-years/

We can still make things in the US.

[rcjordan]

"The new River-class, self-unloading bulk carrier is believed to be the first ship for U.S. Great Lakes service built on the Great Lakes since 1983. Measuring 639 feet in length (78 feet W, 45 feet H, 28,000 DWT), the ship will transport raw materials such as salt, iron ore, and stone to support manufacturing throughout the Great Lakes region."

Large-ish, too.

[Brad]

As a teenager, my father worked on an ore carrier like this for a summer during World War II as a deck hand swabbing decks and such.