Q&A
Q&A Mark W. Barker with
President of The Interlake Steamship Company Interviewed by Shirley Del Valle, Managing Editor
F
amily-owned and operated, The Interlake Steamship Company, is on a mission to modernize its fleet. The Middleburg Heights, Ohiobased company’s sustainability goals include reducing its air emissions, protecting the waterways and minimizing its environmental footprint. Marine Log had a chance to interview Mark W. Barker, President of 22 Marine Log // September 2018
The Interlake Steamship Company, to learn about the company’s plan to improve its environmental profile and the state of the Great Lakes market. Marine Log: Can you tell our readers a bit about Interlake Steamship Company? Mark W. Barker: The Interlake Steamship Company traces its legacy back to 1883 with the founding of Pickands Mather &
Company when its first wooden steamer, the V.H. Ketchum, sailed the Great Lakes. In the more than 130 years since, a lot has changed: the size of our ships, the cargos, the technology, the ports and even the name of the company. T h e o r i g i n a l I n t e r l a ke S t e a m s h i p Company, the marine arm of Pickands Mather, was incorporated in 1913 with 39 vessels. Today, this second-generation, family-owned and -operated company of the same name has nine working freighters that crisscross the Great Lakes from March to January delivering close to 20 million tons of iron ore, stone and coal to more than 50 ports and manufacturers located along the freshwater shores. As the largest privately held U.S. - flag fleet on the Lakes, Interlake has invested more than $125 million in recent years to modernize our ships through successful emission-reduction initiatives. With a total carrying capacity of 390,300 tons, ranging from 24,800 tons to 68,000 tons on the 1,013.5-foot M/V Paul R.
The Interlake Steamship Company
The Interlake Steamship Company’s fleet includes the M/V James R. Barker, which was fitted with exhaust gas scrubbers in 2016