SS Arthur M. Anderson

The SS "Arthur M. Anderson" is a cargo ship of the laker type. She is famous for being the last ship to be in contact with the SS "Edmund Fitzgerald" (before it sank 10 November 1975). The "Anderson" was also the first rescue ship on the scene in a vain search for "Fitzgerald" survivors (there were none).

History

The SS "Arthur M. Anderson" came out of the drydock of the American Ship Building Company of Lorain, Ohio in 1952. She had a length of 647 feet, 70 foot beam, a 36 foot depth, and a gross tonnage of roughly 20,000 tons. She was second of eight of the AAA class of lake freighters; the others being, in order, the SS "Philip R. Clarke", SS "Cason J. Callaway", SS "Reserve", SS "J.L. Mauthe", SS "Armco", SS "Edward B. Greene", and the SS "William Clay Ford". She, along with the SS "Philip R. Clarke" and SS "Cason J. Callaway", was built for the Pittsburgh Steamship Division of U.S. Steel.The Anderson's sea-trials commenced on August 7, 1952, and she loaded her first cargo at the Two Harbors dock on August 12th. She received several refits in her life including a new 120 foot mid-section which added about 6,000 tons to her gross tonnage. In 1981 she received a self unloading boom which improved her cargo loading and unloading.

Her namesake, Arthur Marvin Anderson, was director of U.S. Steel at the time.

She has been a member of the U.S. Steel fleet her entire life, and is still sailing as of 2008.

See also

*Lake freighter