Manitowoc makes fifth visit to GH

The Manitowoc is the former Wisconsin and Michigan Steamship Co.-owned, Lower Lakes Towing operated, David Z. It was purchased a few years ago by Lower Lakes Towing/Grand River Navigation and renamed the Manitowoc. The David Z. was in turn the former David Z. Norton of the now defunct Oglebay Norton Marine Division. The Manitowoc was built by American Shipbuilding of Lorain, Ohio, in 1973 and christened the William R. Roesch in honor of the president of Jones and Laughlin Steel Co. Roesch eventually became president of U.S. Corp. He died in 1983. After a series of owners and managing companies, the Roesch wound up in the Oglebay Norton Fleet and was re-christened as the David Z. Norton in March 1995.

For those who track our receipts and shipments we have received 16 cargos and shipped none utilizing 8 different boats.  This compares with 21 received and none shipped on 11 different boats for last season at this time.

— By Dick Fox, Ship's Log columnist

To read more of this column, see today's edition of the Grand Haven Tribune.