Lake Freighter (Laker)

A lake freighter, or laker, is a bulk carrier built for the North American Great Lakes, recognizable by a long narrow hull, a forward pilothouse, and engines aft. Two size groups run the lakes. Seawaymax ships fit the St. Lawrence Seaway locks at up to 225.6 meters long and 23.8 meters beam on an 8.08 meter draft, so they reach the ocean. The 1,000-footers, capped by the 1,013.5 foot Paul R. Tregurtha, are too large for the Seaway and stay on the upper lakes, hauling iron ore, coal, limestone, and grain. Most are self-unloaders that discharge funnel-shaped holds onto a deck conveyor and a swinging boom, so they work piers without shore cranes.