State of Great Lakes Shipbuilding
By Brendan Falkowski, Owner, Shipwatcher News
The Great Lakes shipbuilding industry has gone from being a forgotten sector to making front page headlines in recent months.
The current global climate has sparked renewed investments in navies and merchant fleets, with world powers competing for dominance of the seas.
Despite this, the Great Lakes maritime industry remains under the radar, only gaining attention when issues arise, rather than being recognized for its significant contribution to the U.S. economy and defense supply chain.
A notable example is the steamer Alpena, which has been sailing the Great Lakes for 82 seasons, but was recently sidelined for six months due to critical repairs to her steam powerplant.
The spotlight only seems to find the Great Lakes maritime industry when things go wrong, and almost never highlight the industry’s large role in the U.S. economy and defense supply chain.
Author's summary: Great Lakes shipbuilding is overlooked despite its importance.