Lehigh {2} – Joseph X. Robert – Willowglen

1943-2005

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Specs

Build Information

Year Built: 1943

Builder: Great Lakes Engineering Works, River Rouge, MI

Hull #295

Registry: US 244450 [1943-1981] CAN 3939816 [1981-2005]

IMO #5205526

Laid Down: December 29, 1942

Launch Date: July 24, 1943

Commissioned: November 1, 1943

Construction

The Lehigh {2} was constructed as the L6-S-B1 gearless bulk freighter Mesabi by Great Lakes Engineering Works at their River Rouge, Michigan shipyard for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. She was traded to Bethlehem Steel’s Great Lakes Steamship Division in early 1943 for older vessels, which were leased back until the end of the war.

The Lehigh was one of 16 Maritime class freighters ordered by the U.S. Maritime Commission during World War II. Of the 16 vessels, there were two subclasses, the L6-S-A1 subclass and the L6-S-B1. The A1’s were constructed by the American Shipbuilding Company, and their design included a modern cruiser type stern, shorter stack, aft mast mounted behind the stack, a Lentz-Poppet double compound steam engines and a rounded pilothouse. The B1’s were built by Great Lakes Engineering Works, and their design included a traditional counter stern, tall stack, aft mast stepped forward of the stack, a triple expansion steam engine, and a square pilothouse. Of the 16 Maritime class ships constructed, 6 were of the L6-S-A1 designation and the remaining 10 were of L6-S-B1 designation.

Lehigh {2} was one of two Maritime Class ships traded to Bethlehem Steel Corporation’s Great Lakes Steamship Division, the other being the L6-S-B1 Steelton {1}.

Modifications

• Deck strapping added, 1943.
• Boilers converted to oil-firing, Manitowoc Shipbuilding, Manitowoc, WI, 1971.

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General Stats

Length Overall: 620’06”

Length Between Perpendiculars: 604′

Breadth: 60′

Depth: 35′

Loaded Draft: —

Capacity: 9057 Gross Tons, 6793 Net Tons

Vessel Type: Gearless Bulk Carrier

Number of Cargo Holds: 4 [Hatch-Hold Arrangement: 4-5-5-4]

Number of Hatches: 18 [Dimensions: 38’x11′]

Primary Operations: Ore Trade

Propellers: 1

Rudders: 1

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Engineering Equipment

Original

Engine

Engine Type: Triple-Expansion Steam Engine

Engine Manufacturer: Great Lakes Engineering Works, Engine Department, River Rouge, MI

Engine Model: 3-Cylinder, 24”, 41”, 68”dia. x 42” stroke

Number of Engines: 1

Rated HP: 2500 IHP

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Boiler

Boiler Type: Coal-Fired Water Tube Boiler

Boiler Manufacturer: —

Boiler Size: 14,748 sq. ft.

Number of Boilers: 2

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History

Lineage

Lehigh {2} – 1943-1981

Owner: Bethlehem Steel Corp., Great Lakes Steamship Division, Cleveland, OH

Operator: Bethlehem Steel Corp., Great Lakes Steamship Division

Flag: United States

Home Port: Wilmington, DE

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Joseph X. Robert – 1981-1982

Owner: Soo River Company, Mississauga, ON [Pierson Steamships LTD.]

Operator: Westdale Shipping LTD., Mississauga, ON

Flag: Canada

Home Port: Hamilton, ON

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Willowglen – 1982-1994

Owner: P & H Shipping LTD., Mississauga, ON [Parrish & Heimbecker LTD.]

Operator: P & H Shipping LTD.

Flag: Canada

Home Port: Hamilton, ON

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Willowglen – 1994-2005

Owner: Goderich Elevators LTD., Goderich, ON

Operator: Goderich Elevators

Flag: Canada

Home Port: Goderich, On

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Her Story

The Lehigh {2} was constructed in 1943 as the L6-S-B1 gearless bulk freighter Mesabi by Great Lakes Engineering Works at their River Rouge, Michigan, shipyard for the United States Maritime Commission during World War II. She was traded to Bethlehem Steel Corporation’s Great Lakes Steamship Division in May 1943 for older vessels, which were leased back until the end of the war. The Lehigh was one of 16 “Maritime” Class ships constructed in 1943, and one of ten of her subclass. She was one of two Maritime Class ships traded to Bethlehem Steel’s Great Lakes Steamship Division, the other being theL6-S-B1 Steelton {1}.

The keel for the Mesabi was laid on December 29, 1942, being launched on July 24, 1943. She was acquired by Bethlehem in October 1943 and renamed Lehigh {2}, departing the shipyard on November 1, 1943, bound for Marquette, Michigan, to load iron ore on her maiden voyage. She fell into a usual trade route of hauling ore from Lake Superior ports to the Bethlehem mill at Lackawanna, New York.

After her sisters experienced cracking on the spar deck during their first sailing season, the entire Maritime Class was fitted with 3’x2” strapping along the sides of the hull, increasing the strength of the spar deck in order to prevent future cracking.

On September 11, 1969, Lehigh delivered the first load of ore to Bethlehem’s new steel facility at Burns Harbor, Indiana. She unloaded approximately 15,700 tons of ore at the new facility.

In early 1971, her boilers were converted to oil-firing by Manitowoc Shipbuilding at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. During the 1970’s, Lehigh began to make more frequent runs down the St. Lawrence Seaway, as well as take on more grain cargoes. This was due to her primary domestic routes being taken over by new 1,000′ super carriers in the Bethlehem fleet. She was laid up at Erie, Pennsylvania, in late 1979, never to run again under the American flag.

In 1981, Lehigh was sold to Pierson Steamships under the name Soo River Company of Mississauga, Ontario. She was towed out of Erie to Port Colborne, Ontario, where she was repainted in Soo River colors and renamed Joseph X. Robert. She began trading on the Seaway soon after.

The Pierson fleet was placed into receivership on August 6, 1982, resulting in the entire fleet being sold to P & H Shipping LTD., owned by Parrish & Heimbecker of Mississauga, Ontario. Joseph X. Robert was renamed Willowglen on September 16, 1982.

Willowglen operated for P & H for the next decade until she was laid up at Owen Sound, Ontario, on December 21, 1992. She remained at Owen Sound until 1994 when she was sold to Goderich Elevators for use as a storage barge. Willowglen was towed to Goderich on August 17, 1994, to begin her new career as a storage vessel.

By 2004, Willowglen was then excess capacity, and offered for sale for scrapping. She was sold in mid-2005 for scrapping, and towed out of Goderich on August 4, 2005, to Hamilton, Ontario, for preparation for the overseas tow. The tow departed Hamilton on September 9, arriving at the scrapyard in Aliaga, Turkey, on October 28, 2005.

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Compiled By Brendan Falkowski

Updated on January 30, 2021

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Gallery

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Sources

Berry, Sterling P. “Lehigh 3”. Great Lakes Vessel History: Vessel Histories of Sterling P. Berry. N.d. Accessed 30 January 2021. <https://www.greatlakesvesselhistory.com/histories-by-name/l/lehigh-3>

Devendorf, John F. Great Lakes Bulk Carriers, 1869-1985. John F. Devendorf, 1996. Pp. 165.

Ferguson, Brian. “Willowglen”. Great Lakes & Seaway Shipping Online. N.d. Accessed 30 January 2021. <http://boatnerd.com/pictures/fleet/willowglen.htm>

The Great Lakes Engineering Works: The Shipyard and its Vessels. Marine Historical Society of Detroit, 2008. Pp. 444-446.