Paul H Townsend

This ship was built to meet the requirements of the U.S. Maritime Commission near the end of the Second World War for a smaller cargo vessel designed for short coastal runs on routes that did not call for fast ships. Designated as type C1-M-AV1, this small cargo ship was built in 1945 at the Consolidated Steel Corp., Wilmington, CA as the yards hull number 1328. Although launched in 1945 as the Hickory Coll, the vessel entered service in September of 1945 as the Coastal Delegate for the U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC under charter to and operated by the Southern Steamship Co. of Philadelphia, PA. The Coastal Delegates original overall dimensions were: 339 04 (103.4m) loa x 50 00 (15.24m) beam x 29 00 (8.84m) depth; GRT 3,822 (gross registered tonnage), NRT 2,123 (net registered tonnage), 6,020 ton (6,117 mt) capacity, displacing 8,375 tons (8,510 mt). The vessel was (and still is) powered by a single Nordberg TSM-216 slow turning, direct drive, 6 cylinder diesel engine originally rated at 1,750 b.h.p. (1,287 kW), later rated at 2,150 b.h.p. (1,581 KW), built by Nordberg Manufacturing Co., St. Louis, MO. Burning marine diesel oil, the engine’s power is fed to a single fixed pitch propeller.

On November 7, 1951; the Coastal Delegate was acquired by the Huron Transportation Co., Detroit, MI (a subsidiary of the Huron Portland Cement Co.). During 1952, the vessel was converted to a self unloading cement carrier; the conversion being started at the Bethlehem Steel Co., Shipbuilding Division, Hoboken, NJ before being brought to the Great Lakes by the Mississippi River system where the conversion was completed in early 1953 by the Calumet Shipyard, Chicago, IL. This self unloading system moves the cement by screw conveyors and can discharge at a rate of 536 tons (544 mt) per hour. Upon completion, the vessels new tonnage figures became GRT 3,581, NRT 1,870, and 5,200 ton (5,284 mt) capacity.

The new cement carrier was christened Paul H. Townsend on April 30, 1953 at Detroit, MI. The vessels namesake, Mr. Paul Henson Townsend, was born December 19, 1889 and served as President and Chairman of Huron Portland Cement Co. He also served as director of Huron Cement, the Lake Carriers Association, the Detroit Board of Commerce, and other esteemed organizations. Mr. Townsend died November 22, 1981.

During the 1957/58 winter lay up, the Paul H. Townsend was lengthened and rebuilt to her current dimensions by Great Lakes Engineering Works, Ashtabula, OH. The rebuilding included the moving of the wheelhouse to its now familiar forward location. The new tonnage figures became GRT 4,302 and NRT 2,825. The Paul H. Townsend can carry 7,850 tons (7,976 mt) at her mid summer draft of 22 01.5 (6.74m) in 6 holds. The original Nordberg diesel can move the vessel at a rated speed of 13.5 M.P.H. and the cement carrier is equipped with a bow thruster.

In recent years, there have been only a couple of noted incidents. In January of 1999, the Paul H. Townsend received ice damage in the Strait of Mackinac after leaving Milwaukee, WI bound for Alpena, MI. On May 11, 2000; the vessel grounded in the Saginaw River while attempting to turn around. Strong currents resulting from heavy rains contributed to the Townsend ending up crosswise in the river blocking the channel. The cement carrier was freed with the assistance of tug Kurt Luedtke with no resulting damage.

The Paul H. Townsend is currently operated and managed by Inland Lakes Management, Inc., Alpena, MI (affiliated with Andrie, Inc., Muskegon, MI) being bareboat chartered from owners and sailing under a contract of affreightment with Lafarge Corp., Reston, VA to carry bulk cement and flyash between various loading ports to distribution terminals on the Great Lakes. Inland Lakes Management was formed in March of 1987 to operate and manage the Huron Cement (National Gypsum) fleet following the purchase of National Gypsum by Lafarge Corp. on January 1, 1987.

The Paul H. Townsend has often laid up for varying periods of time during the navigation seasons due to the fluctuating demands of the construction industry for which she serves. On December 15, 2005 however, the small cement carrier went into long-term lay-up at Muskegon, MI. Having received a fresh coat of paint in 2006 though, the Paul H. Townsend remains laid up at Muskegon serving at times as a cement storage barge. The only operating member of the Inland Lakes fleet now is the classic steamer Alpena. The cement cargoes are now being carried by Lafarge’s new, efficient integrated tug/barge units.

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