The Inland Steel Fleet 1911-1998 [Paperback]

For nearly ninety years, lake freighters belonging to the Inland Steel fleet transported the raw materials necessary for the manufacture of steel at their owners sprawling industrial complex at Indiana Harbor, Indiana. Easily distinguishable from vessels operated by other shipping companies following the incorporation of a unique color scheme in 1950, the members of the Inland Steel fleet became some of the most recognizable and popular ships to ever sail the waters of the Great Lakes. This volume traces the history of this fleet from its formation, through an era of expansion that included the construction of two groundbreaking vessels and the rebuilding of its older units, to its demise following the sale of the Inland Steel Company in 1998. In addition, complete factual accounts chronicle the careers of each of the ten vessels that served in this fleet over its long history.